An Inuyasha Retelling
by KaiahAurora
Summary: What if Kagome had never come back through the well, and instead Miroku was the one to find Inuyasha? An episodic retelling of the Inuyasha anime, which will eventually contain Inuyasha/Miroku (or InuMir, to grab that search result). While the overall plot of the series stays the same, how things happen are slightly different with many added scenes! New chapters every Friday!
1. Chapter 1: s1e01

This is going to be an episodic retelling of Inuyasha based on the concept of Miroku discovering Inuyasha, not Kagome. Each chapter will be based on an episode (or a movie) and will more or less follow the plot structure of the anime. IMPORTANT: This is going to be Inuyasha/Miroku, gay lovers extraordinaire.

There are certain changes made throughout this retelling. The largest is erasing Kagome's character entirely. While Shippo, Sango, and Kirara are still part of the story, they aren't necessarily constant travelling companions and will appear a bit less. In all Kagome/Inuyasha plots, Kagome is entirely replaced by Miroku. However, in Miroku/Sango plots, sometimes Sango is replaced by Inuyasha, and sometimes I just focus on the friendship between Miroku and Sango because it's wholesome. Lastly, I've changed Inuyasha's necklace from the whole "sit boy" routine, because it's a lazy McGuffin by the writers and I'm not a huge fan of domestic abuse, for comedic purposes or otherwise. The dialogue is based on a combination of the English dub and subs with some personal tweaks. Inuyasha will swear a little more than in the show, but it won't be excessive. There might be some sex later on, I haven't decided yet, but if so I'll let you know before the chapter. Any trigger warnings from the show may be carried on to these chapters, but all the sexual assault will be lessened. If it can't be avoided, there will be a trigger warning at the start of each relevant chapter. If you have any suggestions for how to portray the characters, please let me know in the comments! Enjoy!

* * *

The air was warm with spring and Miroku felt hopeful. This may finally be the village where the Shikon Jewel disappeared, the first sighting of Naraku. It had been a long time since he had even heard mention of Naraku, and he was anxious to find some new information. He wondered if anyone in the village would remember Naraku. It had been fifty years, after all.

It was a pleasant day – the sun was shining, birds were chirping in the glen…and the bones of a humungous demon lay scattered across the ground. Interesting. Miroku knelt down beside them, running a finger along a vertebra. This demon must have been formidable. He was glad he didn't have to fight it. He cast his mind outward, scanning the area for any more youkai that might be nearby. No youkai, but…something. Something not too far away. Miroku hummed, straightening. He didn't especially want to battle anything today, but if he rid the village nearby of a demon pestering them, they might be more willing to give him what he wanted. There was no harm in looking, he decided. He reached into his robes, checking to make sure some sutras were close at hand, and started towards that strange presence.

A tree stood taller than the others around it, reaching high into the sky. As he approached, Miroku could make out a patch of red amongst the green. A young man was pinned against the tree, an arrow sticking from his shoulder and ancient vines tangled around him. They grew over his left shoulder and seemingly around the arrow. The man's white hair caught Miroku's eye. That certainly didn't look like a human colour – and were those dog ears on his head? Huh.

Miroku crept forward, keeping his senses open in case of an attack. He stepped carefully along the old vines, nervously brushing the beads of his mala. He peered at the face of the young man – demon? – who appeared to be asleep. Very cautiously, Miroku reached out and poked the man's shoulder. No response. He peered closer. The dog ears were the same colour as the hair, and no human ears were anywhere to be found. But he lacked the markings usually found in youkai, be they dog or wolf or whatever this creature was. His nails were half-way between claws and human nails. Maybe his nose was a little more pointed than a regular human's, but honestly, this demon looked alarmingly human. Could this be a hanyou? He'd never seen one before.

Turning his attention to the arrow sticking from the man's shoulder, Miroku felt the undeniable pull of great spiritual power. Whoever had sealed this hanyou here must have been very powerful. Thinking back to all he knew about the nearby village, Miroku thought he could place a name to this creature, but he wasn't sure.

"You there! What're you up to?"

Miroku spun around. He'd let his guard slip.

"Get away from there!"

"Wait!" Miroku shouted, putting up his hands in surrender, but it was too late. A volley of arrows flew at him, and he had to bat one away to keep it from hitting him or the hanyou. The men ran towards him, some notching fresh arrows.

"I'm not an enemy! Please, listen to me. I'm a monk and I mean you no harm!"

The men slowed, eyeing him suspiciously. "What is your business here?" one of them called out.

"I am trying to find the village where the Shikon Jewel disappeared. I just want to talk to some of the elders there, to try and understand what happened fifty years ago."

The men exchanged uneasy glances but thankfully lowered their weapons. Miroku climbed down from the vines, keeping his eyes fixed on them.

"You'll follow to the village, monk."

And he did, casting a final look over his shoulder at the hanyou lying trapped there. As they entered the village, he heard suspicious murmurs from the villagers around him. Was he a token of war? It was the middle of rice-planting season – they couldn't afford a battle. One of the women thought he was handsome. Her husband apparently wasn't fond of that assessment. Miroku kept his chin up against the dozens of eyes boring into him. He had never been to this village before, so they had no reason to dislike him.

"Make way for the High Priestess Kaede!"

Miroku came to a stop as the men around him parted, revealing an old miko with an eyepatch, a bow, and a sour expression. He bowed politely and waited for her to make the first move. She walked up to Miroku and looked him over, obviously suspicious.

"What brings ye here, monk? What were ye doing in the forest of Inuyasha?"

Ah, so he was right about the hanyou.

"My name is Miroku. I sought out your village to learn more about the history of the Shikon no Tama."

This created a ripple in the crowd, and the priestess's glare intensified. "And what business have ye with the Jewel?"

"I can explain everything, but it's rather a long story. Perhaps we could sit down to discuss it?"

After all, he'd been walking for five days without rest, and sleeping in the forest each night. He could use a break. The man who had questioned him earlier leaned in to Kaede, whispered something in her ear.

"Who would invade such a poor village as ours? We can barely feed ourselves and have nothing of value."

As she turned her gaze to him once again, Miroku put on his most winning smile, with just a hint of desperation. The miko's face softened and she grumbled something under her breath.

"Come with me, monk. We might as well be comfortable."

They entered into a small hut, where Kaede shooed away the rest of the villagers. The hut was simple, not the usual residence of a High Priestess, but Miroku supposed that this village wasn't as prosperous as others. A large black cauldron filled with bone broth bubbled from the heat of a low fire in the irori. A pile of potatoes, yams, and other root vegetables sat on the ground beside it. To Miroku's surprise, Kaede sat down opposite him and held out a small knife. She seemed unimpressed at his confused expression.

"Ye can chop vegetables, can ye not, monk? Or are you completely useless?"

Miroku smiled despite himself and took the knife. "I like to think not."

"So, why do ye not begin by explaining why a demonic curse emanates from your body?"

He started and almost sliced off the end of his thumb. "Huh?"

"I assume that your tekkou and mala are not simply decoration." She gestured at the sheath of cloth on his right forearm and the prayer beads wrapped around it. "And there is a hint of youkai surrounding you. Tell me now, or be gone from this village."

Miroku swallowed the unease that rose at this intrusion. He had hoped to at least postpone this part of the conversation. "You are correct in that I have been cursed by a demon. Almost fifty years ago, he cursed my grandfather and all of his descendants. I am seeking to destroy him, but I know little about him. That is why I came to your village. I believe this demon may have once sought the Shikon Jewel, and I want to know what he had planned."

The old miko hummed as she sliced some onions. "That may very well be the case. Many a demon attempted to steal the power of the Shikon Jewel when my sister Kikyo was its guardian." She glanced at Miroku, suspicion still lurking in her eye. "What was this demon's name?"

"Naraku."

Despite his efforts, the hatred bled into Miroku's voice, and Kaede nodded in acceptance. "Forgive my intrusion, and the mistrust ye have received from the people here. I see ye mean us no harm. In these troubled times of war, no stranger may be welcomed among us without deep distrust. Our young ones have become rash, and though I tell them we've no business with wars, they refuse to listen and only give me more to worry about."

She took the pile of sliced vegetables and dropped them into the stew, along with a few handfuls of rice. "What do ye know of the Shikon Jewel?"

"Not much, only rumours of its power. I heard that it disappeared around fifty years ago, right after the death of the priestess who protected it."

"Yes, you would have heard that." Kaede stood stiffly. "Follow me."

She moved swiftly for such an old woman. Miroku followed her through the village to a small, unassuming shrine. To his surprise, in the middle of the floor, simple wooden steps led downwards to what appeared to be a storeroom below. At Kaede's gesture, Miroku began down the steps, pausing to help Kaede as she followed. Two of the walls were simply packed dirt, while before them a wooden door lay absolutely covered with dozens of different sutras. The faint glow of a magical barrier shone around the door.

"My sister Kikyo guarded the Sacred Jewel for several years, until she was slain by one who sought the Jewel's power. As her dying act, she sealed the Jewel away, so that no one, demon or human, may ever use its power again."

"She must have been very powerful," Miroku said, eyeing the barrier. "To have a seal this strong so many years later."

"Aye, her spiritual powers were without equal. That is why the Jewel must be kept from those who would abuse it."

With that, she turned and started climbing the stairs back to the shrine. Miroku followed her, a plan forming in his mind. "Would you happen to have records of the Sacred Jewel? Anything that I could learn?"

Kaede looked thoughtful. "I suppose there might be something. Let me check."

She led him to another hut, where a few measly scrolls lay in a basket. Miroku settled down to read none the less, and a villager called for Kaede outside.

"I trust you can find your way back to my hut when you are finished?"

Miroku nodded absently. "Indeed. Thank you for your help, Kaede-sama."

With just the right amount of honey in his voice, the old miko left with a smile. Miroku turned back to the scroll, eyes flowing over the village records. As Kaede's footsteps faded away, he carefully tucked the scrolls back into place and crept out the door. After making sure the coast was clear, he ran for the shrine, using the cover of the darkening light. He started with the sutras he was most familiar with, the ones that blocked the Jewel's presence from being detected. They were easy to remove, requiring only a tinge of spiritual power to peel them from the door. He worked through the sutras methodically, breaking some with his staff and, when that didn't work, held the discarded sutras up to the oil lamp in the shrine and used them to burn the others. Soon only a few of the strongest and most intricate sutras remained. These were the real challenge.

He assumed that not many had attempted to break into the room before. The rumour of the Jewel's disappearance and the sutras blocking anyone from sensing it had likely done more than the protective barrier. Those much more powerful than himself would have been able to break through the toughest of the seals. Instead, Miroku pulled at the mala around his wrist and braced himself. Dirt from the walls flew into the wind tunnel, followed by the creaking of wood as the floor broke apart. Eventually, though, the wood of the door cracked, and the barrier was broken. Miroku tore apart the last of the sutras and stepped inside.

The Shikon Jewel glowed brightly on its stand, the pull of its power like nothing Miroku had ever experienced before. He didn't dare linger, but quickly plucked it from its stand and stuffed it into his robes. In a heartbeat, he was back up the stairs and walking nonchalantly back to Kaede's hut. He summoned the slightest barrier around himself, hopefully enough to keep the old miko from sensing the Jewel. He planned to thank her for her help and get out of there as soon as possible. Instead, a rumbling came from the distance. A cloud of dust and smoke rose into the air, accompanied by the sounds of splintering wood and breaking roofs. Bells sounded around the village and people yelled all around. Kaede stepped outside her hut just a few paces away, gaze flickering from him to the bits of debris flying into the air.

"What's going on?"

"It's a monster!"

The answering cry came from deep within the village, just as the body of a demon slid into view. As they watched, a humungous centipede crushed another hut then swung around, a horse clasped in her jaws. Villagers fired at her with flaming arrows but it had little effect.

"Get the children to safety!" Kaede shouted at a passing man. "Evacuate the village!"

The demon swung towards them, dropping the horse at their feet. Miroku stepped closer to Kaede, ready to protect her if the demon decided to strike.

"Give me the Sacred Jewel!"

Kaede's head snapped around to Miroku, eye widening in disbelief. Well, so much for that plan. He didn't have time to say anything as the demon lunged for them. Miroku pushed Kaede to the side, swinging his staff at the demon as he did so. The head of his staff connected with one of the demon's arms, severing it from her body. Miroku landed with a thud and rolled to his feet, only to see the demon swinging back around. He dove on top of Kaede and raised his staff, summoning a quick barrier. It glowed much brighter than usual, and the demon bounced off it like a fly. Miroku gasped. He hadn't even used the Shikon Jewel yet, but its mere presence had strengthened his spiritual powers.

However, it offered no protection from the seething gaze of Kaede. "It said Sacred Jewel, monk. What-"

Miroku was saved from answering by the demon spinning, casting off the arrows loosed by the villagers. She twisted towards the men, bowling them over with ease. Miroku watched one man being flung through the air and his heart sank. He had to do something! Two of the men ran to their side, fear in their voices.

"Spears and arrows – nothing works!"

"I can help!" Miroku said, silently praying that they would listen. He raised his right hand at Kaede and pointed at it. "I can fight this demon."

Kaede opened her mouth but Miroku didn't wait for her response. He took off through the village, calling over his shoulder "Don't come after me! I'm going to suck in the demon, but none of you can be nearby!"

Miroku ran, out of the village and back in the direction he'd come earlier that day. He crossed the flooded rice fields, feeling the youkai gaining on him. He spun around, drawing on his newfound strength from the Jewel and blasted her back, buying himself a little more time. Beyond her, though, Kaede and the villagers were riding towards him on horseback. They were drawing close much too quickly.

"Stay back! Your lives are in danger if you come too close!"

They didn't listen. He supposed he couldn't blame them – all trust between them was gone – but it certainly complicated matters. He ran towards the forest, knowing the horses couldn't follow him as easily there. Once he was through, he would find the open glen and open the wind tunnel there. He had no desire to suck in a couple of trees along with the demon. He just had to keep on running.

Light pierced the pervasive darkness of Inuyasha's mind. A power, an oh-so-familiar aura was drawing closer. His hand twitched, claws at the ready. Long-dormant muscles shifted and groaned as he woke. He drew his hand up, his fingers curling at the thought of what they would catch. The Sacred Jewel, coming his way at last. He reached for the arrow embedded in his chest, gasping at the pulse of spiritual energy that came from it. Damn!

"The Jewel – give it to me!"

The centipede was too close, not giving him time to stop and open the wind tunnel. He could hear the shouts from the villagers behind him, still a ways away but gaining fast. He turned and stumbled up a grassy ledge, knowing at least the horses couldn't follow. Just as he reached the top, the demon struck, sending him flying into the forest. He rolled to a stop, jumping to his feet with his staff at the ready.

"Hey, you!"

He spun around. The amber eyes of the hanyou were staring at him, a barely concealed hunger in their depths. Miroku sighed. This was not what he needed right now. The arrow was still in place, the vines still curled around the suspended body, so Miroku decided that this threat was low on the list. He turned back to where the demon had struck, but she was suspiciously absent.

"What's a priest like you doing with the Sacred Jewel?"

Miroku ground his teeth. "I'm a little busy at the moment. I'd appreciate it if you could let me concentrate."

"Why? You can't stick up to a little demon?"

Frustrated, Mioku turned to the hanyou again. "Look, I've got a lot going on right now. Can you please-"

The hanyou tensed. "She's here."

The demon dropped down from above and Miroku ducked, batting at her with his staff but she was unaffected. She reached for him, grasping at his robes. Miroku reached inside himself in turn, grasping at the intangible power emanating from the Jewel. He concentrated it all into the head of his staff, which he brought down on her face. She shrieked and drew back, only for a harpoon to lodge itself, followed by another and another.

"Good, now pull!

Miroku stepped back as the villagers began to drag the centipede from the tree. He turned to leave, but one of them shouted out "Stop, thief!"

"Hah!" the hanyou laughed. "Figures."

Miroku sighed and turned back to the villagers to try and talk his way out of this. The snapping of rope caught him off guard, and be barely took a step away as the demon dove for him. Her arms grasped his body, trying to lift into the air, so Miroku reached for the closest thing to him. His hand wrapped itself into the hanyou's red robes, and he hoped that whatever seal that dead priestess had put in place would be strong enough to keep all three of them in place.

"Let go of me, you filthy human!"

Miroku glared at the hanyou, his other hand clutching his staff. "I don't exactly have a lot of options, here!"

"Priestess Kaede!" Ooh, no. "Inuyasha has revived!"

Miroku's grasp was slipping, the hanyou was yelling at him, and the demon was demanding the Sacred Jewel. The demon's head seemed to split in two, revealing two rows of ridiculously large teeth, aiming for his neck. Miroku pulled on the power from the Jewel once again and swiped at her with his staff. She shrieked again and released him. He fell to the ground, followed by her remaining five arms. Eugh. The demon swung around again, apparently unfazed by the loss of limb. Dropping his staff, Miroku ripped the beads from around his hand. She careened backwards, barely avoiding the first pull of the wind tunnel as she circled around the tree.

Inuyasha's eyes widened. This was no ordinary mortal.

"What the hell is that thing? I thought you were supposed to be a human!"

Miroku ignored the hanyou, hurriedly closing his wind tunnel. He couldn't risk drawing in the villagers, not in these cramped conditions. The demon swung around as he wound the mala over his hand and, before Miroku could move, snatched him in her jaws. He felt himself lifted off the ground, barely managing to snatch his staff as she dragged him upwards and flung him into the air. She caught him again quickly, this time by the front of his robes. He realized what she was aiming for just as her teeth ripped through his koromo, leaving the Sacred Jewel in her jaws. Miroku shot out a hand as he fell, catching the stub of one of her arms. He swung with his staff once more, hitting her square across the face, and the Jewel flew from her mouth. She jerked away and he lost his grip, slamming into her body a few times on the way to the ground. He landed in front of the hanyou, and a heartbeat later the Jewel bounced down between them.

"Give me the Jewel, quick!" The hanyou's voice was insistent.

Miroku ignored him and reached for the jewel, but a bitten off cry from his companion gave warning to the demon crashing down around them. She swept up Miroku and slammed him into the hanyou, crushing them both against the tree.

"I heard some half-demon spawn was after the Jewel. It's you, isn't it?"

Inuyasha growled. They always went for his parentage. "Half's all I need to kick your scaly butt! Anything more than that'd be a waste of my time!"

Miroku struggled against the coil of the demon as it wound ever tighter, crushing him against the hanyou. He supposed he was lucky, as a half-demon was a lot comfier than full tree. But his back was to the centipede, his right arm pinned, and he was helpless. The hanyou was boasting, gearing up to strike again.

Miroku hissed at the hanyou "Can you really fight, or all you all bark and no bite?"

"Huh?" The hanyou looked almost insulted.

"Would you fight this demon if you were free?"

The centipede cackled behind them. "What can he do, pinned there like that? Or you, for that matter! You're powerless to stop me"

Inuyasha snarled at the demon, baring his teeth.

Miroku saw the anger in the hanyou's expression. Just maybe…

"Helpless," the centipede chuckled as she leaned down to the Jewel.

"Don't you dare!" Inuyasha shouted, straining against the arrow's spell.

Miroku twisted around just in time to see the Jewel disappear down the demon's throat. Not good. Her arms glowed red and floated back to her body, where they reattached. He heard the villagers shouting, but all his attention was on the demon rearming before him. With the Sacred Jewel, she could be unstoppable. A shudder ran along her entire body and suddenly she burst from her skin, her vaguely-human torso being replaced with her new demonic form.

"At last, my power is complete! I am restored!"

Definitely not good! The demon's body tightened around the tree and Miroku gasped in pain. His ribs ached, he couldn't breathe-

"Hey, can you pull out this arrow?"

Miroku stared up at the hanyou, whose voice was oddly subdued. It seemed almost gentle.

Inuyasha groaned. Stupid humans with those dumb expression on their faces. "Look, can you pull out this arrow or not?"

The irritated tone drew Miroku's attention. He looked at the arrow, the spiritual power it contained. "I don't know."

"Miroku, no! That arrow is all that is keeping Inuyasha from destroying us all!" Kaede's voice barely broke through the blood rushing in his ears.

"Don't be stupid, you old hag. At least with me you've got a chance, whereas that thing's going to eat you! Once it absorbs the Jewel, it'll be unstoppable!" Inuyasha's glare switched from the old woman to the human being crushed against him. "And what about you? Are you ready to die, yet?"

No. Even as the world was going fuzzy around the edges, Miroku knew that he didn't want to die. Not here. Not yet. He couldn't see the hanyou – Inuyasha – joining forces with the demon. Even if he was evil, the two of them fighting each other would at least buy him some time. He reached up with his left hand, stopping just for a moment to stare into the intense amber eyes of Inuyasha. Miroku grabbed the arrow and pulled. It burst with a burning hot light and dissolved in his hand. The light enveloped Inuyasha's body, the seal dissolving. Inuyasha's body shuddered as the light disappeared.

Then a heartbeat, a pulse of youkai, and Miroku thought that maybe he'd made a mistake. The youkai flowing from the hanyou only increased, washing over Miroku in waves. A shudder turned into a laugh, as Inuyasha cackled with his head thrown back. Miroku took in the pointed fangs and crazed look in the hanyou's eyes. Yes, mistakes were made.

The demon shrieked and wrapped her body completely around Miroku and the hanyou, only to be pushed off by a blast of amber light. Miroku fell to the ground, thrown backwards along with various hunks of centipede flesh.

Inuyasha pushed himself off the tree, grinning wildly at the feeling of his power returning. He was free! He was on the hunt. He landed on the other side of the demon, claws at the ready.

"Wicked child!"

"Nasty old hag!" She was lunging towards him. He jumped right back at her. "Iron Reaver, Soul Stealer!"

His claws ripped off her lower jaw and he carried the swing through the rest of her body, shredding muscle and ripping flesh from bone. He was alive again! He landed easily as the still-twitching legs of the centipede fell around him.

Miroku dragged himself to his feet, reaching for his fallen staff. Kaede and the other villagers moved up behind him.

"Find the glowing flesh, quickly! That's where the Jewel will be. It must be removed at once, lest this demon revive once more."

Amidst the dozens of differently sized centipede chunks, Miroku could just make out a faint pink glow coming from one of them. He was tempted to reach for it himself, but he had a feeling that the villagers wouldn't let him live if he tried to escape again. Instead he stepped back and pointed. Better to try to make amends than further enemies.

Kaede walked over to the designated hunk of twitching flesh and knelt down, rummaging around the centipede's insides until she found it. Miroku tried not to gag. The flesh of the demon instantly evaporated, leaving only bones behind. Huh, they looked exactly like the bones that he'd seen in the glen earlier, just a little ways away. Could this be the same demon?

Kaede turned to face him and Miroku braced himself for what was to come. To his utter astonishment, she held out the Jewel to him. He stared at her incredulously.

"You can't be serious."

"Ye were the only one able to break my sister's seals. I believe ye may be the only one who can protect the Jewel. Ye will keep it safe until we can discover a way to destroy it."

"Destroy it?" Miroku tried to keep his voice level. "For kami's sake, why?"

"Exactly!" Inuyasha crushed a bone with his foot demonstratively. "Humans can't use it, so why bother to keep it? But you don't want to destroy it. No one knows how!" He turned his predatory gaze onto the monk. "If you hand the Jewel over right now, I won't have to start sharpening my claws on you."

Yes, this was definitely not good.


	2. Chapter 2: s1e02

I forgot to mention in the first chapter that this is going to be told entirely from Miroku and Inuyasha's perspectives (and maybe Sango's though I haven't decided yet). Therefore, anything that happens to a different character won't be shown. Just assume that it carries out more or less the same as in the show unless otherwise referenced.

Warnings for this chapter: Discussion of canonical character death, swearing, and mild descriptions of violence. Please let me know if you feel that any other warnings should be added.

* * *

Miroku glanced between Kaede and Inuyasha. The villagers were slowly moving in behind the hanyou, spears and arrows at the ready. Inuyasha chuckled. Miroku's stomach clenched.

"Pay no heed to Inuyasha, monk."

"I wasn't planning to."

The Jewel glowed brightly in his hand, reflecting off the mala beads. That was why he wanted the Jewel – it was his only chance of tracking down Naraku. But he had seen what it had done to the centipede, knew that Kaede was desperate to keep it from Inuyasha. It was possible that he was entirely out of his depth.

"I hate having to wait!"

Inuyasha took one step, then another, and then he was running at Miroku with demonic speed. Kaede was between them, too close. Miroku turned and ran. Maybe he could finish his earlier plan, draw Inuyasha to the glen and then suck him in. He heard the footsteps behind him stop and instinctively ducked. The hanyou's claws passed a hair's breadth over his head. Miroku rolled and jumped to his feet. Inuyasha started forward again but was met by a volley of arrows from the villagers. He lashed out and broke an arrow cleanly in two as it flew towards him. Miroku's heart sank.

He watched Inuyasha jump at the villagers, land on one tree and then another, sending them crashing down around the men. That did it. If Inuyasha could slice through trees with his bare hands, then Miroku had no desire to meet those claws.

Inuyasha landed on the broken trunk of a tree, glaring down at the villagers. All young, too young to have known him before Kikyo sealed him away. They feared him based only on the stories they were told. Good. Let them fear him.

"Who do you people think I am? You think you can hurt me like I did that centipede?"

One of the villagers drew his weapon closer. "We should have stuck with the centipede…"

The old miko let out a world-weary sigh, reaching into her robes. "Oh for pity's sake! I knew that it would eventually come to this."

As the hanyou's gaze turned back to Miroku, the monk took off running. He just needed to draw Inuyasha a little further away, just enough that he could safely suck him in. He heard a voice calling after him, challenging him, threatening him. He blocked it out, pouring every ounce of his strength into running faster. Maybe the Jewel was helping him again, but he almost seemed to be outrunning the hanyou. He shot a glance over his shoulder just in time to see Inuyasha's claws descending towards him. He leaped forward, feeling the earth split apart beneath him. He crashed to the ground, the Jewel flying from his hand.

Inuyasha jumped off the tree towards the Sacred Jewel. He was so close. It was right within his grasp! As he landed, dozens of balls of shooting pink light shot towards his neck. He paused, utterly bewildered. What the hell-? They had formed into a necklace, a mix of wooden mala beads and what could be magatama but looked suspiciously like animal canines. He heard scrambling in front of him and watched the human snatch the Sacred Jewel. Oh no he didn't!

"Miroku! Quickly, the word of subjugation! Bind his spirit!"

Miroku's eyes met Inuyasha's, equal amounts of confusion in both. "What word?"

"Use your powers to connect to the nenju and hold his spirit!"

They moved at the same time, Inuyasha springing towards him and Miroku leaping to the side. He landed at the edge of the cliff. The ground crumbled at his feet and he fell. He rolled to his feet, seeing the Jewel rolling away from him. A shadow passed overhead, and then Inuyasha landed on the bridge, right in the Jewel's path. The clawed hand was reaching for it, and Miroku desperately cast out with his mind. He found something, the spiritual power locked within the nenju around Inuyasha's neck, and he pulled on it with all his might. To his amazement, the hanyou careened towards him, taking a few frantic steps before falling on his face.

Inuyasha shot up, pissed as hell. "The hell is this thing?"

He pulled at the beads, but somehow he couldn't seem to lift them off his head. That's when a human body crashed into his, tackling him to the ground. Something pressed against his throat and then he was being pinned, his back flushed with the human's chest, his staff holding him there. The old miko's voice called down from above, mocking.

"I'm sorry Inuyasha, but even you lack the power to remove it."

"We'll see about that! I'd come up there and finish you off if you didn't look half-dead already!"

The smooth wood of the staff pressed harder against his throat, cutting him off. He growled viciously at the human, but got no response. He watched as the miko carefully climbed down the small cliff and moved towards them. Inuyasha snarled at her too. The scent of the human holding him surrounded him, the stench of sweat and blood and spiritual power. He dug his claws into the wooden planks of the bridge. How could this be happening? How could he have broken free only to be captured again?

The old woman knelt down in front of him, surveying him with distain. "Will ye return with us quietly, or do I need to give the monk more ways to subdue you?"

Inuyasha growled and looked away, but his response was clear. Miroku carefully removed his staff and scooted away, watching as Kaede picked up the Jewel before Inuyasha stood. She held it out to Miroku again, and he just as hesitantly took it. He supposed it made the most sense for him to have it, since he could control Inuyasha, and Inuyasha wouldn't let anyone else get it. Oh, and that was new. He could control a hanyou?

The walk back to the village was slow and made in uncomfortable silence. The decimation caused by the centipede was even more than he'd been expecting. Hardly a single hut was free from damage, some of them destroyed altogether. A few dead horses littered the ground, though thankfully no human bodies joined them. All the villagers who hadn't joined in the fight – the old men, the women, the children – were gathered together, bearing torches and peering out into the night. A murmur of relief rose from them when they saw Kaede, followed by panicked whispers as Inuyasha came into view.

"Listen well, all of ye!" Kaede called out, voice commanding and firm. "You all know of Inuyasha, and have heard many things about him. However, his presence in our village is at my request. No harm is to come to him here!"

Inuyasha glanced between the human man and the old woman. Were they serious? They expected him to sit around in a village full of humans who wanted him dead? Not likely. He pulled at the nenju around his neck but to no avail. Strong magic bound them to him, and he would need more than his claws to get them off. He followed the humans through the village, noticing he subtle ways in which it had changed. A few new houses, all different people. How long had he been asleep, anyway? And who was that old woman bossing everyone around? He couldn't imagine Kikyo being too pleased with the new arrangement. Did that mean that she wasn't a priestess anymore?

In the hut, the cauldron of stew lay abandoned over a dying fire. Miroku tried not to look guilty. Kaede pulled out three bowls and filled them, handing one first to Miroku and then Inuyasha. The hanyou looked surprised at the offering, but took it none the less. Miroku was glad for the meal, having eaten nothing the day before. He imagined that Inuyasha would be pleased as well. Fifty years was a long time to go on an empty stomach.

After they finished their meal, and as the first rays of dawn spread over the horizon, Kaede turned to Miroku. "It is high time that I saw to your wound, young monk."

At her words, the dull ache that had spread across Miroku's side gave a sharp pulse of pain. He'd almost forgotten, but then, the entirety of his body felt like one large bruise. He had been lucky not to break any bones, especially when the centipede was crushing him. He wasn't overly thrilled about undressing in front of a hanyou, but he supposed that he couldn't let Inuyasha out of his sight for a while. He untied his kesa, letting the purple cloth fall to the ground. He reached into his robes and pulled out all his effects, from coin purse to sutras. He set the Sacred Jewel on the sutras, making eye contact with Inuyasha as he did so. The hanyou harrumphed and turned away. After letting his koromo open to his waist and shedding his hadagi, Miroku felt quite exposed. He looked at the deep gouges along his torso from the centipede's fangs, and the various scrapes along his skin. Honestly, it could've been a lot worse.

When Kaede pulled out a bottle of shōchū, Miroku was more than ready for a strong drink. However, when the alcohol was liberally poured over his open wounds, he was of a less favourable opinion. As Kaede began making a poultice from various herbs, Miroku cast his gaze outside, to where the villagers were starting to rebuild their houses.

"I'm sorry that the demon caused so much destruction."

Kaede hummed, not looking up from her herbs. "Aye, and it is just the beginning. Now that the Sacred Jewel is back among us, far worse than Mistress Centipede will come to claim it – and not just demons. There are humans whose hearts are more evil still, and only the Jewel has the power to make real their petty, grasping ambitions."

She didn't need to throw a glare at him, her message was clear. The look of distain on her face was just bonus. Miroku bristled.

"I have already offered twice to give back the Jewel, but you won't take it."

"If I were to take it, what then? Ye broke the seal protecting it. Without it, we could not hope to keep it safe here. The responsibility for the Jewel's fate now lies in your hands."

"I'd be happy to take it off your hands," Inuyasha supplied.

The hanyou's back was to the humans, his head propped up in a deceptively casual position.

"It seems that the nenju are quite effective. With the beads around his neck, his threat is diminished. It is perhaps the only way we can allow him so close to the Jewel."

It was Inuyasha's turn to bristle. He snarled at the old woman over his shoulder, though he gained no response. The monk's words, though, made him turn.

"And why do you want the Jewel, Inuyasha? Certainly your strength and speed are already well beyond that of other demons."

"Ah, but he's just half-demon."

Inuyasha's fist broke through the floor with the shattering of wood. His ears flattened back on his head and his eyes blazed. "You know what? I'm sick of hearing some dried up witch I _just met_ talk like she knows me! Just who do you think you are?"

The old woman's smirk only irritated him further. "So ye don't remember. I thought as much." Her one eye stared him down, firm and unwavering. "I am younger sister to Kikyo, she who bound you to the tree. I am Kaede."

Inuyasha's ears twitched in surprise. Kaede? How? That little squirt had been barely old enough to call herself a human, and now she was what, fifty? A hundred? Inuyasha could never really get the grasp of human lifetimes. She was old. Her face was deeply wrinkled, her body stooped with age. But now that he had name to go by, her scent was vaguely familiar.

"So you're the brat, huh?"

He sounded more intrigued than anything else.

"Fifty years have passed. And I have grown old."

A cold wave washed over Inuyasha. Fifty years. He had been trapped for fifty years. He knew a fair amount of time had passed, but still! He had missed so much. Kaede was the High Priestess and Kikyo must-

"If you're this old, Kikyo must be pushing a hundred." He firmly kept his voice from wavering, hid the uncertainty in cocky bravado. It wasn't like he cared, anyway, what had happened to her. "Humans age so easily. I'm glad I don't have to worry about being old, least not for a while."

"Kikyo didn't worry either." Inuyasha's eyes snapped to the old miko's back, holding his breath. No. "Kikyo died."

Ice spread through his veins, seizing his heart in a painful grip. He firmly told himself that it didn't matter. She was human – she was always going to die before him. And it wasn't like she meant anything to him. Nothing at all.

"It was on the same day she shot ye with the arrow."

"Ah, so that's how she kicked it. Not that I'm bothered with it." He lay back down. The picture of casual disinterest. "Just one less thing for me to worry about!"

Miroku watched the hanyou carefully. There was something going on here. This was more than a half-demon salty about being bound to a tree. Whoever Kikyo had been, to Inuyasha specifically, it was more than just a nuisance. There was real emotion in the hanyou's voice, as much as he tried to hide it.

"I wouldn't let my guard down just yet, Inuyasha. Ye now have Miroku to content with."

Inuyasha's eyes levelled on the human, who met his gaze solidly. He narrowed his eyes, ears flicking back before huffing.

"Just my luck. I kicked a priestess and got stuck with a priest."

"I'm a monk, not a priest."

For whatever reason, that just irked Inuyasha further. "I don't even think you're human! What the hell was that thing before?"

"Hm?"

Damn that human and his stupid, uncomprehending expression. "That thing with your hand. It was like a storm!"

The monk looked down at his hand, something flashing in his eyes. "It's a curse that was placed on my right hand." He looked up at Inuyasha, and the hanyou fought the urge to shrink back. A deep, burning anger lay in those violet eyes, despite the voice remaining calm. "Put there by a demon. It's called the wind tunnel, and it can suck you in if need be."

"Heh!" Inuyasha rolled to his feet, blatantly walking past the humans. "I don't need to sit here and be threatened by you weaklings!"

Miroku watched him go. "Should we allow him to leave?"

"Inuyasha will not stray far from the Jewel, and ye have the means to call him back if need be."

"But is it safe for him to be out there?"

Kaede turned to look at him, and there was something almost wistful in her expression. "Do not be fooled by Inuyasha, young monk. He has not made a habit of hurting humans." She abruptly turned back to her poultice. "Now, I shall need to place this ungent on your wounds. Be warned, it burns like demonfire."

Miroku pursed his lips. "Of course it does."

Inuyasha sat on a high branch of a tree, glaring into the distance. Kikyo was dead. She died that very day, and he never knew. How had she died? He remembered her being wounded, but- He closed his eyes. He remembered everything so clearly – the incense of the shrine, the smoke from the lamps… Kikyo's cry, "Inuyasha!" and the arrow striking true. He didn't understand. She hadn't been injured before, not when she first attacked him. It didn't make any sense.

The sound of quiet footsteps roused him from his musings. The jingle of metal rings and an increasingly familiar scent made him look down. The monk was sitting himself down at the base of the tree, a basket of food sitting before him. Inuyasha growled and looked away. Stupid humans.

"You're welcome to join me, Inuyasha," the monk said calmly, not even glancing up. "I can hardly eat all this on my own."

Inuyasha was sorely tempted to ignore the human, maybe drop a branch on his head or simply jump away, but he supposed he'd better learn more about his new prison guard. He landed neatly beside the monk, copying his cross-legged sitting position.

"Whatever you're up to, I ain't buying it."

Miroku smirked. "Shame. I'm a wonderful salesman."

He rummaged through the basket and pulled out a pear, offering it to Inuyasha. The hanyou gave him a long, suspicious look, but eventually took the fruit. He didn't eat it, though, but continued watching Miroku with a mixture of distrust and wary curiosity.

"I imagine it's fair to say you dislike me, Inuyasha."

"Wayyyy more than fair."

"And is it all humans you hate, or just those of the cloth?"

Inuyasha hurled the pear away and jumped back into the tree. Miroku continued, unfazed.

"I'm not going to guess as to your reasoning, but I'm going to ask you to put your feelings aside for now. Kaede seems rather insistent that we stay in close proximity for the time being, and though I cannot imagine what she has planned, it will be easier for both of us if we are at least civil to one another."

"Are you stupid or what? I don't care what you want! All I'm after is the Jewel, and I'm not about to stop just because some thieving human with an attitude problem is worried I'll hurt his feelings!"

Miroku shrugged and pulled out a pear of his own. He ate it quietly, taking in the bustle of the village. They were a ways off from Kaede's hut, just far enough to be more inconspicuous, but close enough that they received the occasional prying glance. Miroku felt it when Inuyasha's eyes turned to him again.

"So you stole the Jewel, huh?"

"Yup."

"And how's that working out for ya?"

Miroku chuckled. "Not exactly what I was expecting."

Inuyasha snorted. "Humans like you should just give up. You can never realize the full power of the Jewel – not the way a demon can."

"And is that why you wish to become a demon?"

Inuyasha growled quietly, deep in his throat. "None of your business."

Miroku shrugged again and continued eating. He'd been lying about the amount of food – it was only a few pieces of fruit and some rice. They had only eaten Kaede's stew about an hour ago, though Miroku couldn't imagine either of them protesting an extra meal. After a long silence from Inuyasha, Miroku decided it was time to head back to Kaede's hut. He stood, careful of the wound in his side, and picked up the basket. Inuyasha made no move to follow.

"I think it's time to return to Kaede."

Inuyasha soundly ignored him. Miroku reached out with his mind and found the power of the nenju again, easier this time. He took hold of their spiritual power and gave the slightest tug on the necklace. The beads glowed pink and pulled towards him, but it was nothing like the violent jerk from earlier on the bridge. Inuyasha glanced at the beads in surprise, then turned suspicious eyes on Miroku. The monk waited patiently, and sure enough, the hanyou jumped down beside him. As they walked back to Kaede's hut, Miroku tried not to look too smug.

Inuyasha sat on the ledge overlooking Kaede's hut. Despite the long night before, he found it impossible to settle down. He'd slept for fifty years, after all. He flicked his ears towards the hut, where two human heartbeats sounded loudly against the quiet of the night. They had kept him trapped in there for part of the morning, talking about the Jewel and the demons who would be after it. Kaede described how Kikyo had sealed the Jewel away before she died, had poured the last of her spiritual power into keeping it hidden. The monk had listened intently, speaking very little. Kaede hadn't gone into any details about Kikyo and Inuyasha's relationship, for which the hanyou was grateful. It was no business of the monk's what had happened between them.

It hadn't taken long for Inuyasha to become restless. It was the monk's idea for them to help the villagers repair the broken homes destroyed by the centipede. Usually Inuyasha would have sneered at such a suggestion, but since he wasn't allowed to do anything else, he had to admit it was nice to keep busy. They had worked for the rest of the day, though the monk watched more than anything else. Inuyasha could smell the pain and exhaustion reeking from the human, and was honestly surprised that he remained so chipper. It was actually pretty annoying. He watched the monk talking to some of the village women, making them laugh and blush. He was obviously hitting on them, despite most of their husbands being nearby. It was sick.

Even now, the monk's heartbeat hadn't slowed into sleep. Inuyasha couldn't imagine why – it sounded like the monk had only arrived in the village the day before, and last night had been one hell of a show. He wondered if the monk was staying awake because of him. Maybe he feared an attack while he slept, or maybe he thought that Inuyasha would run. As if. He could be patient. He'd get the Jewel sooner or later, and he wouldn't stoop to killing humans for it.

Inuyasha waited for the monk to finally drift off into sleep before turning his attention elsewhere. Kaede had been right – the Jewel was a beacon for every power-hungry lowlife within a day's walk of here. He watched the ravens gathering in the surrounding trees, a snake slither past the house, and a weasel brush past into the night. Eventually something else appeared, the smell of youkai reaching Inuyasha's nose. He glared at the raven demon, with its three beady little eyes staring hungrily at the hut. Nice try. That Jewel was his, and he would tear apart anyone or anything who said otherwise. He leaped at the birds, only managing to scatter them, but his point was clear. Nasty vermin.

The next morning, Miroku set out to the bones of the centipede demon. He wanted to seal them, to make sure they wouldn't be springing back to life every time he walked past with the Jewel. Kaede had told him about how the centipede had once swallowed the Jewel fifty years ago, and they realized that its reappearance must have revived her. It was another interesting aspect of the Jewel that Miroku had never heard of before. He reached the bones and made quick work of them – breaking them, burying them in a shallow grave, and saying a prayer over the mound. He sealed it with a sutra, just to be safe. He decided to check the glen, just to make sure that this really was the same centipede and not a different one from the bones he'd seen upon arrival.

As he walked towards the glen, his thoughts turned to Inuyasha. Kaede had said to let Inuyasha continue helping the villagers repair the damage done by the centipede, and Miroku couldn't blame her. He'd seen Inuyasha lift wooden beams heavier than a man with ease, and clear away the dead horses on his own. His strength would certainly come in handy.

Miroku would later blame the scant few hours of sleep he'd gotten the night before coupled with the exhaustion of two days without rest for why he didn't hear the bandits approaching. All he knew was there was the slightest rustling in the bushes to his right and then suddenly hands were grabbing his arms, covering his mouth, and grabbing the staff from his hand. Thankfully none of them thought his prayer beads worth taking. He struggled and kicked but they shoved him forward, keeping him off balance with his arms pinned behind him. They steered him deeper into the forest, further away from the village. Miroku tried to lash out, but he felt the cold bite of a knife pressing into his back, and thought better of it. He had enough holes in his robes as it was.

They emerged into a clearing with a run-down old shrine. A few more bandits joined them, jeering and laughing, and Miroku's stomach sank. They steered him into the shrine, pushing him over so his face slammed into the wooden floor. The Jewel, which was secured around his neck by a black thread, dug into his collar bone.

"Hey boss! We caught the monk just like you said."

The bandits cackled and shoved at him. Miroku lay still, waiting for his chance to escape.

"Hand over the Jewel."

Miroku's head whipped to the corner of the room, where an absolutely humungous man sat in the shadows. He wore no shirt under his armour, and Miroku could clearly see the muscles bulging along his arms and chest. His eyes peered at Miroku with an empty expression. He shifted forward, more insistently.

"Give me the Jewel!"

Miroku struggled, trying to buck off the bandit whose knee was jammed into his lower back. If he could just break their hold on his wrists, just get to his staff-

The large man, presumably the boss, laughed and stood. He towered a good two heads above all the other men in the room. Miroku gulped. The man continued laughing as he plodded toward Miroku, the same dead look in his eyes. Unease rose in Miroku's chest that had nothing to do with the man's size. Something was very wrong here. The boss slowly unsheathed his sword, and Miroku moved. He threw his head backwards, slamming into the face of the bandit who pinned him to the floor. The man cried out and stumbled back. Miroku rolled to the side, forcing the one who held his wrists to break either his grasp or his wrist. He leaped to his feet and lunged at the bandit who held his staff but hands grabbed him and pulled him back. His side burned as they yanked him back to face the boss.

"Hey boss, lop off his head! Try taking it off in one swing, like a dandelion."

A bandit held each of his arms, pulling them tight. Miroku thrashed but it was no use. The boss lifted his blade high above his head, and Miroku braced for the fatal blow. Instead, he heard a sharp cry from the bandit on his left, and blood spurted onto his robes. He saw the man's arm flop to the floor and felt sick. The bandit was screaming as he bled out, and the one on Miroku's right pulled him away with a sharp tug.

"What'd you do that for, boss?" The man sounded afraid.

"Oopsie," the boss chuckled, like he'd chipped a cup and not just ended a man's life.

Miroku felt the bandits tensing around him, ready to move. They scattered when he swung again and Miroku ran with them. The boss stumbled towards them, swinging again and splintering the floor as his sword fell hard. Another powerful blow whizzed just over their heads as they ducked, and the statue to their left was cut in half. One of the bandits seized Miroku by the wrists, dragging him one way, while another grabbed his shoulders and pulled him back.

"Boss! Boss, where are you aiming? The monk's the one you want!"

They started to shove him towards the boss. Miroku wrenched his arms from the bandits and spun around. "You fools! Can't you tell there's something wrong with your boss?" A quick scan of the room confirmed it. "He's possessed by a demon! Snap out of it or it'll be our turn next."

The bandits' eyes widened in fear and Miroku reflexively ducked as they did, feeling the sword pass just above his head. He dived forwards, rolling out of the way of another blow as he ran for his staff. He just had to hold off a little longer. Once he exorcized the demon possessing the boss, hopefully the other bandits wouldn't kill him. Otherwise, he'd have one hell of a fight on his hands.

Inuyasha was furious. How had that stupid monk gotten away? How had that stupid miko allowed it? He'd been minding his own business, clearing away the debris in the village, when he realized that the monk was nowhere to be seen. When he'd questioned Kaede about it, she'd said he'd gone into the forest, alone, _with the Jewel_. The fools! They were just asking for trouble! He jumped across streams and ravines, keeping his senses on high alert. There could be a thousand demons searching for the Jewel, and there was no way in hell he was letting them get there first! He jumped onto a high branch, sniffing the air for any trace of the monk. Stupid human. He caught a whiff of a familiar scent and took off towards the sacred tree where he'd been pinned. That stupid monk had better be there.

The boss's swings were becoming more and more erratic. He hit statues, walls- cut clean through a wooden pillar. The part of the roof collapsed, sending wooden beams crashing down around them. Miroku swung around, tearing off the beads and catching a few of the larger chunks of ceiling in his wind tunnel. He looked around wildly for his staff, but he couldn't see it. What he did find was a bandit, half-buried under debris. He ran to the man, grabbed him under the arms and pulled. The wound in his side screamed but he ignored it.

"We gotta go around. This side's blocked!

Miroku dragged the injured bandit to his feet. "Can you stand?"

"Thank you," the man gasped. "Thank you…"

The boss started forward again. "The Jewel…" he rasped. "Give me the Sacred Jewel!"

Yeah, not likely. Miroku shifted to the side, bringing the injured bandit with him. He was a little amused to see the others following him, stepping as he stepped, moving in a herd. Well, he always was a people person. He looked around for his staff, keeping an eye on the boss all the while. They had made it half-way across the shrine when the boss attacked again. The other bandits shouted and ran, leaving Miroku to support their injured comrade as the boss crashed into the wall behind them. He seemed daze, and Miroku seized the opportunity. He passed his bandit to the others.

"Stand back! I'm going to take down this wall."

The bandit looked confused but did as he said. Miroku took a deep breath and opened the wind tunnel. The swirling vortex pulled at the wall, cracking it. A few small chunks flew into his hand, but not enough. He heard a warning shout from one of the bandits and jumped to the side, closing his wind tunnel as he did so. This time, not a sword but a hand crashed towards him, grabbing him by the front of his robes. The boss lifted him off his feet, hand reaching for the Jewel. Miroku tore the Jewel from his neck and held it tight. No way he was letting it go! The boss let out an angry yell and grabbed for it but Miroku held it just out of reach. With an angry shout, the boss threw Miroku across the room. He landed in a pile of debris, and it took him a heartbeat to realize the Jewel was no longer in his hand. 'It must not fall into the hands of those who would abuse it.' Right. He looked around desperately for it, but footsteps were thundering towards him. He scrambled around, but his foot slipped on the crumbling debris. He couldn't get away!

That's when the wall to his right exploded in a flash of red and white fury. Inuyasha flew in front of him, the boss's sword snapping in half over the hanyou's arm. He landed and turned in a single fluid motion, punching the boss with a punishing right hook. He didn't stop there, though. His fists connected with the boss's head again and again, followed by a swift knee to the face. He landed in front of Miroku, not even flinching as the bandits ran past en masse.

"We're outta here, boss!"

"Quick, run!"

"Thanks again."

Miroku saw Inuyasha giving him an incredulous look and he grinned wryly. "I'll explain later. Nice timing, by the way."

"Is it safe? Where's the Jewel?"

Ah. Right. "Uh…"

"The Jewel! The fucking Sacred Jewel! What did you do with it?"

Miroku held up his hands in a peaceful gesture. "Now, now, I'm sure it's around here somewhere."

Inuyasha looked like he was about to tear out Miroku's throat when the boss stood up before them. Inuyasha coughed, holding his sleeve up to cover his nose. "Eugh, what is that smell? It's like rotting meat or-"

Inuyasha cut himself off as the giant human's armour snapped, revealing three beady red eyes. He should've known! He grinned with no humour.

"How much you wanna bet that bird ripped his living heart out and made itself a bloody nest?" The monk gagged beside him, and Inuyasha had to agree. "Carion crows don't fight on their own when there's dead bodies handy." He stepped forward and kicked at the ground, a dog burying putrid waste. "They ain't so tough, but they're hella nasty!"

Inuyasha punched through the hole where the man's heart used to be and the crow demon exploded out the other side. He would've caught it with another swipe, but the overwhelming stench of putrefaction made him wretch.

Miroku watched as the boss's body crumbled into nothing more than a skeleton, and the crow demon took off towards the partially-blocked doorway. "It's getting away."

"So what? I can't go after every damn demon. There's only one of me, after all."

Miroku supposed that was true, and it was too late to catch it with his wind tunnel. He knelt down to search for his staff and the Jewel when he heard something scrabbling around in the debris above him. He looked up and froze. The demon had something pink and shiny in its beak. Oh, no. Ohnonono- He lunged for the bird with a cry, it took off in the same breath, and his hand just missed its tail feathers. Behind him, Inuyasha stiffened.

"Was that-?"

"The Jewel!"

"No!" Inuyasha jumped through the doorway, claws snatching at thin air. "_No_!"

Miroku scrambled after him, barely catching sight of his staff as he did so and grabbing it on the way. He almost slammed into Inuyasha, who had spun around to get him. Before Miroku could say anything, the hanyou had grabbed onto his arm and swung him around onto his own back. Miroku grabbed on Inuyasha's shoulders, confused for a heartbeat before Inuyasha took off running. Miroku clung to him with one hand, the other maneuvering his staff across his lap. This was certainly a new experience. The hanyou took off in a mighty leap, bounding from tree to tree.

"What the hell're you waiting for?" Inuyasha shouted, not slowing down. "Suck in that stupid bird in that cursed hand of yours!"

"Huh? I can't just-"

"The crow lives by eating human flesh. If you think that's bad, wait 'til it swallows the Jewel!"

"I know but-" Miroku bit off his anger and forced himself to be calm. "I can't just suck it in. I can't control my wind tunnel like that. If I get the bird, I'll suck in the Jewel as well, and it'll be gone forever!"

"Well then think of something! 'Cause that bird's about to- No!"

"Oh no!"

They watched the Jewel disappear down the demon's throat.

"_Do something_!"

Miroku reached into his robes and pulled out some sutras. He flung them at the demon, but they fluttered uselessly to the ground.

"What was that?!"

He didn't bother responding as the demon grew before his eyes, roaring like a dragon.

"Can you get me close enough to hit it with my staff?"

Inuyasha growled. "If I could get close enough to hit it, _don't you think I'd have done that by now_? Forget it!" He slid to a stop and threw Miroku off his back. "You worthless monk. I'll finish this myself!"

Inuyasha sprinted after the demon, half out of his mind with rage. As soon as he got the Jewel from the crow demon, he'd find the monk and tear him from limb to limb. He followed it to the river, trying his best to keep pace. The demon flew low to the river and swooped down, plucked a child from the bridge like it was nothing.

Miroku was already running after Inuyasha when he heard the cries for help and the screams of a child. He ground his teeth and pushed himself even faster.

Inuyasha jumped to the trees beside the river, skimming over the tops of them. He flanked the demon, able to catch up with it being dragged down by the child's weight.

"Looking for you next meal already, huh?" he called out to it. "You forget – you gotta get through me first!"

Miroku slid to a stop on the bridge. He took in the bird, the child, and Inuyasha jumping towards them. "Inuyasha, don't hurt the boy!"

Inuyasha heard the monk shouting at him but he ignored him. "Iron Reaver, Soul Stealer!"

Bits of bird and a whole child fell into the river, along with the Jewel. Inuyasha jumped from rock to rock, scanning the waters. Where was it? Where was the Jewel?

Miroku followed the villagers as they ran down the bank opposite Inuyasha. When the child splashed into the water, he threw his staff to the side and dove in. He was a powerful swimmer, had years of training on his side, but the river current was strong and the leaden weight of his waterlogged robes dragged him down. He broke the surface and steered himself in the direction of the struggling child. He could hear the villagers shouting at him but he tuned them out. The boy clung to him with tiny fists and he pushed them both back to the riverbank. An angry voice carried over the water.

"Save the Jewel, stupid! The Jewel!"

Miroku soundly ignored him, hauling the boy to shore as his mother ran to them. She swept the boy up in a frantic embrace as Miroku caught his breath. He could hear the boy crying into his mother's kimono. He could also feel Inuyasha seething at his back. The demon burst from the water, whole again and screeching with fury.

"It's getting away!" Inuyasha was shouting at him.

"Monk!" one of the villagers shouted behind him, and Miroku saw him waving his staff at him.

"What is _that_?" another screamed, pointing to where the boy was being tugged upwards by the demon's foot clutching his back.

Miroku took a deep breath. If he could time this just right… He told the villagers to get behind him. He took a wad of his sodden sutras and wrapped them around the head of his staff. He slammed the staff into the ground, burying the end just enough for it to stand upright on its own. He pulled a thin cord from his robes and lashed the foot to his staff. Then, he grabbed his mala beads.

Inuyasha saw a black votex explode from the opposite shore and instinctively flattened himself to the ground. The howling wind drowned out almost everything else as he saw the monk's curse properly for the first time. Huge air currents were formed as the demon was slowly pulled towards the monk's hand, fighting to fly away the whole time. But the monk had said- He watched as the human wrapped his string of prayer beads back over his hand and the fearsome wind disappeared as quickly as it had arrived. The crow demon spun in the air, righting itself, getting ready to make its escape. The monk's staff shot towards it like a spear. It cut through the bird's flesh and emerged out the other side, heading straight for Inuyasha.

He caught it reflexively and turned to see the bits of crow falling in all directions, leaving the Sacred Jewel hovering in the air. It hung there for a moment, and then burst into a blinding light. It burned as bright as the sun and Inuyasha had to look away, swiping at his stinging eyes.

Miroku hid his face from both the light and the surge of spiritual power that shot out in a pulse of energy. The light faded slightly, and Miroku saw what looked like hundreds of shooting stars radiating out in all directions. Oh, he had a very bad feeling about this.

The sky returned to normal and Inuyasha blinked a few times, trying to clear the black spots in his vision. Across the river, he saw the monk staring stupidly at the sky. What was he doing? Inuyasha jumped across the river on one great leap, landing in front of the small crowd of humans.

"Monk!" he growled, hurling the staff at him. "Where's the Jewel?"

Miroku blinked back. Kami, he hoped he was wrong about this.

A few hours later and they still hadn't found the Jewel. Miroku tried looking, he honestly did, but a small voice in the back of his mind told him it was futile. He sensed no trace of the Shikon Jewel, and judging by Inuyasha's increasingly frantic searching, neither did he.

"Are you sure it fell around here?"

"If it followed the direction of my staff, it must have. I didn't sense it in the river."

Something burst from the trees above them, and Miroku didn't even register what it was before Inuyasha had jumped in front of him. His claws tore the bird's head to pieces. "I don't think so!"

As the demon flesh vaporized, a tiny, glowing pink shard of…something, fell to the ground. Oh, no.

"I hope that's not what I think it is…"

Inuyasha's voice was a growl. "And just what do you think it is?"

Miroku picked up the shard, feeling its power immediately. Inuyasha stared unblinkingly. Neither of them moved for a long, long time. Miroku realized he was going to have to say it.

"It's…it's a shard from the Sacred Jewel."

"Wh- _What did you say_?"


	3. Chapter 3: s1e03

Warnings for this chapter: blood, violence, and Miroku seeing Yura's outfit and all the boobage that comes with it.

* * *

"What did you _do_ to it?"

"Stop barking, Inuyasha."

Miroku ignored both of them, instead studying the tiny shard in the light of the fire in Kaede's hut. He wondered if all the pieces of the Jewel were so small – hoped they weren't. A solid hunk of half or even three-quarters of a Jewel would be fantastic, though the number of shards he'd seen flying from the impact said otherwise.

"Leave it to this moron to wind up breaking it."

"Technically it wasn't Miroku who broke it, but the crow's foot attached to her staff."

Miroku cast Kaede a sidelong look. He highly doubted that was true, but he appreciated it none the less.

Kaede glared at them both equally. "The Jewel has been scattered into many different pieces – one hundred, one thousand, who knows? Yet however many shards there may be, all it will take is one in the wrong hands to bring disaster."

"Yes, sorry about that," Miroku grinned.

Apparently Kaede would not be placated. "Miroku, Inuyasha, only by working together will the two of ye be able to recover the shards and restore the Jewel."

"Huh?" Miroku glanced at Inuyasha. He really didn't like this plan.

Inuyasha snorted. "Oh sure, a monk and a half-demon. That can't go wrong. Listen up, you old hag. I'm one of the wrong hands you were talking about!"

"Oh, aye. That I know too well."

Miroku was sure that none of them were overly thrilled with the situation. Kaede needed the Jewel shards to be found, but she was too old to do so herself. She needed Inuyasha to be controlled, and apparently Miroku was the only one who could do it. She likely didn't trust Miroku not to run off with the Jewel shards, while Miroku didn't trust Inuyasha not to kill him for them. Meanwhile, he had a sneaking suspicion that Inuyasha wouldn't appreciate being dragged around the country in the accompaniment of a human. Wonderful.

Inuyasha didn't eat with them that evening. Kaede seemed unconcerned, so Miroku tried not to worry. They ate in silence and then Kaede changed the bandages still wet from the river. The wounds on Miroku's side were healing quickly and would be nothing more than scars in a few weeks. The bandages were already more of a precaution than a necessity. Before Miroku lay down for bed, Kaede stopped him with a glance.

"The Sacred Jewel is a powerful force, hoshi-dono. Many hands have attempted to break it in the past."

She said nothing more, and Miroku had nothing to say in return. Still, he found it hard to sleep that night, imagining the difficult path that lay before them.

Inuyasha sat on the roof of the hut, watching the moon overhead. He was tired, but not enough to sleep. Besides, he needed to make sure that nothing else tried to take the Jewel shard. He'd never needed as much sleep as humans, anyway…but he knew it was more than that. He'd slept for fifty years. Some irrational part of his mind worried that if he let himself fall asleep again, he wouldn't wake up for another fifty. He listened to the heartbeats of the humans in the hut below, let their consistent breathing lure him into a doze. It was going to be a long night.

The river water was cold, but it felt good to rid himself from the sweat and grime he'd build up over the past few days. Miroku always liked being clean – especially when there were young ladies around to impress. Kaede sat nearby, sewing up the various holes in his robes. There were certainly enough to keep her busy. Inuyasha sat in a tree on the ledge above them, pretending to ignore him. As nonchalant as he seemed, Miroku could see his ears twitching at every splash from the river and crackle of the fire. He contemplated his new partnership with the hanyou. Certainly, Inuyasha seemed strong, and there would be much less threat from Shikon-powered demons with him for help. But could he be trusted?

Miroku stood, the temperature of the water outweighing his desire to rid himself of every last speck of dirt. He saw Inuyasha glance at him as he did so, likely having heard the different-sounding splash. Miroku stood there in nothing but his fundoshi and the cloth around his wind tunnel, and raised his eyebrows at Inuyasha. The hanyou rolled his eyes in response and slid off the branch, away from them and almost out of sight. Miroku tugged lightly on the nenju beads and a moment later Inuyasha hopped down from the cliff above, glaring at him.

"I hate this stupid necklace of yours. Why don't you just put me on a leash and be done with it?"

"That seems a little too on-the-nose," Miroku called back from where he was drying off with a strip of cloth. "Besides, you seem to be learning quickly to stay nearby."

Kaede hummed. "Likely more to do with his desire to steal the Jewel shard."

"You think you're so smart, you old hag."

"I see. You seek to do it alone, do ye?" Inuyasha snarled at the old lady's words, turning his back to her. "Ye forget, very few people may 'see' the shards of the Shikon Jewel, while only ye, Inuyasha, have strength enough to take it back once found."

"In case you haven't noticed, I'm still here, ain't I?"

Inuyasha threw the words over his shoulder at Kaede, but saw the monk looking at him over her head. He seemed almost intrigued by Inuyasha, if the constant glances he'd been shooting him all morning were anything to go by. Oddly enough, Inuyasha never detected any fear from the monk, not after they'd returned to Kaede's hut together. His eyes travelled over the monk's exposed chest and legs as he tied his white hadagi. He looked fit, unsurprisingly, since Inuyasha had seen him run and fight. Still, a few scars littered his body, all well-healed but large and recent enough to be visible from his vantage point. He'd seen more when the monk had emerged from the water. At least the monk looked like he knew how to handle himself, even if he was a liar and a thief. And a human.

He also obviously knew how to use his body to his advantage. Inuyasha had spent part of the morning watching the most disgusting human mating rituals he'd ever seen as the monk flirted his way through every woman in town, recanting his heroics in slaying the crow demon, basking in compliments from the tittering women, and even asking a few of them to have his child! It was positively revolting, and only the fact that the monk hadn't taken the women up on their enthusiastic responses had kept Inuyasha from gutting the human there and then.

Miroku put on his newly mended koromo, thanking Kaede for fixing the rips. He'd already had to get a new undershirt, since the last one was so stained with blood. At least the black koromo played a part in hiding the various stains accumulated through travelling. His kesa, on the other hand, had seen better days. Kaede was just finishing stitching the last of the larger holes in the purple cloth, and at this point it was more stitches than cloth. It would take him a while to find more fabric to patch it properly. As he fastened the kyahan around his calves, wincing at the amount of mud still visible on the indigo fabric, he saw Inuyasha's ears twitch and his nose sniff. Miroku look over his shoulder to see a woman from the village approaching, a child on her back.

Inuyasha sat by the fire as the monk finished dressing. He hated being so tied down. Kaede had been right about the human's ability to see the Jewel shards – Inuyasha could barely sense the one which Kaede had passed back to the monk – but still. Humans were slow and weak, and they slept too much and got tired quickly. Depending on how long they had to search for the Jewel shards, it was possible he would end up killing the monk – the monk who was staring at him while fixing his robes.

"What?" Inuyasha spat, ears flat on his head.

"You can hear what they're saying, right?" The monk jerked his chin towards where Kaede was speaking to some woman.

"Yeah."

"So what are they talking about?"

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "Why should I care?"

The monk looked at him with searching eyes and a bemused smile on his lips. "You really don't care for humans, do you?"

Inuyasha growled. "I thought we'd already established that."

They both looked up as Kaede called out to them. "I'll be checking on ye two later. Try not to fight."

Miroku chuckled as Kaede disappeared. "She's right. If we didn't have to get along before, we certainly do now. I can't work with someone who's constantly trying to pick a fight."

"I ain't gotta do nothing, monk. It's you who needs me!"

Miroku sighed. He could tell that he wasn't going to win over the hanyou so easily. "My name's Miroku, by the way."

"Like I give a shit."

"Well then, _Inuyasha_. I suppose we should head back to the village."

Inuyasha pulled a face and stood, glowering at the monk. He couldn't stand this stupid human. He jumped up the cliff, landing safely on the ground above. He half-expected another pull from that stupid necklace, drawing him back like the prisoner he was, but none came. Not in the mood to waste his chance, Inuyasha set off into the forest. He needed some time to think.

Miroku walked along the forest path, keeping his eyes peeled for any sign of Inuyasha. He'd wanted to give the hanyou some space, to clear some of the bad blood between them, but it had been a long while and he hadn't reappeared. Miroku followed the direction that Inuyasha had gone, trying not to use the nenju beads if he didn't have to. Inuyasha had been right about the resemblance to ownership, and Miroku resolved not to resort to such displays of power unless Inuyasha was actively endangering someone.

He'd made it relatively deep into the forest, close to the tree where Inuyasha had been pinned with the arrow. A prickling sensation ran down the back of his neck and Miroku stopped, looking around. He passed his staff from his right hand to his left, fingers brushing his mala beads as he did so. Something felt off. Just a little ways before him, he saw a leaf being blown by the soft wind, only for it to split in two mid-air. Miroku frowned. That was…unusual. He took a step closer and something sliced into his cheek. He was startled by the cut, more started to hear the quiet hissing noise that came along with it. Echoes of the sound came from all around him, and suddenly dozens of black lines came into view. They criss-crossed his vision, glinting off the light. They almost looked like… "Hair?"

A girlish laugh came from above him, and a figure came slowly into view, walking along a strand of hair. "Oh my, oh me! You can see it then," she smiled. "My web of hairs, I mean."

She was obviously some kind of youkai. If the pink eyes and dark green hair weren't enough, the web of razor-sharp hairs tied to her fingers would be a good clue. She was wearing a short – very short – sleeveless kimono and black tekkou, similar to those worn by samurai. The collar of her black kimono was low, revealing…breasts. Ample breasts. Beautiful breasts. Miroku swallowed.

"Pity," she continued. "Because seeing's not enough!"

"Wh-" Miroku's voice broke and he coughed. "Who are you?"

She laughed, narrowing her eyes maliciously. Miroku really wished he wasn't so turned on by that.

Inuyasha always found that running calmed his mind, just letting the wind flow past his face and feeling both connected to and freed from the ground below. He'd worked off enough of his anger that he could return to the village without ripping the monk's head off. He was sure that Kaede wouldn't've been pleased if he did. Then again, the monk had stolen from her. Maybe she'd thank him.

He landed on the roof of hut after hut, making his way towards Kaede's home. He assumed that was where the monk would've headed. Movement up ahead made him slide to a stop, and it took a moment for him to register what he was seeing. Floating humans, heads down, arms out. They all had varying weapons in their hands. Huh.

"Well, guess I shouldn't ask what you're up to."

One of the women lifted her arm, the kama in her hand glinting in the sunlight, looking more ominous than a farming tool should. Others quickly followed suit, raising everything from small knives to a meat cleaver.

"Ha, alright! Now this is what I'm talking about!"

They floated towards him, and Inuyasha curled his hands into claws. If these humans wanted a fight, then so be it.

"How do you do? I'm Yura of the Hair, though you needn't bother to remember."

Miroku slowly moved into a fighting stance, unsure whether or not to go for his wind tunnel. He had no idea what Yura's hair connected to.

"Because you'll be dead!"

She threw her hand forward, and dozens of burning cuts appeared all over Miroku's body as Yura's hairs snapped against his skin. He instinctively covered his face – ladies didn't like a messed-up face.

"I'll be having the Jewel if you don't mind."

He felt the small bag that Kaede had given him for the shards being pulled from his robes and reached to stop it, only just missing it as it flew into Yura's hand. That was _so_ unfair! At least he had the satisfaction of watching Yura pull the small pink fragment from the bag, her mouth falling open with a noise of surprise.

"Oh, you naughty, naughty monk. You've shattered the Jewel!" Her pink eyes snapped to his. "Where's the rest? Or I shall be cross."

"If you don't want it, give it back!"

She seemed unimpressed. "Answer the question. Where. Is. The rest of it?"

"Funny thing about that." Miroku tightened his grip on his staff. "I don't know."

A sword slowly floated to Yura, held aloft by barely visible hairs.

"Aw," Yura cooed. "In that case…" She jumped and sped towards him with inhuman speed. "You may as well die!"

Miroku jumped back, barely avoiding her sword as it cut through the air. He watched as a few strands of his own hair flew into the air, cleanly severed in two. He landed on his feet and immediately pushed forward again, lunging at Yura before she had time to pull back from her strike. He threw a sutra at her, but it was sliced in two by a hair before it reached her. He swung with his staff and she jerked backwards, the hair pulling her to safety. Miroku turned and ran. He could hear her coming after him, the hissing of hair strands sliding against each other a clear warning. He knew that he couldn't risk sucking in the Jewel shard…but she didn't know that. Miroku spun around and opened his wind tunnel.

Yura's eyes widened in fear and she swung to the side, barely avoiding being pulled in to the dark vortex. She landed on a nearby tree branch, breathing heavily, and stared at him as he closed the wind tunnel. She gave him a long, calculating glance and jumped up into the tree canopy, out of view.

Inuyasha stared at the women. He recognized them from the village, by scent if not by sight. What was going on? Their eyes were closed and their feet never touched the ground.

"Look, is someone going to tell me what's going on? You wanna seal me away again? Or do you want another fight?" He cracked his knuckles. "'Cause it's fine if you do. Just don't expect I'll go easy on ya."

"Inuyasha, wait!"

Huh? Inuyasha followed the sound of the voice to see Kaede, bloodied up and dragging herself across the ground.

"Do not hurt them. 'Tis not their doing!"

He jumped, easily going over the women's heads and landing in front of the old miko. Her shoulder was a bloody mess and she was breathing heavily. The scent of pain surrounded her like a cloud.

"What happened? You look awful!"

Kaede looked up at him with a dour glare. "Must ye always treat an old woman thus?"

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. Humans. "About the girls – it's them or us, and I choose us!"

"And someone else is controlling them. They're all under a spell." The old miko gasped. "Where's Miroku? Tell me ye haven't lost him?"

"All I know is he said we should go back to the village, and now he's not here. What's the big deal, anyway? I can handle this without that useless monk."

"You musn't! Ye must not hurt them, Inuyasha."

"Quit flappin' your gums already – or have you forgotten they're after you, too? If you're planning on seein' tomorrow, we gotta do something."

Kaede's rasping breathing increased. "Control the strings and ye control the puppets. If not-"

Inuyasha leaped forward, dodging the women who flew towards him. "Not helping, old woman. You've completely lost it!"

"The hair, Inuyasha. Find ye the hair and the trance will be broken!"

"Hair?" Inuyasha whipped around, searching. "I don't see any hair!"

He reached for a woman, ready to slice into her with his claws, but she flew upwards and out of his reach. Suddenly all the women were hoisted upwards by an invisible force.

"A trap!" he heard Kaede yelling behind him. "Inuyasha, run! Flee the hair!"

'_What hair?'_ he thought in the heartbeat before dozens of invisible lines closed around him, binding his arms together, tying him up tight and unable to move. He could see where the hairs were pressing lines into his clothing, could feel them, but he couldn't see them! His legs were forced together with an accompanying hiss, making it hard to balance. One of the women fell from the sky right at him and he jumped back, hearing the squealing of hairs with each movement. As he continued back, he felt a heavy tug on some of the hairs, and saw two of the women being dragged along with him. Just great. Wait-

"Whoever's doing this ain't too smart, 'cause even all tangled up, I don't need to see it to drag out whoever's on the other end."

He pulled back against the hairs when suddenly they all went slack and he fell backward. He barely sat up before he was flying back, body slamming into a tree. The hairs bit into his wrists, his throat, making it almost impossible to move. He heard Kaede call out his name but couldn't respond. He leaned forward only to have the hairs tighten again, throwing his head back against the tree. With a cry he jerked forward, every muscle straining to the breaking point, until the tree behind him snapped as the invisible hairs cut through it. The trunk crashed to the ground behind him as he landed, breathing hard. His hand came around his throat, massaging the abused skin.

"Oh, man! I thought I was a goner!"

"And so would ye have been, if he'd been a mere human, Inuyasha. Your head would have come clean off."

The clanking of weapons distracted him from Kaede's words. This time it was the men from the village floating towards them, spears and harpoons in their hands. Inuyasha groaned.

"Know something? I'm gettin' real sick of this."

"Inuyasha…" Kaede's voice was trembling with suppressed pain. "Save yourself. Forget this old woman and make your escape."

He snorted. "Aw, spare me the noble act, will you?" A cry of pain and she fell to the ground. "Hey, are you okay?" She was still breathing, still alive. Anger flashed hot and red in his gut. "Gee, thanks a lot."

Great, now he had to save her. He grabbed her arms and lifted her over his back like a jacket. Her hand curled into the cloth of his suikan but the grip was weak. He made sure she wasn't going to fall off before he took off, deep into the forest, where hopefully they wouldn't be found.

"Hang on tight, ya hear?"

Kaede pulled at his shoulder. "Beware, Inuyasha. Touching the hair-"

He felt the strands snapping on his skin as he jumped, heard the twang of them breaking. He smirked. "You say somethin', old woman?"

"Not at all."

He continued on until he thought they were safe before depositing Kaede on the forest floor. She was pale and sweating, and in no condition to go any further.

"So you can see the hair?" She nodded. "Can you tell me where it's being pulled from?"

"Don't be absurd," she gasped. "Even if I did know from whence they came, with me in this condition… Ye must find Miroku."

Inuyasha wanted to punch something. "Of course that bonzo can see it, too."

"Inuyasha, to defeat this foe, ye'll be needing that power. Without it, ye have no hope. None."

Her body shuddered with pain, and her eyes slipped closed. Inuyasha listened carefully to her slowing heartbeat, waiting to see if it would stop. When it didn't he sighed, half in relief, half in frustration. Well, better get started. The earth crumbled easily under his claws, the hole widening and deepening with every swipe. After it had grown to approximately body size, he stepped back to survey his word.

"There, that ought to do it. Well, all things considered, old woman, it's the least I can do for ya."

He rolled her body into the hole and filled it part-way with dirt, leaving only her head and shoulders exposed.

"Oi."

He pushed more dirt onto her body, patting it down.

"I'm resting, not dead."

One could only hope. "Then think of it as a hiding place. I'll even come back and dig you up, if I remember."

He tossed some leaves at her, covering her further.

"Do ye promise? Ye won't forget where ye left me?"

He threw more over her face for good measure and stood with a groan.

"Do not forget, Inuyasha."

"Okay, I heard ya! Geez."

Inuyasha took off into the darkening forest. Curse that stupid monk, disappearing right when he was finally needed. He sped through the trees, taking deep, heaving breaths through the nose. He had to be around here somewhere, and Inuyasha was going to sniff him out. Though he couldn't see them, he could hear the strands of hair sliding against each other all around him. Grudgingly, he had to admit that Kaede had been right. Without the monk, he didn't stand a chance!


	4. Chapter 4: s1e04

Warnings for this chapter: more blood, very mild intentional self-harm, violence, and a pissed off hanyou

* * *

Inuyasha landed on all fours, his nose pressed to the ground. The monk had come by this way, and recently. He followed the trail, ears pricked for any sound. There was the hiss of hair strands, the rustling of leaves, but no human heartbeat, not yet. Here and there he could make out the tracks from the monk's sandals. Judging by the distance between them, he had been running. He hoped the monk hadn't gotten himself killed. Kaede would probably yell at him – if he survived whatever was controlling the hair, that is. Finally, with the wind blowing in his face, he picked up a fresh scent. He took off at a run, springing from tree to tree. He found the monk sitting in the middle of a large clearing, his staff on his lap, looking like he was meditating or somethin'. Inuyasha landed in a crouch in front of him.

The monk's violet eyes opened calmly. "Evening, Inuyasha."

Inuyasha sniffed him. He could smell blood, saw the small cut on his cheek and the small rips along his robes. Satisfied that there was nothing life-threatening, Inuyasha straightened with his arms crossed.

"Kaede's not gonna be happy that you tore your robes right after she spent all that time fixing them."

The monk gave an exaggerated sigh. "No, I suppose not. Whatever shall I do?"

"I bet stopping whatever youkai is causing this mess will help. Old Kaede said you could see the hair."

"Mm."

"Well, come on then! You already wasted enough time."

Miroku climbed to his feet, his eyes searching in the darkness. Even under the faint glow of the moon and stars, he could see any strands of hair that caught the light. None had come close since he'd scared Yura off with his wind tunnel, but he had a feeling that his reprieve was short-lived. He grabbed Inuyasha by the wrist, lifting up his arm and then spinning him slowly, his face pressed close to the hanyou's body.

"Monk, you'd better explain what the _fucking hell_ you're doing before I rip your face off."

"Ah!" Miroku exclaimed, pointing at the slender black strand lying on Inuyasha's sleeve. "There it is."

"There what is?"

"I take it you can't see the hair."

"No! What's why I tracked you down in the first place! Gee, you humans are dumber than I remember."

"Inuyasha, there's a hair on your sleeve. Yura will be controlling it."

"Yura?"

"I don't know what she is, exactly, but she's the one controlling the hair."

He reached out to point at the strand, and suddenly it shifted and wrapped around his hand. It tightened and cut into the flesh, drawing fresh blood. He saw Inuyasha staring in fascination. He looked beyond the hanyou into the forest from where he'd appeared. Not just strands but entire tendrils of hair had emerged from the shadows, waving like tentacles of some horrid monster.

"Inuyasha," he warned. "We're going to have a fight on our hands."

Inuyasha spun around, eyes searching in the darkness but finding nothing. The monk came up to stand beside him, staff clasped firmly in his right hand. They both leaned forward, tense, and then the monk sprang forward.

A spear of hair shot toward them and Miroku spun out of the way, slicing it in two with his staff. Another darted forward, heading straight for Inuyasha.

"To your right!"

"Where, here?"

Inuyasha's claws passed harmlessly through the air, and he could tell by feel alone that he hadn't hit anything. A whistling sound came from behind him and he jumped up and to the side. He watched the monk slice through seemingly nothing, but could hear the strands breaking. Fighting an enemy he couldn't see or smell was his new least favourite thing to do. He landed and tried to dash forward towards the monk, but something wrapped around his ankle and he tripped forward. Something else caught him by the wrist, and then another tightened around his other foot. He lashed out with his claws, at least knowing where these three sections were coming from based on the direction they pulled him.

Miroku watched several clumps of hear slither back together after being severed by Inuyasha's claws. "It regrows even after being cut!"

"Of fucking course it does!" Inuyasha groaned, slicing through a tendril that had wrapped around his neck.

Even with all the strands, they were mostly coming from the same direction, mostly moving as one. Miroku searched the darkness, not even knowing what he was looking for until- There! One strand lay in the middle of the attacks, always taught, never moving. He ran towards it but something wrapped around his foot, sending him crashing to the ground. He rolled over and sliced it with his staff, but suddenly it was wrenched from his hand! Now without his weapon, it didn't take long for tendrils to shoot out and wrap around all four of his limps, pulling him upwards. Miroku threw all his weight forward, catching the main strand in his left hand.

"Inuyasha!" he called out, catching the hanyou's attention. "Cut this one!"

Inuyasha swiped at it but he missed, claws passing a fair distance from the strand. Miroku sighed. He had to do everything. When Inuyasha straightened, Miroku caught his eye and twisted his hand. The hair sliced deep into his palm, sending a small stream of blood down the hair. Inuyasha shot him a feral grin and cut it in two. The bushels of hair around them went slack and then disappeared in wisps of dust.

"Inuyasha," Miroku said, cutting off the hanyou's triumphant look. "Yura took my shard of the Jewel."

"_Your_ piece of the- Wait, she took it? How did that happen?"

"That's not the point. If she already has it, and she knows neither of us have any more, then why is she still attacking us if the Jewel was all she was after?"

Inuyasha nodded in understanding. "You're saying she's after us."

"That's the only explanation I can think of. Not that I'm usually opposed to such a…supple woman pursuing me, but I don't think her intentions are in the right place."

Inuyasha sighed. "Great, just great. Alright, I say we take the fight to her." He eyed the human, noting the fresh blood leaking from several wounds. "But you're not gonna last long like that."

Miroku shrugged. "What can I do? We have to fight her no matter how damageable I am."

He had to admit, this human was gutsy. Inuyasha pulled off his suikan, dropping the jacked on the monk's head. "It was woven from the fur of the Fire Rat. It's stronger than ordinary armor. You'll have some protection at least."

Miroku was shocked, genuinely shocked at the gesture. He tried to think of what to say, but Inuyasha was already striding forward toward the direction the main strand had come from. Miroku smiled softly to himself and pulled the suikan more firmly over his shoulders. It was warm against the cold night air, and it smelled like forest, smoke, and what he guessed was Inuyasha's scent. It was nice.

Inuyasha stood at the edge of the forest with his hands on his hips. His white hadagi and long hair stood out in bold contrast to the surrounding darkness. Miroku walked up to his side, eyes catching the light shining off of dozens of strands of hair, criss-crossed around the forest like a spider's web.

"There are strands everywhere, but we only need to focus on the main one. I believe it's what's controlling the others, and I'm sure it will lead straight to her." He peered into the forest. "There!"

Inuyasha grinned. "Got it!" He moved in front of the monk and crouched. "Get on."

"Are you sure-"

"It's the fastest way to get there and you can focus on watching my back!"

"I'm pretty sure I'll be covering your back," Miroku said as he climbed onto the hanyou.

Inuyasha's hands clasped behind his bent knees and he automatically gripped the hanyou's shoulders. Inuyasha took off in the direction that Miroku had pointed, and Miroku did his best to keep Inuyasha from running into any strands of hair. He didn't know if Yura could somehow see them or if she sensed their movements through the vibrations of the hairs, but he wanted to give them as good a chance as possible of getting to her layer undiscovered.

It was quite something, to feel the hanyou's powerful muscles working as he cleared streams and gorges in a single jump, how he leapt from tree to tree. Unlike with the demon crow, where all of Miroku's attention had been on reaching the Jewel in time, now he had time to actually process that he was riding a half-demon. The wind rushed past his face, his stomach rose with each gravity-defying bound, and it felt like flying. He marvelled at the hanyou's strength and stamina – Miroku knew that he wasn't exactly lightweight. After clearing half the forest, Inuyasha stiffened beneath him.

"A bonfire…"

A moment later, Miroku's human eyes caught the faint glow emanating from the forest before them. Inuyasha sprung down the incline leading to the campsite and landed on all fours, muscles tensed. Bodies lay scattered around the fire, one pinned to a tree, all with arrows sticking from their chests. Not only that…

"Their heads," Miroku whispered, a note of horror in his voice.

A grumble sounded deep in Inuyasha's chest. The monk slid from his back as he stood. He stepped cautiously toward the men, marking them by their scent. "They're guys from the village – or their bodies, anyway. Looks like their tops came clean off! They must've gotten tangled in the hair." He could see the blood glistening on invisible strands, glowing red in the light of the fire. "Bad luck!" His eyes caught the monk. "And just what are you doing?"

The monk was kneeling down, a hand held rigid in front of his face. He didn't respond for a moment, then looked at Inuyasha with sad eyes. "A prayer for their souls. No one deserves this." He stood. "We need to stop anyone else from dying this way."

Inuyasha turned his back and crouched down. The human's resolve seemed to leech into him. It wasn't just about them – the entire village could be in danger. He followed the monk's directions to the base of a steep hill. He let go of the human's legs, trusting him to hang on on his own, and started the ascent on all fours. As they reached the top, he jumped onto the branch of a tree, trying to give the monk the best vantage point. He could smell the stress in his sweat, saw the smears of blood from the human's hand along his shoulders. And yet his heartbeat was steady, almost slow enough to be calm. He guessed all that meditation garbage was maybe not to useless after all.

"The strands are closer together, now. We must be getting close."

He stiffened, and in the same moment, chunks of the tree trunk went flying in all directions. The tree began falling over the edge of the slope and Inuyasha pushed off, propelling them back to the ledge. He could hear the tendrils of hair slithering through the air behind them.

"From the left!" the monk cried out, his arms wrapping around Inuyasha's neck and flattening against his back.

Inuyasha jumped to the side, only to be told "The right!" and then "In front of you!" from the human.

"Pick a direction!" Inuyasha snarled, dodging blindly from side to side.

"There's too many! Inuyasha, use your instincts to evade them."

"Me?" Inuyasha gaped at the human over his shoulder. "I thought that's why you're here! You're really not good for much, are ya?"

"Left!"

Inuyasha dodged and continued following the monk's disjointed shouts further up the peak of the hill before sliding down it. He felt a section wrap around his wrist and before he could do anything about it, he was being yanked into the air. The human fell from him with a cry at the sudden impact and was left lying in the dust.

"Inuyasha!" Mioku called out after the hanyou, then something caught his eye. "A giant ball of hair? Inuyasha, it's Yura's hiding place!"

The woman herself appeared, held aloft by dozens of strands of hair. She landed easily where several of them intersected and looked down at Inuyasha smugly.

"Oh my, look at the cute doggy! Such fine prey. You must be Inuyasha."

"And you must be Yura of the Hair. How'd you know my name?"

"Let's just say a little birdie told me," she said with a smile in her voice. "Everyone's saying the half-demon Inuyasha's serving some monk and playing fetch for the Jewel."

"Me? Serving that half-wit human down there?! You gotta be kidding me!"

"Oh? You're both half-wits to me." She pulled out the Jewel shard from her cleavage and studied it with a saccharine, pouty voice. "Just look what you've done to the poor Jewel. Once I have you two wrapped up, I'll go find the rest of it myself."

"You?" Inuyasha pulled at the strands keeping him aloft. "Take care of _me_?! When this is over, you're gonna wish you'd never even heard my name!"

Inuyasha snapped the bonds holding him and swung forward on one of the strands like a vine. He reached for Yura but she danced out of his reach, a red comb flashing in her hand. The swish of a dozen more tendrils sounded towards him and he groaned. Not more of the same! He felt himself being tied up again as a wave of hair washed over him. He heard Yura descent behind him and his ears twitched back in annoyance.

"Such pretty hair," she murmured. "But you really haven't cared for it very well. Just look at the split ends!"

Thoroughly disgusted, Inuyasha thrashed around. "Get off of me!"

She fell back, flipping through the air, and caught herself on more invisible lines with a sickening squeal of screeching hair. She bounced down and then back up, pulling her sword from its sheath. Inuyasha saw her coming but was powerless to stop her. He felt the blade slice up his chest, a deep wound. She landed a little ways away and, while making eye contact, licked his blood off the blade.

"I'm going to cut you into little pieces."

She held the sword upright with a '_shing'_ and then dove for him. She was stopped short as a white line shot past her, the sutra slicing through the skin of her chest. Both Inuyasha and Yura looked to the top of the cliff where Miroku stood, one hand outstretched from throwing the sutra, the other gripping his newly recovered staff.

"Let him down, Yura, unless you want to be reacquainted with my wind tunnel." He pulled at the beads and saw her face flash with pale fury.

"Ooh, I think he wants you back, Inuyasha." There was honey-glazed fury in her voice. "What a sweet little doggy you must be."

"You fool! Get out of here," Inuyasha yelled over his shoulder. "You can't do anything from there!"

"Of course, his hair's not so pretty as yours, Inuyasha," Yura continued, examining her sword almost casually. "But then, waste not, want not."

"Not so pretty as his?" Miroku called out, challenging. "I'll have you know, I'm ruggedly handsome!"

Miroku's staff whizzed a hair's breadth in front of Yura, startling her off her highwire of hair. It struck the giant ball of black hair, slicing through the strands and spreading a wave of spiritual power over its surface. Miroku could see something inside, but he didn't know what. He reached out his hand and pulled off the mala beads.

Inuyasha instantly felt the pull of something other than hair, looked down to see the dark vortex of the monk's hand spinning towards him.

"Whoa, whoa!" he shouted, panic rising in his throat. "Watch where you're aiming that thing!"

Miroku's jaw was set in intense concentration. Inuyasha was still held taught by ropes of hair and not in direct line of the wind, and Yura and the Jewel shard were safely off to one side. Pulled by the power of the wind tunnel, strands of the hair ball began to snap one after another, slowly revealing what was inside. Some of the lines around Inuyasha grew slack as well, and the hanyou sagged in response. Miroku sealed away the wind tunnel and watched as dozens of heads spilled out from the sphere, flowing to the ground amid a black waterfall of hair.

"Oh, no! What have you done?" Yura shrieked. "My victims!"

"Those guys from the village!" Inuyasha gasped in horror.

"I'll be putting you in here, too," Yura snapped at him. "Once I separate that pretty hair from your head. It's wasted on you anyway." She dropped down to another line of hair, comb in hand. "But first, that monk has to die!"

Miroku froze as several lines of fire raced along strands of hair towards him. His staff was gone again, the wind tunnel would take too long, so it was all he could do to drop to a ball and hope that the scarring wasn't too disfiguring.

"There. Hot enough for you?" Yura purred. "How do you like my demonfire? You'll feel the heat all the way to your bones."

Inuyasha snarled at her, caught between staring her down and watching the burning monk, a flash of panic ripping through his chest.

"Aw!" Yura cooed. "That's for emptying out my nest. Pity there'll be nothing left but ash."

"Why you-" Inuyasha growled.

"Poor thing," Yura said, turning on him. "I almost forgot. Pets ought never to be allowed to outlive their masters."

She drew her sword and leapt at him. Inuyasha jammed his claws into his chest and slashed at the air. "Blades of Blood!"

The red crescent blades flew through the air, severing several hairs and Yura's right hand in the process. Inuyasha felt the strands binding him gain slack and loosen as Yura's control weakened. Her hand dangled far below her, still clutching the sword.

"That's no fair!" Yura cried out in indignation, glaring at where her right hand to be.

"How'd you like that?" Inuyasha mocked back. "Serves you right! Or I guess, your left!"

"I do wish you'd use some restraint when addressing a lady. Were you brought up in a dog house?" The skulls flowed down around her, their jaws chattering in silent laughter. "Heads up!"

Several skulls flew at him, but Inuyasha used the newfound slack to punch them straight out of the air. He heard Yura's sword whizzing towards him and jerked back just in time.

"Darn, I almost had your head," Yura sighed in a sing-song voice. "Stay still, now. It's much harder to hit when you move."

"Yeah," Inuyasha spat, hurling another round of Blades of Blood. "I'll just bet it is!"

A curtain of suddenly visible hair closed between them, skulls and all. Inuyasha was so distracted by the sudden image that he didn't notice the sword until it'd rammed straight through his shoulder. He cried out in pain, and then again as he slammed to the ground below, the sword being pulled from him as he fell. He heard Yura giggle a the sword returned to her hand. When he looked up, he found that her hand had also magically reappeared.

"Half-demon, half-power – I should've known."

Inuyasha glared at her, a growl emanating from deep in his chest. Yura descended to him, toying with the Jewel shard still sticking from her breasts.

"Disappointed? Poor little thing. I bet you were hoping to use this to become all demon." She landed and aimed her sword. "Now stay still. If I don't get a clean cut, your blood will stain that pretty silver hair of yours."

"Don't you wish!"

His fist punched straight through her body, sending droplets of blood spraying out in an arc. When he pulled back his fist, the small bag containing the Jewel shard fell to the ground. Inuyasha's lips pulled into a grim smile, exposing his canines.

"That'll teach ya."

Yura's foot stomped down on his hand as it reached for the bag. "Why I never! A half-demon I just met sticking his hand in my chest?"

Inuyasha's eyes widened and he shrunk down to the ground, ears flattening over his head. Why wasn't she dead? Did she feel nothing?

"Plus there's the fact you stole my Jewel." She got right up in his face, pink eyes blazing. "Now I have become cross."

She had to have a weak spot! Where was it? How could he kill her? Yura stood, chuckling, but a tug on the strands tied to her fingers made her turn. Inuyasha's heart clenched with relief when he saw what had drawn her attention. The monk was climbing one of the walls of hair, his staff clenched in his teeth. He was alive! Miroku was alive!

"That monk!" Yura hissed, sending a violent ripple through the hair and almost dislodging Miroku.

Inuyasha picked up her sword. "You shouldn't've looked away!"

He sliced across her back, but to his dismay, the hair criss-crossed over the wound, healing it instantly. Inuyasha's ears twitched. That didn't make any sense, unless-

"Right, that does it!"

Once again, Inuyasha's limbs were pulled taught as he was suspended by the hair, though now he could at least see it. However, this time he had a feral grin which he turned on the pale-faced Yura. He let out a breathy laugh.

"You didn't bat an eye when I took your hand, but now you seem mad for real. What're you hiding that you're so worried about?"

"Probably this red skull!" Miroku called over his shoulder, pointing at the thing just above his head with his staff.

"What red skull?" Inuyasha was confused – why the hell would the monk reveal to Yura that he knew her weakness? Yura darted away and Inuyasha ripped off the hair binding him. "Oh no you don't!"

"Stop pulling my hair!"

Yura lifted the entire curtain of hair and skulls far into the air, with Miroku still clinging to the strands. His staff slipped from his hand and fell into the pile of skulls below. Inuyasha jumped toward them, but was cut off by shooting spears of hair crossing before him. Miroku hoisted himself further up, feeling the strands slicing into his palms.

"You're tangling it all up!" Yura shouted, hurling her sword at the monk. It connected with a solid thud. "Got you!"

Miroku fell backwards with the blow, but didn't feel nearly as dead as he should. Yura's hair hoisted him aloft by the wrists.

"What are you?" she yelled. "Why don't you bleed?"

Miroku was asking himself the same questions. It had been a big enough shock when he hadn't immediately burned to death, more so when he realized that he could barely feel the heat of Yura's demonfire. The red suikan stretched over his torso gave him the answer. Yura, however, was no so enlightened.

"Even from here you seem mortal enough," she mused, her face right up against his. "Despite that twister that sprang from your hand. Let's put you to the test!"

A single strand of hair twisted several times around his neck and tightened like a snare. Miroku gasped as the razor thin line cut off his air supply just as it cut into his skin. Another moment and his head would come clean off.

"Blades of Blood!"

Inuyasha's magical blades tore through Yura and her hair, shredding them both to pieces. Miroku was just out of the way, but felt the strand around his neck loosen. He gasped in a breath, ragged from the pressure on his throat. A heartbeat later, the lines around his wrists grew slack and the entire wall of hair began to collapse. Inuyasha grabbed him just as he landed on the curtain of hair, wrapping an arm around his waist and spring clear of the collapsing wall. They fell at speeds half that of a normal human, but it still hurt when they crashed onto the pile of skulls at the bottom of the ravine. Inuyasha's arms wrapped tighter around him as he partially shielded him with his body, waiting for the last of Yura's creations to fall around them.

Miroku lifted his head just in time to see Yura's sword spinning toward them. He rammed his body into Inuyasha's to push him out of the way, but the hanyou was a solid block and didn't move a muscle. Instead, Inuyasha's head snapped up, and he pushed the human away in turn just as the sword landed in his chest for the third time that night. Yura landed on top of a small hill of skulls and pulled the blade from his chest with a sickly sucking sound.

"You again!"

"You forget, I'm immortal!"

Inuyasha saw the sword fly straight at his face, was powerless to block it- It stopped right in front of his eyes, suspended in midair. His hand finished flying to cover his face before he'd even realized what happened, the breath freezing in his lungs. His eyes darted to the left, where Miroku was lifting his staff above his head, ready to bring it down on the red skull for a second time.

"Stop that!" Yura shrieked. "I'll kill you!"

Her arm pulled back and cast the sword at Miroku this time. The monk ignored her and brought his staff down hard on the skull. The skull cracked and then burst apart in a blaze of pink light. Whatever was inside split in half under the force, and Yura melted into thin air with a sigh, leaving nothing but her clothes and sword behind.

Miroku turned wide eyes to Inuyasha, his breath coming in ragged gasps. Inuyasha was hardly in better condition, his hand still hovering over his face. Slowly, the hanyou clambered to his feet. His hand moved over the three stab wound in his chest before deciding that the one furthest to the right was the most painful. He staggered over to Miroku just as the monk picked up half of the red comb which rested amidst the scattered remains of the skull.

"So that's what Yura really was," Inuyasha breathed.

"A comb?" Miroku said in disbelief.

"That's the Adornment Comb of the Dead."

"Ah." Suddenly it made a lot more sense. "She was a spirit brought to life from the essences of the dead whose hair she combed."

Inuyasha groaned and his knees gave out. Miroku sprang towards him without really realizing it. "Inuyasha!" His hand pressed into the hanyou's chest, stemming the flow of blood. Inuyasha glared, a half-hearted growl dying in his throat. Mioku shirked off the suikan and then removed his kesa, folding the purple fabric several times until it formed a long, thick bandage. He wrapped it around Inuyasha's chest several times and, figuring that hanyou ribs were sturdier than human ones, put a foot on his chest to brace himself as he pulled the two ends taught. Inuyasha grunted in pain but made no move to get away. Finally, Miroku knelt down to admire his handiwork.

"I'm sorry you were injured," he said quietly, checking to see that not too much blood could seep out. "It only happened because I had your suikan."

"It's nothing," Inuyasha wheezed. "What happened to the Jewel shard?"

Miroku found it sitting amongst Yura's clothes. He brought it back to Inuyasha cradled in the palm of his hand. Inuyasha couldn't help but stare at the monk. He looked so much smaller in just his black koromo, without the loose kesa flowing around him. It reminded him how human Miroku was, how fragile.

"C'mon, Miroku," Inuyasha breathed. "Let's go home." The monk was staring at him with a stupid expression on his face. "What?"

"That's the first time you referred to me by name, that's all."

Inuyasha let out a world-weary sigh. "You stupid bonzo, what're you going on about now?"

Miroku smiled to himself as he set his pace to match Inuyasha's. "Nothing. It was very nice of you, that's all."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "Don't get excited. I still think you're pretty useless."

Miroku turned exaggeratedly large eyes onto the hanyou. "You think I'm pretty?"

Inuyasha barely managed to turn his startled laugh into a snort. They climbed to the top of the hill before he bent down to give Miroku a ride. To his surprise, the monk shook his head.

"You're injured, and besides, there's no rush."

So they walked. The quiet between them was not exactly companionable, but it wasn't strained either. The moon slid slowly across the sky, Miroku kept an eye out for any remaining hairs, while Inuyasha made sure that the human didn't fall on his stupid face in the dark. The sky was painted with dawn and they were just nearing the outskirts of the village when Miroku spoke up.

"I never asked how everyone at the village was faring. I have to assume that something happened there which prompted you to find me."

Inuyasha shrugged. "Some of them were captured by Yura's hair but I imagine they're fine now. The only one who had a bad time of it was-"

Inuyasha froze. Miroku stopped as well, concerned. "Inuyasha, what-?"

The hanyou made an about turn and barrelled forward at full speed. Not knowing what else to do, Miroku followed him as best he could. He couldn't quite keep pace with the injured hanyou, but kept him close enough in his sights to see where he was going. They ran deep into the forest when Miroku finally caught up to him. The scene he stumbled upon, however, was not one he had ever been expecting. Inuyasha was on his knees, digging up a mound of dirt with his hands. Upon closer examination, Miroku saw an angry and alarmingly familiar face peering from the ground. His first instinct was to help. His second, which followed right on the heels of the first, was to stand back and stay out of the line of fire. Sure enough, the moment Kaede was free enough to move, she pushed Inuyasha backwards with a powerful shove.

"I told ye not to forget about me, you cretin!"

Inuyasha growled back "I think the fact that I'm here unburying you is proof that I _didn't actually forget_!"

Kaede looked like she was going to hit him again, and Miroku sprang forward. "Lady Kaede, don't! He's injured."

Kaede's hand froze in place, and Miroku watched her eyes take in the kesa wrapped around Inuyasha's chest, the suikan slung over Miroku's shoulder, and the blood which had covered almost all the white of Inuyasha's hadagi. She shot the monk a questioning look, but didn't say anything further as they carefully removed her from the ground. Miroku tried to protest as Inuyasha lifted her onto his back, but the hanyou brushed off his concerns.

"She needs to get back to the village fast, and besides, I can take it."

Despite his words, Miroku had no trouble keeping pace with him as they made their way back to the village. What must have been half the village stood waiting for them as they arrived, with torches and angry expressions. A few pained words from Kaede assured them that Inuyasha had nothing to do with her injuries, and they quickly escorted her back to her hut. Inuyasha insisted that Kaede's wound be tended to first, so Miroku cleaned and bound the deep gouge in her shoulder. He paused just before pressing the herbal concoction onto the area, a mischievous smile spreading across his face.

"Be warned, it burns like demonfire."

Kaede was less than impressed at his humour, but did thank him for his help when he was finished. Inuyasha didn't want to be treated at all, but after the combined insistence of both Miroku and Kaede, he agreed to have his wounds cleaned and bound with fresh bandages. It was well into the morning when Inuyasha and Miroku finally leaned back against the walls of the hut. The hanyou's suikan and the monk's kesa were slung over them like blankets. Their heads lolled back against the wooden wall, exhausted.

"So monk," Inuyasha ventured after a moment. "What's the deal with your wind tunnel?"

Miroku chuckled lightly at the question. Inuyasha must've been wondering that for some time. "How do you mean?"

"You said before it was a curse. How'd you manage that? Feel up a witch or something?"

"No." The humour drained from Miroku's voice. "It was a demon – a powerful demon that goes by the name of Naraku. I know little about him other than his malicious nature and tendency to devour people." Inuyasha shifted slightly to face the monk, his eyes reflecting the sombre mood. "It was not I, but my grandfather who first encountered him. According to my father, my grandfather battled Naraku long ago in his youth. It was almost fifty years ago. Their battle ensued for several years and each time Naraky appeared before my grandfather, he took the form of a different human. They say that the last time he appeared before my grandfather, he took on the form of a beautiful woman. My grandfather had great spiritual powers, but unfortunately, as fate would have it-"

"Don't tell me – your grandfather was as pervy as you?"

Miroku's smile didn't reach his eyes. "That's a good guess. Naraku pierced my grandfather's right hand with his own sacred religious seals and managed to escape. The curse placed there was that the abyssal hole would be passed down to my grandfather's children and their children, with each generation inheriting the curse and eventually dying of it until no one remains. It will only stop once Naraku is dead. My grandfather and father both failed to defeat him, and so both the curse and the burden have fallen to me. Each year the hole in my hand gets bigger, and the wind ever more powerful. Unless I can defeat Naraku, I myself will eventually be devoured by the hole."

Inuyasha turned to stare straight ahead. "Sheesh, that's rough."

"I am prepared to accept that fate if that is truly my destiny. In the meantime, I must continue trying to stop Naraku. I can't let him go unchecked."

"So why aren't you off fighting him right now, if it's that important?"

Miroku sighed, and it sounded like the weight of the world was on his shoulders. "I have no idea where he might be. I'd have defeated him long ago if I did. I'm still keeping an eye out for him, but I have a feeling that he'll show up eventually."

Inuyasha didn't know what to say to that, and Miroku didn't look like he needed a response. Despite the emotion in his voice, the monk's heartbeat was slow and steady as always. Inuyasha could almost feel the warmth from the human's shoulder, barely far enough to not be touching his own. Miroku was a steady weight beside him, raw but not uncontrolled. Whatever connection had formed between them that day was yet to be seen, but Inuyasha found himself able to relax with the monk by his side. He blinked a few slow times before his eyes closed for good. For the first time since being pinned to that sacred tree, for the first time since awakening in a new and changed world, Inuyasha slipped off into sleep.


	5. Chapter 5: s1e05

Warnings for this chapter: abusive family dynamics, emotional manipulation, discussion of canonical character deaths, and general creepiness

* * *

Miroku made his way toward where one of the villagers had said she'd spotted Inuyasha. The hanyou had been subdued the previous day, following their return from fighting Yura, and he'd gone off alone that evening and hadn't returned the following morning. While Miroku had wanted to give Inuyasha some space, it was now well into the afternoon and he was starting to worry. Inuyasha had been gravely injured, after all. Even with one wound instead of three, Kaede had been bedridden all day, and had been stiff and slow that morning. Miroku's side was still tender from the centipede demon's bite several days ago. Inuyasha may brush it off, but Yura's blade had done serious damage.

It wasn't just that he needed Inuyasha to help reclaim the Jewel, either. The hanyou had saved his life. He had blocked attacks from multiple swords and a demon bird head, but it was Yura's final strike which stuck in his mind. He'd tried to warn Inuyasha, had tried to push him out of the sword's path, but Inuyasha had shoved him aside, had taken the blow instead. In the moment, Miroku had figured that the hanyou had misinterpreted or simply ignored his warnings and pushed him aside out of frustration. In hindsight, though, it seemed an awful lot like Inuyasha had taken the blow for him, a blow that he knew a human wouldn't survive. He and Inuyasha owed each other their lives, and they fought well together. He could almost say that they enjoyed each other's company, though Inuyasha seemed to be disproving that theory with his latest disappearing act. He may be rude and uncouth, and a little more prone to violence than Miroku would have preferred, but he was nothing like any demon Miroku had ever met.

Inuyasha lay on the branch of an old, dead tree. It was further away than he'd normally go, on the opposite end of the village from Kaede's hut, but then again, he wasn't looking for company. He'd spent way too much time around humans recently, and it was starting to grind on his nerves. The repairs on the village were all but over and Miroku had told him not to strain his wounds. The monk obviously didn't know who he was dealing with. It only took a few hours of his mothering before Inuyasha had had enough. But somehow he just couldn't seem to get rid of the human. Sure enough, the annoying tinkle of metal hoops and the familiar scent of the monk wafted up from the path below him. He tried his best to ignore Miroku, but the monk walked right up to the base of the tree and stared up at him.

"We should change the bandages on your wound."

"Feh," Inuyasha closed his eyes, maintaining his relaxed position. "Forget it! I don't need that human garbage. Go away!"

"Inuyasha, your wounds are deep. I know you're stronger than humans, but Yura's sword went straight through you twice."

"Nothing to it."

Miroku huffed. He reached out with his mind and tugged on the nenju beads, not enough to pull Inuyasha from the tree, but enough for the hanyou to know he meant business. Inuyasha's eyes blazed at him and he jumped down in front of Miroku, claws and teeth bared.

"You wanna go, monk?"

Miroku pulled a roll of bandages from his robes, his calm eroding under a wave of frustration. "Will you please just let me treat your wounds?"

"I said go away!" Inuyasha shouted, dancing back from the monk. "You're acting like I'm the one who lost. I don't need your pity!"

"This isn't pity, Inuyasha! It's common sense."

"Fine!" Inuyasha snarled, ripping open his robes to reveal his bare chest. "You happy now?"

Miroku blinked. Not only had the bandages he'd put on the hanyou yesterday disappeared, but so had the slash across his chest. Only the barest pink line remained, slightly shiny, leaving not even a divot in the flesh. Miroku's hand reached out of its own accord and he saw Inuyasha pull back slightly. He changed directions at the last second, grabbing the edges of his robes and pulling them further apart to see the other two wounds. While this one might have healed, the other two had gone straight through his body. There was no way that they had healed in a single day!

"What're you doing now? You stupid lecher!"

"What about the rest? Show me more!"

The sound of squealing children startled both of them, and they turned in unison to see Kaede walking toward them with a guarded expression. A small herd of children stood behind her.

"It seems as though ye two are…getting along."

Miroku and Inuyasha both realized in the same instant how close they had gotten. Miroku's hands were buried under the fabric of Inuyasha's robes. Inuyasha had one hand curled in the monk's kesa and the other clutched his shoulder. Miroku could feel the energy surge through Inuyasha, about to erupt, and he quickly averted the disaster.

"Kaede, did you know that Inuyasha could heal so quickly?"

They pulled away from each other almost naturally, though Inuyasha's cheeks were burning. "I thought you'd've figured out by now that my body's different."

The left side of his suikan and hadagi fell open, revealing one of the two stab wounds. While not as beautifully healed as the slash wound, it was already sealed with new pink skin – certainly not in the state of needing to be bandaged. Miroku felt like a fool. Beside him, Kaede's eye widened.

"For so great a wound to have healed so quickly – amazing!"

Inuyasha scoffed as he fixed his robes. "Look, just because it coulda killed a human don't make it a big deal for someone like me!" Just as he'd finished securing the cloth, the muscles of his chest twitched. "Ow!"

Inuyasha looked down to see an insect biting his chest. He was about to flick it off him when he saw the tiny hat on its back. Then, the flea looked up at him with a smile.

"Greetings and salutations, Master Inuyasha!"

He slapped his hand against his skin, practically flattening the flea. He hummed as he looked at the creature, recognition sparking in his mind. "Well, if it ain't ol' Myoga."

He tipped his hand, letting the body fall to the ground. He knelt down beside it. "So, whatcha come to see me about?"

Myoga popped himself up with beaming eyes, "It has been so long! Master Inuyasha, I've come tell you-"

He cut himself off, and narrowed his eyes suspiciously at Miroku. Inuyasha looked between the flea and the monk. "Come on, Myoga. Out with it!"

"It is quite the story master. Are you sure it's suitable for…human ears?"

To his credit, Miroku didn't look overly offended at the prospect of a demon parasite considering him unworthy of his company. Inuyasha sighed. "We'll head back to Kaede's and then you'll tell me what's got you so worked up."

The sun was dipping toward the horizon as they neared the hut. Kaede kept on shooting accusatory looks at Inuyasha as he brought a demon into her home, though admittedly Myoga was much more of an annoyance than a threat. Miroku was quiet, but Inuyasha could see him periodically sneaking a glance at the flea demon. They settled down around the fire in Kaede's hut and waited for Myoga to start.

"Well, Master Inuyasha. The new is bring you is grave indeed. It seems that someone, a demon of some kind, has been attempting to locate your father's tomb. They attempted to break into several sites and succeeded in destroying a symbolic tomb placed in remembrance of your father. The disrespect!"

"Whaddya mean someone's trying to find his tomb?"

Myoga ignored the question, continuing on his self-righteous ramble. "As guardian of his final resting place, I can bear it no longer."

"So you took off and came here instead!"

"But it's the remains that are important. That tomb was just stone. The site of your father's actual resting place is in another location."

Inuyasha was getting fed up with the evasive answers. "So where are the remains, then?"

"Regrettably, sire, no one knows."

Inuyasha groaned. "Some guardian you are."

"Inuyasha," Kaede said, her expression serious. "I have heard tell of your father, of the phantom dog that once ruled over the western lands."

"Can't say that I remember him that well."

Miroku looked between Inuyasha and Myoga, his eyes keen. He supposed it was only logical that Inuyasha's father had been a demon, and a powerful one at that. It was just that he had never considered demons having…families.

"Your father was a demon among demons, great and powerful. His blood was especially delicious. And you, Lord Inuyasha, have inherited that from him."

"And what about his mother?"

Inuyasha's gut clenched, despite the gently curious tone in Miroku's voice. Not his mother. She was off limits.

"She was a beauty beyond compare," Myoga sighed, eyes closed. "A true-"

Inuyasha's heel came down hard on the flea, having jumped over the fire to get to him. Miroku flinched backward in surprise. Inuyasha sniffed and walked away.

"Inuyasha," Miroku called, not reprimanding, just confused.

"Just drop it, okay?" Inuyasha snarled over his shoulder though he didn't break his stride. "She died a long time ago."

Miroku watched him go, conflicting emotions rising in his chest. He'd seen the anger blazing in those amber eyes, but there was something else in there, too – a deep pain that Inuyasha couldn't keep hidden.

"I apologize," he said, turning startled eyes to Kaede. "I had no intention of angering him so."

Kaede didn't meet his eyes as she poked life back into the fire. "Aye, well…"

Myoga brushed himself off the floor. "Lord Inuyasha has always preferred not to speak of her."

Inuyasha had made his escape to a tree again, climbing to the highest branch that could support his weight. Despite his best efforts, his breathing came hard and fast, and he dug his claws into the tree. He closed his eyes. Mother… It had been so long. What right did Miroku have to ask about her, anyway? And what right did Myoga have to describe how she was? The flea hadn't even known her – not really. He took a deep breath, calming his rapid heart. It didn't matter. An ear twitched of its own accord as he picked up the tinkle of the monk's staff. Miroku seemed to have made a habit of following him whenever he ran off to be alone. It was annoying.

Miroku stopped at the bottom of the tree but didn't look up. His mother…a human. Miroku didn't know why it had never truly registered before. Of course he knew that one of his parents had to have been human to produce a hanyou, and from his research, he knew that it was often the mothers. Still…Inuyasha was raised by a human mother. Did that mean he was raised amongst humans? Was that why he didn't kill the villagers, why Kaede felt it was safe to let him wander? Miroku had long abandoned any fears of Inuyasha being a danger to humans, but it was interesting to imagine what had brought a hanyou to live in human society.

Yura had mocked Inuyasha for being half-demon, as had the centipede. Inuyasha wanted to use the Jewel to turn into a full demon. Was that it? Did he resent his human mother, blame her for his mixed heritage? Did…did he hate her? The mere thought made Miroku's heart ache. Was that why Inuyasha hated humans, even if he didn't attack them? The reason that he didn't want to hear about his mother?

Miroku turned and sat down, his back against the tree, his staff on his lap. He waited for a few moments until he finally felt Inuyasha's eyes on him. "I'm sorry," he said, quietly enough that only hanyou ears could have detected it.

Inuyasha harrumphed, but the mixture of dry humour and annoyance quickly bled from his chest. He responded with a similarly gentle "Don't be."

It wasn't Miroku's fault that she was gone, after all. He just really didn't want to talk about her, desperately hoped that Miroku wasn't in the mood for asking questions. Thankfully, the monk was silent for another long while. Inuyasha had slid back into his own thoughts, and almost startled at the human's calm and level voice.

"It must have been difficult, growing up in a world so prejudiced against hanyou."

Inuyasha looked away sharply, his claws digging into the tree. Oddly enough, the flash of anger that rose at the intrusion was quickly replaced by what was almost gratitude. There was no malice in the monk's words, no derision or judgement. He was simply stating a fact.

"Forgive me for saying this, but I am sure that your mother would be proud of the man you grew to be."

That shocked Inuyasha so much that he almost fell out of the tree. This time the anger didn't fade. How would Miroku know? How dare he presume to know _anything_? They had met a handful of days ago and the monk knew _nothing_ about him! How dare he- '_What?_' a small voice in his head asked. '_How dare he compliment you?_' Inuyasha pushed the voice away, but again he found his anger gone with it. It seemed that the monk's calm was almost infectious.

"I don't mean to presume," Miroku continued, and Inuyasha snorted at the words which mirrored his own thoughts so perfectly. "I'm afraid I don't have much experience in the realm of mothers."

Inuyasha's ears pricked despite himself. He looked down at the monk, but Miroku was still looking out at something in the far distance, his posture relaxed.

"I never really knew my mother. From what I understand, my father hadn't fully explained the concept of the family curse before convincing her to have his child. Once she found out that her child was forfeit, she left me on the temple steps and never returned. I don't remember her at all."

Inuyasha stared at the monk, a mixture of confusion-sympathy-awkward-dismissive-gratitude rolling in his chest. Miroku's voice was soft and undemanding, not looking for sympathy, merely sharing his own experience. Inuyasha felt bad regardless. He couldn't imagine growing up without his mother. She had been such a huge part of his early life, so unspeakably important to him. He guessed he had never really known how lucky he was to have her there, even after she was gone. It struck him that this may have been Miroku's true intention, to get him to focus on the positive side of his relationship with her. Gratitude pushed aside all the other feelings. He watched Miroku climb to his feet, start to walk away without another word. Inuyasha opened his mouth to call out to him, to say something – though he had no idea what – when his eyes snapped up to the sky.

An ominous wind picked up out of nowhere, and a sense of danger crawled up his spine. Miroku had stopped as well, was looking upwards in confusion. Seeing the human sparked something deep inside Inuyasha, awakening the youkai within him. _Danger. Human. Protect!_ He leapt from the tree without really registering it, pushing the monk's head down to the ground.

"Get down!"

Miroku gave a muffled groan of surprise as his face slammed into the dirt, but he could feel the tension rippling through Inuyasha, could feel the claws curling nervously around his skull before releasing him. He could sense it in the wind, too – a nameless danger that made him itch with the need to either fight or get away.

"Something's coming," Inuyasha said, eyes fixed on the sky. "Can you feel it?"

Miroku followed his gaze, shocked to see a dark procession outlined against the moon. Several smaller figures floated around… "A carriage?" Miroku squinted, barely making out the face of a figure as the wind revealed her. "A woman?"

Inuyasha stood beside him, and Miroku could see his claws clenched into fists, the tension running down his body.

"Inuyasha?"

"M-mother?"

His voice was choked with emotion, disbelieving. Miroku blinked, taking in the carriage with fresh eyes. Mother? But Inuyasha had just said…

"It _is_ you! Inuyasha-"

Inuyasha's ears pricked at the familiar voice, barely heard, the air frozen in his lungs. He couldn't believe it. She was there! But how-? It didn't matter. Her cry of pain as chains dug into her sparked fury in his veins like nothing he'd experienced before. He lurched forward, driven completely by a blinding instinct to protect. "Mother!"

Miroku's eyes darted from the hanyou to the carriage and back. "Inuyasha, your mother- you said-"

The carriage drifted further away and his mother's faint voice went with it. No, nonono- A giant clawed hand reached from the sky, grabbing at the carriage. Inuyasha watched in cold horror as the carriage was crushed, as the giant demon emerged from the clouds, as his mother was held limp and helpless in its grasp. Inuyasha ran. He ran without feeling the ground beneath his feet or the wind snatching at his hair. He jumped, a blast of fire reaching to meet him. His youkai was burning within him, trying to claw free. He used its power to change path midair, dodging the fire as it came again and again. But he couldn't stay airborne, not long enough. He landed in a crouch, the scorched earth right before him.

"Damn," he swore under his breath, before turning a blazing gaze at the demon. "You missed!"

A figure was on its arm, dressed in white. His voice was barely-there, the words unintelligible, but Inuyasha would recognize that smug ass anywhere. "It is you. Sesshomaru!"

"Indeed." Sesshomaru kept his voice low, probably mocking his hanyou hearing now as well. "I've quite missed you as well, little brother."

Miroku looked between Inuyasha and the figure on the giant demon's arm. Same hair, definitely demon, someone that Inuyasha knew by name. He'd said his father was dead – then again, he'd said the same about his mother – so…was this his brother, perhaps? They certainly didn't seem very familial.

Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed at Miroku and Inuyasha shifted slightly to stand more in front of the human. "A mortal. How interesting. I didn't know you had a new pet."

Inuyasha growled, one arm reaching out to block Miroku further. He didn't like where this was going.

"Others would be shamed but with you, little brother, it suits you to stick to humans."

His mother cried out as a little piece of vermin yanked a chain around her throat. He burned with the need to get her down – get her back – and his whole body was tensed to snap.

"These disgusting human creatures," Sesshomaru continued, nonchalant. "I should think you'd have enough of them. Or did you also inherit the need to further disgrace demon-kind?"

Inuyasha growled, but he forced himself to keep a level head. He needed to get to her, more than anything else. He would play Sesshomaru's game. "That's not all, is it? You couldn't've come all this way just to tell me that."

"Be not a fool. I am not so idle as that. The tomb of our father – where must I seek it?"

"Our father's tomb?" Well, that was certainly interesting timing. "Why bother asking me?"

"Seeing, yet never seen. Protected, yet never known to its protector. No other clues are known."

"Oh, you write poetry now?" Inuyasha snarled, pointing an angry finger at the ass. "I got no idea what you're talking about! Besides, even if I did, there's no way I'd tell you anything!"

"I see…" Sesshomaru said impassively. "Then you leave me no choice but to let your mother's suffering convince you."

A jolt of pure panic travelled through Inuyasha's stomach even as he laughed. "Nice try, you pompous fucker. She's been dead for years and we both know it. Like I'd really fall for some stupid trick like that!"

He was convincing himself as he spoke. She was dead. He saw her die. She was dead. It couldn't be her. Sesshomaru's cocky half-smile made unease rise in his gut. "A trick, is it?"

"You're who's stupid." And what the hell was that little imp? "Recalling spirits from the netherworld is a simple task for someone as great and powerful as Lord Sesshomaru. He was even so kind as to give her flesh! And yet her own son would deny it. How sad to be mother to one such as you! How mortifying!"

No…it couldn't be. Could it? Was it really-? Inuyasha's chest was heaving with each breath, the entire world narrowed down to the woman suspended before him.

"I have come back, Inuyasha, back from the world of the dead."

The demon squeezed, she gasped in pain, and Inuyasha saw red. "Stop hurting her!"

He jumped for her, screamed out "Iron Reaver, Soul Stealer." He sliced straight through the demon's arm – but she was falling! Too fast, too far- She would be hurt! He watched Miroku run forward, had almost forgotten the monk was there, but now he would reach her in time-

Miroku caught the bundle of woman and demon hand and chains, his staff cast aside. The impact knocked him to the ground, driving the air from his lungs, but he quickly slid out from under her. The little imps on her squealed and scampered away. Miroku leaned in, hearing her shallow breaths. "Are you alright?"

"Miroku!" Inuyasha's desperate shout caught his attention. "Get her out of here!"

"I think not," Sesshomaru intoned, summoning a whip made of yellow-green light from his fingertips. "And you, you're worthless."

Inuyasha watched the whip lash across the giant demon's face, saw it reaching for- "Mother!"

He jumped, placing his body between her and the demon. He heard her call out for him. Then, a ripping hot pain tore through his body as giant demon claws pierced his back.

Miroku gasped as Inuyasha was momentarily suspended above them. He was about to move, but Inuyasha's mother was faster. She raised her hands, an orb of white light appearing between them, and as the momentum of the demon's hand carried Inuyasha forward, it grew outwards in a flash of blinding light. Miroku felt it wash over him, then felt the darkness close in around him.

The pounding in his back forced Inuyasha to open his eyes. He was…where, exactly? The darkness around him had been replaced by light, brighter than any place should be. The sky was a pale peach colour, and all he could hear was the whisper of the wind in the grass and the soft lapping of clear water against the gently sloping shore. He crawled to his hands and knees, taking it all in. It was beautiful. But, "Where is this?"

"At the border of the spirit world."

He turned around, still not believing his eyes. But she was there, right in front of him. So real, so close…

"I must be crossing over it very soon."

"Oh, yeah…right." He blinked back the sting of tears that suddenly bit at his eyes. "You're…dead, after all. It happened so long ago."

She turned, and he had no choice but to follow. A twinge of something made him look at Miroku, quickly check the monk's heartbeat, but that was all. She was more important. She was leaving him again.

"Inuyasha." Her voice was silken, and so sad. So achingly familiar. "You…you've become a man, haven't you?"

"Well, yeah. I mean, I guess I was still just a kid when you died."

"Such terrible, violent days. And you all alone, with no one to care for you?" She turned, her piercing eyes meeting his. "How you must have suffered. How can you ever forgive me?"

A wave of emotion almost knocked him off his feet. He turned away, unable to face everything rising within him. She had ripped him raw, tearing away the walls he'd been building even back when she was alive. He reached for them now, bracing against the old sorrow and hurt that threatened to consume him. Brush it off. It doesn't matter, now. "It weren't that big a deal." A breath. "And it wasn't your fault."

"Inuyasha…"

The emotion in her voice made him turn, made him abandon the last shred of his defenses. It was really her. He could only stare in wide-eyed wonder. It was really her.

Miroku clawed his way back to consciousness, fighting against the black tar in his mind and the lead in his limbs. What had happened? It was a struggle just to open his eyes. The bright light made him squint, and it took a while for the world to focus. The red of Inuyasha's robes drew his eyes first, then the beautiful woman beside him. She was alright, at least, and so was he. He tried to lift his head, to get a better look, but something was keeping him there. He blinked against the fuzziness in his mind. What was going on? He- he couldn't move! Even the panic that emerged was muted. There must be a powerful spell over him.

He tried to move each limb in turn, but couldn't so much as twitch a finger. What was this? He cast his eyes around for any hint as to what was causing this. Thank Kami he could still do that much. His gaze fell upon the reflection of the pair in the eerily still pond. It took a moment for the sight before him to make sense, to register what was so horribly wrong. Her face! Only a smooth, blank mask filled the space where her face should be. With tremendous effort, he opened his mouth to try and get out more than a muffled "mmphf." Instead, a new problem emerged. His voice! He had no voice! Real fear seized him. He stared at Inuyasha, willing the hanyou to realize that something was terribly wrong.

She moved to his side, her eyes never leaving his. She looked so sad. "Partings are never easy, wouldn't you agree?"

He couldn't. He couldn't lose her again, not after having her back for such a short time. He looked away, unable to meet her gaze. "I…"

Miroku stared at Inuyasha, begging him to just turn a little further, to just look. He could figure it out, he had to realize that this wasn't human! That thing, whatever she was, whatever she wanted… '_Inuyasha, please! It's not your mother!_'


	6. Chapter 6: s1e06

Warnings for this chapter: mentions of canonical character death and a transition from creepy to yikes.

* * *

She looked so sad. He wanted to run, wanted to hug her, wanted to fight off whatever was causing her such pain.

"Inuyasha, I must return now to the netherworld."

It made sense, but this extra time together was too short, had only rekindled his desire to hold onto her and never let go. "D-" He swallowed, throat dry. "Do you have to?"

She held her hands apart, and a glowing lotus appeared between them. She turned and it floated to the water, the petals slowly moving apart. They landed on the still waters of the pond with barely a ripple.

"The petals," she said, following his gaze. "Inuyasha, look into the water."

He did as she said, kneeling down on the bank. Was it some kind of message? Was it a way for him to see her when she returned to the spirit world? Instead he startled at the sight. A ball bouncing in front of him, further and further away across a bridge. He was chasing after it, just as he had… He remembered. His hands wrapped around the ball before just as quickly abandoning it at the sight of his mother waiting for him. He ran to her, to the shelter of her arms. The memory changed – another moment, another embrace. She had held him so often as a child. It was the only place where he was safe from the villagers who taunted him, the people who wanted to hurt him. He was safe from the world.

"That's me – us – back when I was still small."

He didn't know if she could see what he could, hoped that she was sharing the memory.

"You remember," his mother sighed, and he felt her arms close around him, like it was a dream. "That's good, Inuyasha. When you were a child, I held you that way – held you to my heart, just as I am doing now. Oh, my son. Let me hold you."

He could feel her warmth, smell her scent, and he sagged in response. She turned him gently, cradling him to her chest. He felt something, a twinge in his back, but ignored it. It started to burn, clearing away some of the fog that had settled in his mind, and he gasped in pain.

"I'll never let go – not now, not ever."

A small part of him whispered that this wasn't right, that something was deeply, deeply wrong…but he couldn't seem to think. Could barely move. His limbs were leaden, his head heavy. He rested his brow on her shoulder.

"Become one with me."

Miroku's eyes bore into the faceless spirit holding Inuyasha as he pleaded silently for the hanyou to come to his senses. As he focused on the scene around him, it slowly started to fade away. Chains materialized first on his arm then over the rest of his body, held taught by imps which suddenly surrounded him. He could feel the chains biting into his flesh, the pain helping to bring his mind back to reality. A black cloud formed over the idyllic scene, revealing it for what it really was. They had never moved from the clearing where they faced Sesshomaru. It was all an illusion.

"Miroku!" a voice shouted in his ear, and he could feel the patter of several tiny feet. "Snap out of it! It's me, Myoga the Flea!" He felt the slight movement as the old flea moved from his cheek to his shoulder. "Who would've thought that it was Inuyasha's own brother would be the one seeking the tomb. And what a foe he is!"

Miroku tried desperately to convey just the right mixture of distress, exasperation, and urgency to get Myoga to _shut up and help him!_

"And you poor thing," the flea continued, oblivious. "All chained up and immobilized. A powerful spell, too! Why, I bet you couldn't even swat a… couldn't swat a…"

The pinprick bite on his cheek brought out an instinctual reaction in Miroku. He slapped away Myoga without even realizing he had moved. Huh. He sat up slowly, fighting against the lingering wooziness of the spell. The imps around his scattered with little shrieks as he pulled the chains from their grasps. His head pounded from the spell, but all his attention turned to Inuyasha. Walking seemed like an unreachable feat, so he made it to his hands and knees and started to crawl towards where he had last seen the hanyou.

"Myoga," he gasped as the spell freed his voice. "What's going on? Who and what is that thing with Inuyasha?"

"No time to explain. This is some plot of Sesshomaru, his older brother. We must get to him!"

He could hear the voice of Inuyasha's mother, gently cooing to him. Miroku crawled forward, careful to stay hidden behind a mound of earth. He could just make her own, her kimono fallen from her shoulders, Inuyasha's head cradled to her bare chest. The hanyou's back was to them, but he seemed limp. As Miroku watched, Inuyasha sunk further into her chest, and it was suddenly horrifically apparent that she was absorbing him into her flesh! Miroku was about to jump forward, but Myoga hissed in his ear to wait.

"Stop!" a high-pitched voice cried out and another imp appeared. "What are you doing?"

He struck the woman across her featureless face with his staff, leaving a deep gouge through her flesh. She seemed unfazed.

"No soul-sucking 'til I tell you!"

"Sorry, master Jaken."

"Jaken?" Miroku whispered, not taking his eyes off the scene.

"Sesshomaru's henchman," Myoga said from his shoulder. "Watch out for his Human Head staff."

"You can have your way with him later," Jaken continued. "After he tells us how to find the tomb!"

Inuyasha shifted as he heard his mother crying out to him. He tried to go to her, tried to open his eyes, but he was drifting in a sea of darkness. Every time he tried to focus on any one thought, it slipped from his mind. There was a tightness around his chest, making it difficult to breathe.

"Your father's tomb," his mother's voice sounded again, more insistent than ever. "Please remember. Where is your father's tomb? Inuyasha, please!"

All that came to mind was a slight puzzled feeling. "I dunno…"

"Then think harder! Let me see into your heart." A light emerged in the darkness of his mind, illuminating a small black sphere. "What's that?"

Somehow, the answer came to him. "Black pearl, on the right."

"What black pearl? Where?" The imp sounded angry, and Miroku moved. "We need more than that! Go deeper."

"But Lord Jaken," the woman begged. "If I delve deeper, his spirit will be broken."

"So what? Do it!"

"Shh," his mother's voice filtered down to him, but she seemed so far away… "Inuyasha, shh…"

"Mother," Inuyasha gasped, trying to fight his way to her through the darkness. "I can't breathe…"

He pried his eyes open, and suddenly he was underwater, the tightness turning to a crushing pain. He cast about, floating in emptiness, before catching sight of the arms holding him there. His eyes followed them up, up to the surface of the water, where a faceless woman was kneeling on the grassy bank. Her face…she wasn't- Her arms wrapped more firmly around him, squeezing the air from his lungs, crushing his ribs and winding their way around his throat.

"What's taking so long?" Jaken demanded in his shrill voice. "Get a move on, before Lord Sesshomaru comes back and-"

Miroku didn't know where his staff had landed when he cast it aside before, but he had no qualms stealing the imp's. He pushed Jaken to the ground with his foot, wielding the wooden staff like a club. "Why you…"

The faceless woman startled and reared back, moving away from him with preternatural speed.

"Wait!" he called after her, shoving the imp aside and giving chase. "Please, let him go! I beg you!"

"No!"

She clutched Inuyasha closer to her chest, his head disappearing between her breasts. Miroku dove forward and grabbed a handful of Inuyasha's hair, giving a strong pull. The hanyou's head re-emerged slightly but the woman simply doubled her speed and Miroku lost his grip.

"Awaken his spirit!" Myoga hissed in his ear.

"How?"

"She is the Un-Mother, a spirit born from the grief of mothers who lost their children. She seeks to fill the void within herself with the spirits of others, but if you can reach his spirit, he will be released!"

Miroku had approximately no idea what he was doing, but Inuyasha's body was disappearing into the Un-Mother's chest before his very eyes. She gathered his limbs in a grotesquely maternal way, folding them into herself. "That's the way. Soon, we'll be together always."

She was too far away to reach, and he couldn't use the wind tunnel. Once again Miroku's gaze found her reflection, and the small boy in her arms. "The child?"

"An illusion of the spirit she's trying to capture from Inuyasha."

He ran to her, swinging the imp's staff through the water separating them. The Un-Mother shrieked and reeled back. Inuyasha fell from her chest with a groan of pain. Miroku dropped to his side, putting himself partially between him and the Un-Mother. Inuyasha was sitting up on his own, but gasping for breath and seemed dazed.

"You alright?" Miroku asked, one hand on his arm, the other on his back.

Inuyasha blinked a few times, the world slowly melting back into place. The first thing he noticed was the strong hands supporting him. Then the smell of grass and Miroku and his mother, even though he knew… Damnit, he should've known!

"How dare you!" he shouted at her. "Damn you to hell! You pretended to be-" His voice cut out, his anger filled with unshed tears. "I fell for it! I can't believe I thought she was my-"

Again his voice failed, and Miroku shifted closer to him, putting his shoulder between the Un-Mother and Inuyasha's predatory death-glare. "The Un-Mother, sent by Sesshomaru and his servant Jaken."

Inuyasha whirled on him with a snarl. "_What?_"

He broke off with a groan, leaning ever so slightly into Miroku.

"Inuyasha," Sesshomaru's cold voice called from across the clearing. "I know where it is now."

"Sesshomaru!" Inuyasha shouted, but suddenly his brother was right in front of him, lifting him up by a hand on his throat. "You bastard!"

"Of all the places for him to hide it," Sesshomaru mused.

Miroku clambered to his feet, bringing the Human Head staff down in an arc toward Sesshomaru's face. The demon didn't so much as glance at him, simply caught the staff in his hand and flung it to the side. Miroku let go just in time to avoid being flung with it, but then the heel of Sesshomaru's hand collided sharply with his shoulder. He flew through the air at the force of the impact and landed hard on the ground.

"All this time," Sesshomaru continued, glaring coolly at Inuyasha as though nothing had happened. "Right beneath my very nose – or rather, right above yours. Father was determined to keep it a secret, even from me."

Inuyasha's eyes darted from Miroku, who was picking himself off the ground, back to his deranged brother. "What're you talking about? You're making no sense at all!"

Sesshomaru chuckled humourlessly. "Well then, little brother, since it was obviously done without your knowledge, how would you like to come with me and find out?"

He raised his other hand to Inuyasha's face and tiny jolts of power surged from his two extended fingers into Inuyasha's eye. They burned and crackled with energy and Inuyasha cried out in pain. He felt something deep within his head move. Sesshomaru was ripping out his eye! What the hell? But his brother kept pulling, and even as his right eye went dark, he saw a small black sphere float out from inside it. A black pearl? Sesshomaru released him carelessly and he thudded to the ground. His eye burned and throbbed. Inuyasha cupped it, trying to quell the splitting headache. He felt Miroku fall to his knees next to him, felt the monk's hand brush over his shoulder as he murmured a gentle reassurance.

"No wonder searching for it underground was useless," Sesshomaru was saying. Inuyasha sat up, Miroku a steady presence behind him. "Seeing, yet never seen. Protected, yet never known to its protector. What a clever hiding place."

Inuyasha snarled at him, ears flat against his head. He gingerly removed the hand over his right eye, but it made no difference. He could see nothing from it. The pain was muted by a fresh wage of fury. "And all this for something like that? You pretended she was my mother!"

Miroku winced at the threat of tears in Inuyasha's voice. He tightened his grip on the hanyou's shoulder, hoping to convey that he was here. He looked beyond Sesshomaru, to where the Un-Mother lay trembling on the ground.

"You're not amused?" Sesshomaru sniffed delicately.

"No I'm not! You bastard!"

Sesshomaru easily avoided the swipe of Inuyasha's claws and launched into the sky with youkai speed. He reached out a hand with a quiet "Die!" and cast his light-whip towards Inuyasha. It snapped against the ground and Inuyasha jumped back, but Miroku was right behind him, and he couldn't let the human- Miroku jumped back as well, out of range for the moment, but Inuyasha's focus on Sesshomaru was broken. The whip connected with his chest, sending him flying back to the ground, only the robe of the Fire Rat keeping him from being ripped in two. He saw Sesshomaru lash out again, knew he couldn't get away in time, but then another body flung itself in front of him. For a sickening moment he thought it was Miroku, that the stupid human had tried to save him and died trying but… The blank face of the Un-Mother hovered before his for a heartbeat before her body exploded under the force of Sesshomaru's whip. Bits of her scattered in all directions and her tattered kimono floated down like autumn leaves. A small piece landed on Inuyasha's shoulder and he stared at it, conflicting emotions rising in his chest.

"She gave her life to protect you," Miroku's soft voice sounded behind him.

"Youkai spirit or not, she still had a mother's heart," Myoga said. "She couldn't help but try to protect her child."

"My boy…" His mother's voice came from the blank face lying before him. A snap of Sesshomaru's whip and she was gone. Inuyasha's lips pulled into a snarl. He felt Miroku come to stand next to him, one hand tugging gently at his mala beads. Violet eyes met amber in a silent question. Inuyasha shook his head. He would take care of Sesshomaru himself! Besides, he wanted his eye back.

"Jaken," Sesshomaru called out. "Jaken!"

"Aye, my lord!" The imp appeared, Human Head staff in hand. He raised the staff to Sesshomaru, who took it with a small, predatory grin.

"At last, the moment has come."

He let the black pearl drop to the ground and brought the end of the staff down on top of it. The pearl began to emanate a spiritual pink light, and one of the two faces on the staff, that of the old man, began to cackle. A flash of pink light crossed the air next to Sesshomaru and suddenly a swirling black vortex opened. Inuyasha heard Miroku's heartbeat jump, but this was no wind tunnel. Sesshomaru took a step towards it and then he and his imp disappeared from sight.

"The portal!" Myoga cried, jumping onto Inuyasha's shoulder. "We must move quickly before it's closed, lest Sesshomaru take your father's treasure!"

Inuyasha didn't budge. "Let 'im. What do I care?"

"But sire!"

Inuyasha rose to his feet. "But I never said I'm not going in there." He reached for the scrap of the Un-Mother's kimono on his shoulder. Unforgivable. "Say your prayers, Sesshomaru. You're dead!" He turned to his left. "Miroku, you stay here. It's too dangerous for-"

The monk was no longer beside him. Instead, his eyes snapped to the portal, where Miroku was busy climbing inside. He called over his shoulder "Better hurry!"

"Hey!" Inuyasha took a step forward, but it was too late. With a growl, he jumped into the portal after his idiotic human. Suddenly he was floating, the red swirling walls of another dimension all around him. He ignored it all in favour of catching up to Miroku, slowly floating in front of him. His momentum brought him to the monk's side in no time. He reached out and wound one arm around Miroku's waist, making sure they wouldn't get separated.

"You realize Sesshomaru's there," he said flatly.

"That's the point. No one should get away with what he did to you!"

Miroku's voice was calm with a steely edge. He spoke so certainly that for a moment, all Inuyasha could wonder was why this human cared so much. Then suddenly the world spun and re-emerged as a new landscape, a barren rocky wasteland with a giant armoured skeleton before them. It sat there as though it were a giant fallen man, but the gargantuan dog's skull sitting atop the skeleton said differently. A shrill cry came from behind them and Inuyasha spun around midair. A giant birdlike skeleton was flying towards them on feathered wings. Inuyasha readied his claws, but the bird ducked underneath them then pulled up, catching them on its back. Inuyasha exchanged a startled look with Miroku, but he wasn't going to question a free ride. The bird swooped up to pass by the giant skull.

"Father," Inuyasha breathed, marvelling at the size of the skull.

"His tomb?" Miroku asked, quizzical eyes taking in the youkai bones.

"What else would this be?"

Miroku ignored the snap in Inuyasha's voice. "He must have been quite the intimidating presence."

"It's true," Myoga said from where he clung onto Inuyasha's nenju beads. "Lord Tōga, Inu no Taishō, was of incomparable stature. This is his truest form, undisguised, and the treasured sword lies imbedded in his bones. That is what Lord Sesshomaru is after."

The bird flew toward the skull and Inuyasha wrapped his arm tighter around Miroku's waist and launched them off the bird's back. They landed with a thud on the top of the skull. Inuyasha listened for a moment to find Sesshomaru's heartbeat, then pointed down. Miroku nodded. They clambered down the face of the skull and into the gaping lower jaw. Miroku climbed onto Inuyasha's back and the hanyou jumped, landing on one of the neck bones. He bounced back and forth, from spine to the inside of his father's armour until they reached the ribcage. Far below, he saw Sesshomaru standing in a pile of smaller demon and animal bones. Inuyasha landed on a rib and Miroku slid off his back, looking at him with questioning eyes.

"Sesshomaru!" he shouted, leaping at him. "We're not finished yet!" Sesshomaru moved in a flash and Inuyasha crashed into the floor of bones. "Damn! Where'd he go?"

His ears picked up Sesshomaru's heartbeat just as he felt his brother's youkai. He spun around, seeing Sesshomaru standing on one of the giant ribs. Inuyasha's stomach clenched as he realized how close his brother was to Miroku – close enough that if his brother went for the human, he would have no way of getting there in time. Luckily, Sesshomaru wasn't in the habit of giving a damn about humans.

"Be more respectful," he lectured Inuyasha. "It's our father's tomb."

"Look who's talking!" he shot back, keeping all his brother's attention on him. "You're the one here robbing his grave! Why not respect him by leaving?"

"Lord Inuyasha!" Myoga was pulling on his necklace. "Look behind you!"

"Where? Why?" He was loathed to let Sesshomaru out of his sight, but there was urgency in Myoga's voice.

"Do you see it? The blade from your father's fang, Tessaiga!"

It was…a piece of junk, honestly. Inuyasha blinked at the rusty old sword sticking out of the ornate golden pedestal. In the twisting metal strands seemingly growing from behind the pedestal, a tattered old sheath made from wood and leather was suspended.

"You mean this?" he asked incredulously, eyeing the blade. "What a piece of junk! You couldn't even cut wet paper with this lousy thing."

"Lord Inuyasha, you must draw the sword – please!" Myoga spun around, glaring at Sesshomaru over Inuyasha's shoulder. "And you, Lord Sesshomaru, you couldn't pull it out, could you?"

Great, just taunt the angry demon! Inuyasha shot an incredulous look at the old flea.

"Do you mean to say that Inuyasha can?" Sesshomaru's voice was devoid of emotion, but Inuyasha saw the hunger in his eyes.

"But of course! It was always intended that Lord Inuyasha should inherit it. He-" Myoga seemed to finally notice the combined weight of Sesshomaru and Inuyasha's glares and began backing away, inching his way behind Inuyasha's neck. "He was entrusted with the tomb, wasn't he? That should be proof enough, if you ask me. Now hurry and claim what's yours!"

"Entrusted? Inheritance?" Inuyasha scoffed. "For all I care he can keep the rusty piece of junk." He turned to Sesshomaru. "I only care about the other stuff. You've insulted me once too often! Good thing you're in a grave, 'cause you're gonna die!"

He leapt at Sesshomaru but was once again met with empty air, his brother's taunt floating down behind him. "Now, was that aimed at me?"

He landed lightly on the bones and turned back to Inuyasha just in time to meet his claws. He danced away from the increasingly desperate swings. Sesshomaru reached the other side of the ribcage and pushed off, Inuyasha's fist sailing past him and connecting with the bone hard enough to send a shock wave rattling up the skeleton. Chunks of old bone splintered from the rib and landed beside Inuyasha as he fell. "Damn!"

Sesshomaru landed lightly behind him. "Such a weak, childish attack."

"Master Inuyasha, you can't fight unarmed," Myoga hissed in his ear. "The sword! Get the sword!"

"You shut up!"

"Inuyasha!" Miroku called down from his perch on a rib. Inuyasha and Sesshomaru both looked up in surprise, both having forgotten the human's presence. "Get the sword! If you can retrieve it when Sesshomaru couldn't, his pride will be in shreds. Aim your attack at his pride!"

Inuyasha aimed a toothy grin at Sesshomaru. "I'll do it, if only to see the stupid look on your stupid face." He chuckled, jumping over to the golden pedestal, grasping the leather-bound hilt. "This is gonna be more fun than I thought."

He pulled. Nothing happened. He pulled harder. The sword moved from side to side, rattling from the exertion, but the tip remained firmly embedded in the pedestal. A circle of while light formed around the tip, but nothing else moved. Inuyasha heard Miroku calling encouragements, heard Myoga saying something about true inheritance, but he could only focus on the blood rushing in his ears. His muscles burned along his shoulders and back but still the sword didn't budge. Eventually, even the light faded away. He was left with nothing but a smoking rusty sword still wedged into the pedestal.

"Hey," Inuyasha said, ears flattening on his head.

"Yes?" Myoga's tentative voice came from his shoulder, only to be snatched between finger and thumb.

"I couldn't pull the sword out, could I?" Inuyasha asked with barely contained rage.

"Not…really…no."

"Are you done?" Sesshomaru asked flatly. "I am."

He jumped at Inuyasha, who barely managed to dodge the first swipe of his claws. He ran towards one of the walls of ribs, just wanting to get Miroku and get out of there! But Sesshomaru was flying through the air beside him, a clawed hand grasped his shoulder, and suddenly he was slammed against one of the lower ribs. The air was driven from his lungs, and Inuyasha was pinned as much by the stunning blow as by the hand digging into his shoulder.

"I don't think you've met my poisoned claws," Sesshomaru remarked, summoning a haze of glowing green poison around his fingers.

Inuyasha flung himself to the side and watched in horror as the rib he'd been leaning against gained a gaping, melting hole. Half of him laughed and crowed in victory, but a smaller voice – which had begun to sound distinctly like Miroku – whispered that that was way too close. Sesshomaru's face appeared beside his, casually asking "Running?"

Sesshomaru leapt into the air and down came his light-whip, catching his arm then his chest in two rapid strikes. Once again his robe saved him, but the force still sent him flying backwards. He heard a cackling from his left, saw Sesshomaru's imp raise his staff above his head. Another lash from the whip brought his attention back to his brother.

Miroku had decided that enough was enough. He knew that Inuyasha wanted to fight his brother himself, and he could respect that, but Kami! Things did not look good. Sessomaru was barely even fighting, obviously toying with Inuyasha, and now Jaken was getting ready to unleash something from the Human Head staff. Miroku jumped off the rib and landed firmly on Jaken. He was pretty sure he hadn't killed the little imp, and sure enough, Jaken had clambered back to his feet.

"You coward," Miroku hissed, putting himself between Jaken and Inuyasha. It was the least he could do.

"Why you-"

Jaken swung the staff but Miroku easily caught it in his hands. The imp was strong, sure enough, but Miroku was pissed. He tried to yank the staff from Jaken's hand, but a burst of flames sent him scrambling back.

The flames caught Inuyasha's eye and he called out to Miroku, but a swift punch to the gut from Sesshomaru stole his voice. He jumped back from the next assault from the light-whip, trusting that Miroku could take care of himself.

"What's the matter?" Jaken taunted, waving the sword madly around his head. "Is that all you got?"

"Not even close."

Miroku ripped off his mala beads, opening the wind tunnel, but he knew right away that it was a mistake. Jaken jumped back, putting countless bones between himself and the wind tunnel. Miroku sucked in a good dozen skulls but Jaken had dug his staff into the ground and was stuck fast. As Miroku moved the wind tunnel further up, trying to avoid sucking in the entire bed of bones, the ancient ribs of Inuyasha's father began to crack and groan. It was no use. If he wasn't careful, he would bring everything down around them – and besides, he was pretty sure it was rude to absorb the bones of your friend's father. Inuyasha might not be too thrilled with him if he did so.

He closed the wind tunnel and stumbled back a few steps. He almost tripped over the pedestal and instinctively grabbed onto the hilt of the sword to break his fall. The metal strands behind the pedestal vibrated with the impact and he vaguely heard the wooden sheath clatter to the ground. Miroku saw Sesshomaru staring at him, standing over Inuyasha with his whip at the ready. Inuyasha was staring, too, his ears flat against his head and eyes wide. He looked afraid. As Sesshomaru turned more toward Miroku, Inuyasha took his chance and leapt with a yell. Sesshomaru's claws stopped him midair, digging deep into his stomach.

"The time has come," he remarked coolly, raising his other hand which was glowing with poison. "Die."

Miroku didn't think, just pulled as he took a step forward, subconsciously thinking of wielding his staff. All he could think of was how to get Sesshomaru away from Inuyasha, to keep those poison claws from hitting home. Instead, there was the slightest _'shing'_ of metal, and the arm which held the sword suddenly swung freely. Miroku looked down at the sword in his hand, frozen to the spot. "Huh."

He looked up to see Sesshomaru frozen as well, his arm still poised to strike but the poison gone from his claws. He looked stunned. Inuyasha's mouth gaped open. No one moved.

"Uh," Miroku started, suddenly feeling very awkward. "I'll admit, I was not expecting that." His eyes flicked from the sword to Inuyasha's stunned expression to the cold fury building in Sesshomaru's eyes. "Uh…my apologies."


	7. Chapter 7: s1e07

Warnings for this chapter: loss of a limb and a light helping of familial violence.

* * *

Miroku glanced between Sesshomaru, Inuyasha, and Jaken, all of whom were staring intently at him. He shifted the sword slightly to a more defensive positon. He had never fought with a sword before, but it was similar enough to his staff that he figured he could do some damage. That was, if he hadn't done some serious damage already.

"That's impossible!" Jaken cried out incredulously. "How could a mere human succeed when my lord could not?"

Inuyasha tore his gaze from the startled monk to Sesshomaru, and a slight narrowing of his brother's eyes broke his daze. He had no idea what just happened, but what he did know was that he needed to keep Sesshomaru away from Miroku at all costs. He jumped to his feet, claws at the ready. "Don't look at him, look at me!"

But Sesshomaru simply moved away with his youkai speed and appeared in the worst possible place – in front of Miroku.

"What are you?" he asked, his voice laced with the promise of danger. "And how did you draw the sword?"

"He's after the monk, now, and not us, eh?" Myoga cajoled cheerfully. "Lord Inuyasha?"

Inuyasha didn't dare move, knowing that one wrong step would result in Miroku's guts decorating the ground. "Sesshomaru," he called, body coiled to spring to action at any moment. "Leave him alone! He's not involved in this."

Miroku slowly angled the sword at Sesshomaru, gaze hard and steely. "One step closer…"

Sesshomaru turned to Inuyasha. "Neither of us could do it, but this monk was able to break father's spell and free the Tessaiga. And you expect me to let him go?"

Inuyasha shifted incrementally closer. "You're right, it is weird that he could do it when we couldn't – but he's just a human!" He swallowed. "Miroku, give him the sword. It's not worth it."

Miroku hummed lightly, tightening his grip on the hilt. "Uh, no, thanks. I think I'll hang onto it for the moment."

Inuyasha could hear Miroku's rapid heartbeat. What was he playing at, the fool? "Don't be stupid," he warned, risking another step forward. "You're only a human. Back off before you do something we'll both regret."

Sesshomaru chuckled lightly. "Inuyasha, your patience with this creature is astonishing to me. Why bother protecting him?" He took a few steps toward Inuyasha, turning his back to Miroku. "Certainly these feelings of mercy of yours are not something _I_ inherited from our father. It must have been that mother of yours," he spat it like the very word was a curse. "That weak, human mother, who caused our father to meet his end in this ignoble place. Her tainted blood infects you as well. Of course, I bear no such weakness."

Miroku saw where the words were leading. The moment Sesshomaru raised his hand, Miroku passed the sword from his right to his left and reached for his mala beads. Suddenly Sesshomaru was grasping his right arm and before Miroku could so much as blink, the demon flung him through the air. He crashed hard into the spine of the skeleton and slammed onto the ground. He gasped, the air driven from his lungs. Large chunks of splintered bone fell around him. The sword was right beside him and he reached for it. He curled into a ball, protecting his head with one hand. He saw Sesshomaru's palm flash green, then a wave of poison washed over him. It stung his skin and eyes, and then the bones began to melt over him. The molten bones flowed like lava, too thick and heavy to cast aside, entombing him. He coughed out Inuyasha's name, but it was too late.

"Miroku!" Inuyasha cried out, jumping for the human, but a swipe from Sesshomaru's claws sent him back.

"So fragile," Sesshomaru murmured. "Don't you agree, little brother?"

Inuyasha leapt for him, bringing his claws down in arc at his brother's face. Sesshomaru easily caught his wrist and flung him aside. He barely landed before rushing forward again.

"And not just humans," Sesshomaru continued, unfazed. "Half-breeds, too."

"Iron Reaver, Soul Stealer!"

Sesshomaru jumped out of the way, but Inuyasha didn't care – he just had to get to Miroku, had to see if- A length of fur wrapped around his waist and yanked him after his brother.

"How can you think with your dirty blood that you are my equal?"

He spun and flung Inuyasha aside, sending him crashing to the ground. He hit one of the ribs and came to a stop, his eyes levelling on his prey. "You…"

He flung his arm across his face just in time to avoid the first lash of the light-whip, another landing soon after and then another. It was all he could do to stand there and take it, not even able to take a step in any direction.

"You forget your station, worthless half-breed!"

A final lash of the whip punctuated his words, sending Inuyasha flying against the bone walls. He pushed himself to his hands and knees, fixing his eyes on Sesshomaru. "A half-breed, am I?"

Several more lashes struck his arms, but he barely even noticed them. Everything – the old pain of his mother's death, the new burn of Sesshomaru's betrayal, the loss of Miroku – it all merged together with other hurts from the past, brought up by the Un-Mother's memories. The shadowy faces of dozens of humans leered at him, dozens of demons scorning him, his mother's arms his only safety against a cruel world.

He ground his teeth and pushed himself upright. He glanced over to where Miroku must be, buried under layers of melted bones. Inuyasha couldn't hear a heartbeat. A flash of unexpected pain laced through his chest, but he pushed it aside. He couldn't focus on that right now. He had to take out Sesshomaru, once and for all!

"Half-breed or full-breed, it doesn't matter to me." He turned to Sesshomaru, eyes narrowed. "But when you insult my mother, that's when I get angry! For her sake then, if nothing else-" He ran, with no regard for anything but reaching his target. "I'm going to make you pay!"

His claws scraped off metal armour, not a wounding blow, but the first time they actually hit. Sure enough, Sesshomaru's heartbeat jumped ever so slightly as he leapt away.

"That was for my mother!" Inuyasha shouted, preparing to leap. "And this, this is for Miroku!"

He jumped, he lunged, and he hit home. Sesshomaru's metal shoulder guard cracked beneath his fist. Inuyasha landed on his feet and Sesshomaru did the same on the other side of the clearing. The pieces of his shoulder guard fell to the floor with a light clatter.

"All that for a memory and a dead mortal?" Sesshomaru sneered. "You rush to your death so easily. If I'd known that's what it took, I'd have killed him sooner.

Inuyasha snarled, baring his teeth. "I'm gonna slit you open from head to toe and pull out your guts! By the time I'm through, you're gonna wish it was you who's dead."

The pile of melted bones shifted, the tip of the Tessaiga moved from under the mound, and suddenly Miroku's head appeared. He coughed and brushed off some of the bone-slime that clung to his robes, then caught the two brothers staring at him in disbelief.

"Sorry," he said, looking from one to the other. "Am I interrupting?" Inuyasha seemed stunned, so Miroku lifted the sword and pointed it at Sesshomaru. "You! I don't generally appreciate people trying to kill me."

He stepped out of the mound of melted bones and dusted off his robes with one hand, not breaking eye contact with Sesshomaru. He moved past the pedestal, reached down to grab the fallen sheath and stuff it into his robes. He then side-stepped slowly over to Inuyasha, keeping both his gaze and the sword levelled at Sesshomaru. Once he reached Inuyasha's side, he turned to the hanyou and handed him the sword. Inuyasha took it in a daze, still staring at the monk with wide eyes.

"I think you should give the sword another go," Miroku prompted when Inuyasha just blinked at him.

"Hey," Inuyasha started, still trying to process what just happened, trying to understand the wave of relief that washed over him. His eyes flickered from the sword to the human's face to the large hollow sphere inside the pile of melted bones from which Miroku had emerged. "Uh, how come you're still alive and not…goo?"

"The sword," Sesshomaru murmured, taking a step forward as the ground began to tremble. "That's what protected you."

Miroku smirked at the pissy youkai. "Sorry to disappoint, but I've gotten rather adept at keeping myself alive on my own."

"It's true!" Myoga insisted, appearing back on Inuyasha's shoulder now the danger seemed to have lessened. "Those claws of his hold deadly poison. It had to be Tessaiga, or else he would have died!"

"It really didn't."

"Why not put it to a real test," Myoga continued, unperturbed. "And try it on Sesshomaru?"

Inuyasha looked from Myoga to the sword in his hands to Miroku, who nodded at him.

"Big words for such small vermin," Sesshomaru taunted as a purple cloud began to gather around him.

His eyes snapped wide, pupils the size of a pin, and then a swirling wind began to lift him into the air. Skulls rose with the power of the gusts and began flying at Inuyasha. Miroku threw up an arm to cover his face, but Inuyasha didn't move. A skull struck his head and he didn't so much as flinch, maintaining a steely gaze at Sesshomaru. Another skull struck his shoulder then his head again, with not so much as an ear flick in reaction. Even when one crashed into his face, he barely blinked. Miroku gave him a calculating look.

"I imagine it probably works better if you step out of the way of the flying skulls."

There was nothing, not even a snort or puff of air that Miroku had come to suspect from the hanyou. He could see the tension in Inuyasha's stance, saw the way his eyes were locked onto Sesshomaru.

"Let's see if a half-breed can even wield the Tessaiga. I myself shall bear witness."

The whites of his eyes turned red as his expression shifted, his demonic face showing more emotion than Miroku had yet seen. Suddenly his face began to lengthen, his nose and jaw jutting forward into that of a dog. White fur sprang forth along his skin. A flash of red light emanated from his body before he disappeared with a flash. A ball of light bounced around the area before hovering high above their heads. It hovered there for a moment, suspended, before crashing into the ground. Bones flew off in all directions, and when the dust cleared, a giant white dog demon stood before them.

Miroku knew that Inuyasha was half dog demon. He'd seen the true form of many demons in the past. But that didn't stop the thrill of terror that raced up his spine as the glowing red eyes of Sesshomaru fixed upon him.

"That's…a different look," Miroku quipped, trying to keep his breathing steady.

"Good," Inuyasha muttered. "Let him show his real form! Now that I'm usin' this, I'll win for sure!"

He held Tessaiga in front of his face protectively. Sesshomaru let out a few barks which shook the ground. A few pieces of ribcage crumbled from the walls as they reverberated with the force. He took a step toward them menacingly. Inuyasha shifted to put himself further in front of Miroku.

"Yup! I'd say this is gonna be over before it even starts. Ha!"

Inuyasha swung the sword a few times, getting a feel for it. Sesshomaru growled deep in his throat. The smug knowledge that he'd managed to piss off his brother was followed by a creeping sense of fear. Sesshomaru didn't take well to being bested. Inuyasha glanced behind him, to where Miroku was loosely grasping his mala beads. He already thought he'd lost the monk once that day. That was enough.

"Miroku, get out of here. Go hide 'til it's done."

The concern on Miroku's face shifted to a stubborn mask. "Not likely."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes at the idiot human and darted forward. He couldn't waste time dragging the monk out of there. He'd just have to finish this quickly. He jumped high in the air, well above Sesshomaru's head. With the point angled straight at his brother's head, he dove. This was it. Time to see what this sword could really do! Sesshomaru jumped forward and the Tessaiga bounced harmlessly off his head. Inuyasha landed and spun around. Sesshomaru was leaping right at Miroku! The monk ducked and rolled, narrowly avoiding the giant paws.

"Watch where you're aiming that thing, please!" he called out to Inuyasha.

Sesshomaru turned his burning eyes on Miroku. He took one step forward and Miroku instantly tore off the mala beads and opened the wind tunnel. Sesshomaru jumped back, barely avoiding the vortex. He pounced at Inuyasha, and Miroku closed the wind tunnel again in frustration. He couldn't risk pulling Inuyasha in.

Inuyasha dove forward to avoid being crushed under Sesshomaru's paws. He barely landed before his brother pounced again, then again and again. Inuyasha leapt from ground to rib and back again, careful to keep Sesshomaru as far from Miroku as possible. After Sesshomaru's jaws snapped through the air a hair's breadth from his shoulder, Inuyasha looked back to see wisps of green vapours rising from the ground from where he'd been standing. Confused, he watched as more poison dripped from Sesshomaru's fangs, melting the bones on the ground as soon as it touched them.

"Myoga," Inuyasha growled. "Start talking! This sword can't even bruise, let alone cut!"

The flea hummed and hawed as he carefully tied up his travelling sack. "Well, uh, Lord Inuyasha- I, err, suppose that, uh, it'll make a lovely heirloom, if nothing else. Besides, it's the thought that counts! Now, if you'll excuse me…"

"Hey, hey!" Inuyasha cried out as Myoga bounced off his arm. "Whoa! Why you-"

"And don't let that Sesshomaru push you around, okay?" Myoga called over his shoulder as he jumped away.

Inuyasha sighed and turned back to the gaping maw of his brother. To his disgust, more poison was dripping from his fangs, turning the ground before him to mush and sending a cloud of toxic miasma through the air.

"Uh oh," he muttered before searching out the human. "Miroku, quick! Get up off the ground, and don't breathe it in!"

Miroku nodded, his sleeve already over his mouth and nose. He shot Inuyasha a worried look and turned to climb up the ribs making up the walls. Sesshomaru pounced at him again and he jumped out of the way, but he was breathing hard and could feel the miasma burning his lungs.

The vines growing on the old ribs and spine made it easy to climb, but Miroku kept on glancing back to Inuyasha. Surely there must be something he could do!

"Climb!" a voice urged beside him, and Miroku turned to see Myga scurrying up a vine. "Even a demon can't stay in those fumes for long."

Miroku hooked his right arm around the vine and reached for his mala beads. "I could suck up the poison-"

"Don't even think about it," Myoga said before disappearing. "You'll be dead in a heartbeat."

On the ground, Jaken was coughing and pleading for his master's help. Miroku tore his gaze away from Inuyasha and started to climb. No matter how his concern made him want to stay and help, he knew both logically and instinctively that he needed to get away from the miasma. The swirling fumes burned his eyes and lungs, and even the few breaths he'd taken had made his head swim.

Inuyasha groaned as he had to avoid Sesshomaru once again. He braced himself on one of his father's ribs, the surface sticky as the bone melted from the poison. This was bad. He had to get out of there soon. His limbs were turning numb and heavy and his vision swam. Crouching down, he steeled himself and jumped as high as he could. Even as the fresh air rushed past him, black spots began to dance before him. He crashed into a much higher rib and clung on for dear life. A hoarse cough came from his chest and he struggled to pull himself up. His arms weren't cooperating. He heard Sesshomaru a heartbeat before the jaws clamped around him. He cried out in pain but it was useless. Sesshomaru dropped back down to the ground and bit down, hard.

Only the robe of the Fire Rat and the dense hanyou frame kept him from being torn in two right then and there. As it was, Sesshomaru's teeth dug into him. The sword was utterly useless, but even a hunk of junk could be more irritating than your average mosquito bite. Inuyasha swung his arm around and jammed the blade right into Sessomaru's eye. His brother reared back and rolled, but kept his jaw clamped shut. Then he jumped. Inuyasha caught Miroku's wide eyes as they passed him, clinging to their father's collar bone. Then they crashed through the armour at their father's shoulder. At the impact, Sesshomaru's jaws loosened enough for Inuyasha to wriggle free. Sesshomaru halted in the air and thrashed around. With one hand still grasping the sword, Inuyasha hung on to a patch of fur for dear life until he got the right momentum to fall back onto his father's skeleton. He stared down the giant dog that was his brother, fury boiling in his gut. This had to end.

Sesshomaru shook his head, his right eye still closed in pain as he landed further along the shoulder sode armor. From behind him, Inuyasha could hear Miroku climbing out of the armour, heard his rapid heartbeat. Yeah, this had to end.

"Now do you see the power of Tessaiga?" Myoga's voice sounded from behind him. "Oh, you'll be giving Lord Sesshomaru what for, I hope?"

Inuyasha's head snapped around with a glare. "Where have you been? This thing's about as useful as a walking stick!"

"Oh? So, you're saying this isn't the treasured sword of your father?"

Myoga crossed his arms and then scampered away. Inuyasha's eyes followed him before locking onto those of Miroku and sharing an exasperated look. Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "Big shocker there. But what the hell am I going to do with this thing?"

Only his instincts saved him from Sesshomaru's attack. He dodged to the side, barely managing not to skid off the edge of the armour. He jumped forward and a giant paw crashed down where he'd been standing a heartbeat before. Sesshomaru tried to swipe at him but Inuyasha batted the sword across his knuckled. The other paw came at him from the side and he jumped away again. He landed in front of Miroku.

"Keep at it!" the monk cheered. "I think you've almost got him!"

Inuyasha spared a moment to shoot him an incredulous look. "What are you, insane? That wasn't even close!"

"Use the Tetsaiga! It's yours now. You should be able to access its power. I have faith in you!"

Oddly enough, the words almost drew a wry smile from Inuyasha's lips. Instead he sneered. "You are nuts. This sword is good for nothing! Me, I'll live – I'm half-demon. You, though," He shook his head. "You haven't got a chance."

Miroku's eyes narrowed marginally and he smiled. "Luckily I have no plans to die today."

"You're gonna if you keep on your own."

The monk's right hand curled into a fist around his mala beads, though his face and heartbeat were calm. "That's a shame."

Inuyasha's ears flicked and a frustrated protectiveness rose in his chest. "Shut up and listen, will you? I'm saying I'll protect you, you idiot!"

Inuyasha rested the sword over his shoulder, and he walked forward with a determined expression and an order to shut up, stay hidden, and watch. A smile tugged at Miroku's lips. '_Protect me, huh? That's a pleasant thought._' Warmth spread through his chest. Who'd have thought that he'd ever place so much faith in a hanyou, that Inuyasha would ever admit to protecting him?

Sesshomaru growled intimidatingly as Inuyashsa walked up to him. Despite the quiet fury running through his veins, Inuyasha had no desire to reciprocate. "Yeah, yeah," he muttered, coming to a stop. "Roar-roar to you too, buddy. Let's get it over with!"

He swung the sword out in front of him. The Tessaiga pulsed in his hand once, twice. It sounded like a heartbeat, and Inuyasha could almost sense the lifesource coming from Tessaiga. Something was different. Something deep inside the sword had changed.

Off to the side, Sesshomaru's imp was chanting. Miroku had no idea when Jaken had arrived, but he was instantly disgusted at the words. "Get him, Lord Sesshomaru! Bit his little head off! Nibble on his-"

The skull connected solidly with the side of Jaken's head. Miroku hummed and readied another. Luckily there were a few more littered around if need be. "We'll see who gets who. He hasn't lost yet!" He threw the second skull and the imp scampered away with a shriek. Miroku turned to Inuyahsa. "You can do it. I know you can do it."

The quiet words reached Inuyasha's ear and a rush of warmth came with them, brushing away the imp's taunts. He smiled with grim determination as Sesshomaru leaped for him. He could do it. With his eyes fixed on Sesshomaru he waited one heartbeat, then another, then- Inuyasha jumped. The sword caught flesh and he pushed forward, dragging it along Sesshomaru's leg right up to the shoulder. Sesshomaru crashed to the ground and Inuyasha landed a heartbeat later. His brother's leg was a bloody mess, the gouge so deep that the limb was connected only by a few thin sinews.

Inuyasha looked at the sword in shock. The blade had transformed into something longer and much wider. A tuft of white fur rimmed the base of the hilt. He lifted it up to catch the scant light and watched steam swirling from the blade. It looked like a fang – it was! It was his father's fang! He couldn't believe it. His father had really left him something truly worthwhile. His eyes met Sesshomaru's over the shining blade. His brother was breathing heavily and blood poured from his loosely hanging leg. Even as he watched, one of the tendons snapped under the weight of the giant limb. Despite everything, fire still blazed in Sesshomaru's eyes. Instead of answering rage, Inuyasha felt a firm determination.

"You don't get it, do you?" he asked gruffly. "Look at us, Sesshomaru. We're a couple of fleas jumping around on father's body. We're nothin' compared to him. We'd've been lucky if he didn't squash us flat." Sesshomaru snarled, and Inuyasha's ears flicked back, his stance at the ready. "So maybe I don't remember him. Maybe I am just a half-breed. But it was me that father trusted with his tomb, me that he left the sword, and I'm not giving it up for anything! So maybe I'm not so worthless after all, then, am I?"

Sesshomaru's eyes stared into his for a long moment. Inuyasha could see the anger, but he could also see something hopeless in that gaze. When Sesshomaru leapt at him again, all it took was one swipe of his sword to send his brother flying back. Sesshomaru fell through the air, the leg fully separating from his body. A blinding white light encased him as he dissolved into a single ball of travelling energy. Inuyasha watched it fly up into the air and disappear from sight. The imp ran past him, screaming "Don't leave me!" And then Miroku was at his side.

"You alright?" the monk asked, a hand on his shoulder.

Inuyasha heaved the sword from his shoulder and buried the tip in the ground. He fell forward, barely catching himself in a crouch instead of falling to his knees. Miroku knelt beside him, concern in his eyes. Despite his ragged breathing, Inuyasha shot the monk a grin. "I take it back – maybe the sword's not such a piece of junk."

"You see, I was right?" Inuyasha's smile disappeared at the smug voice as he turned blazing eyes onto the flea on his shoulder. "Of course, if you'd listened earlier you'd never have-" Myoga's tiny hands braced Inuyasha's finger as he tried to flick the flea away. "Please! Over there, see? I was arranging us a ride to get home." He gestured to where one of the skeletal birds was perched. "Certainly nothing else. I would never have run away. You believe me, right?"

"Oh," Inuyasha said, straightening. "Then you didn't run away?"

His eyes were shining, and he wore an expression of utter happiness, trust, and gratitude. Miroku tried desperately to keep a straight face.

"I…I didn't?" Myoga looked confused. "Uh, okay, I admit it." He bowed down on Inuyasha's shoulder. "I ran away. But you have to believe me – if I thought you stood a chance in a hundred against Sesshomaru, I would never have left you! Please, please forgive me. I promise to have more faith. I promise to make it up to you. Oh, the shame!"

Inuyasha blinked wide amber eyes. "Myoga…"

His fingers snatched the flea and held them easily between them. A slightly manic look had shifted onto his face, and his lips pulled back to expose his fangs. He held Myoa there for a moment, let the flea's terror build, and then squashed him between his fingers. The flattened body floated to the ground, but Inuyasha knew better than to think he'd more than mildly inconvenienced the flea demon. He turned to Miroku, but the monk stood a ways away, eyes closed, one hand held sideways in front of his face.

"Miroku?" he asked curiously, walking over to him. "You ready to go?"

"Mm. I'm just finishing a prayer for your father."

This time, the gratitude on his face wasn't faked. A soft smile spread on his lips and he hoisted the sword over his shoulder. The smile grew when Miroku reached into his robes and pulled out a sheath. As Inuyasha took it, the sword transformed back into its original rusty appearance. Inuyasha shrugged at Miroku, who shrugged back. The sword wouldn't've fit in the sheath anyway, when it was transformed. He quickly fastened the leather straps of the sheath onto the cord tying his hakama pants, and slid the Tessaiga neatly into place. Inuyasha had never carried a sword before, but the weight on his hip was oddly reassuring.

The bird Myoga had called brought them high into the sky, and at the flea's instruction, Inuyasha wrapped an arm around Miroku's waist and launched them off the bird's back. Just as Inuyasha began to think that they'd made a fatal mistake, the swirling black vortex of the portal opened beneath them. He used his youkai to slow their fall and they landed gently on the ground. The portal flashed with pink light and then vanished, leaving only a small round ball that fell down to earth. Inuyasha caught it instinctively and was almost shocked to see the black pearl from his eye. In truth, he'd almost forgotten that he still couldn't see out of his right eye.

"Uh…" he said, holding the pearl out for Miroku to inspect.

The monk hummed and examined the pearl closely. After a moment he picked it up gingerly between thumb and finger. The pearl began to glow with a pink spiritual light. Miroku took a breath and unceremoniously shoved the pearl into Inuyasha's eye. The hanyou reeled back, swearing, but amazingly his vision was restored. He blinked a few times, adjusting to the added pressure in his eye.

"You alright?" Miroku asked, hesitation in his voice. "Inuyasha?"

He knew that the monk was asking about more than just the eye. "Actually, I feel pretty okay! Everything's back to normal and I got a new toy out of it."

Miroku huffed a laugh but still looked unconvinced. Inyasha's shoulders sagged as he let a bit of his bravado slip away.

"There's no tomb there anymore. My old man can finally rest in peace, and…" He swallowed roughly. "And I know Sesshomaru will never pull a stunt like that with my mother again."

Miroku gave him a sad, knowing smile and bumped their shoulders together. They turned to the direction of the village, both surprised at how close it was. The bones of the giant demon lay behind them, killed either by Sesshomaru or the Un-Mother's light, Inuyasha didn't know. So much had happened throughout the night – he didn't even know how long they'd been gone! It was night when Sesshomaru first appeared, but now the sun was high in the sky. Suddenly, he was exhausted. It wasn't just the endless fight with his brother, either. Seeing his mother again, even if it wasn't really her, had cut deep. He felt the monk's gaze on him and reluctantly turned to the questioning violet eyes.

"I'm sorry he used her against you like that," Miroku murmured.

Inuyasha couldn't help but smile, though there was a note of bitterness to it. The monk was frustratingly perceptive. He turned his eyes back to the village, and kept his voice soft. "You said before you never knew your mother. I can't imagine what that was like. My mother…she meant everything to me. She was all I had." He pushed past the lump in his throat, staring resolutely ahead. "I remember her holding me, crying for me. She knew how difficult life would be for a hanyou. Still, I never resented her for my human half. Not once."

There were no words to be offered after that, but Miroku's shoulder bumped gently into his. They walked toward the village side-by-side, a silent tether holding them together. As they reached the first of the huts, they heard shouting and Inuyasha picked up the sound of feet pounding toward them. He tensed and felt Miroku do the same. A dozen or so villagers came stampeding into view, waving their arms.

"You're safe!" one of them shouted.

"We thought you were gone!" another cried, looking genuinely distraught.

"Lady Kaede, we found them!"

Inuyasha shared a surprised look with Miroku, who blinked a few times before stepping forward. One of the men walked up to them, holding Miroku's staff reverently.

"We found it in the clearing," the man explained. "Next to the body of a ginormous demon. We feared the worst."

Miroku's expression cleared and he took the staff. "I apologize for causing concern. We ran into some trouble, but it's all taken care of now."

Inuyasha was shocked at the genuine relief on the man's face, and the smiles of the other villagers. Had they really made such an impression? They were a hanyou and a thieving degenerate monk, after all. A small crowd escorted them to Kaede's hut, and Inuyasha was only mildly infuriated when Miroku took the opportunity to flirt with the handful of women fawning over his safe return.

"It really makes you think," Miroku was saying with a serious voice as he slung an arm over one of the women – Inuyasha was pretty sure she was at least not one of the married ones. "Danger lurks at every turn, and I can never be certain of my fate. One of the only comforts in such a tumultuous world is having a child to carry on my name. Pray, would you consider doing me the honour?"

Both the woman and the gaggle around the monk all burst into fits of giggles, their cheeks flushed with embarrassment. Inuyasha growled and his ears flattened, and Miroku shot him a wink. The women continued pawing at him, right up until they saw Kaede giving the entire group a dour glare. Miroku coughed lightly, casually taking his arm off the woman's shoulder, and the herd of villagers slowly dispersed.

"I see ye be still alive," Kaede observed flatly, but Inuyasha could smell the relief coming off her.

Miroku wasn't fooled, either. He stepped forward dramatically and took one of the old woman's hand. "My sweet Kaede, I could never leave you. Even death could not part us!"

Kaede smacked him over the side of the head but she couldn't hide her smile. They followed her into the hut and Inuyasha took the opportunity to smack Miroku as well. The monk shot him a grin so contagious that he had to return it with one of his own. After all, they were both alive. It had been a good day. Kaede served them both heaping bowls of stew and listened as they recounted the story in a few broad sentences. After a while, Myoga jumped from Inuyasha's shoulder and added in a few pieces of information they'd missed. The old woman looked alarmed at the prospect of an angry Inu youkai coming after them, but Miroku assured her that Sesshomaru would be gone for a long while. Inuyasha made no such promises, just dug into the stew and avoided answering any difficult questions. When the story was done, Kaede looked concerned.

"I must see to your injuries, both of ye. Such a battle must have left deep wounds."

Inuyasha and Miroku exchanged a look. Actually, they were both remarkably undamaged. The gouges in Inuyasha's back from the giant demon's claws were painful but shallow, and had stopped bleeding hours ago. There were deep bruises along his torso where Sesshomaru's teeth had dug into him, but they hadn't broken the flesh. Miroku was sporting the beginnings of some spectacular bruises of his own, but nothing more. After looking each other over, Miroku simply said that they should be grateful of what was and to not fret about what might have been. Kaede's gaze was piercing, though, and it made Inuyasha uncomfortable. He muttered something about going to practice with the sword and left the hut.

Miroku watched him go before turning to Kaede. He'd seen the questions building in her eyes for some time. Sure enough, as Inuyasha's footsteps faded away, the old woman scowled. "How is it that ye were able to draw out the Tessaiga? I must say, ye continue to surprise me, hoshi-dono."

"My theory is that it was because the monk is mortal," Myoga said from his seat across the fire. "Don't forget, Tessaiga was forged by Lord Inuyasha's father as a way to protect his mortal mother. It was his feelings towards humans that allowed Inuyasha to wield it affectively."

Miroku nodded slowly. He remembered Inuyasha's protective words and smiled to himself. He caught Kaede looking at him with a searching gaze and quickly schooled his expression. "It makes sense. The sword reacted when he stood in my defense."

"For someone like Sesshomaru, who could only hate humans," Myoga ploughed on, impervious to the tension forming in the room. "Wielding Tessaiga was impossible. It was a brilliant move on the part of Lord Tōga."

To Miroku's relief, Kaede nodded and finally looked away. "'Tis a strange story, aye. To Inuyasha, his half-human heritage has been a curse. His feelings for his mother have been tinged with shame. And yet, it is necessary for him to feel for humans. Perhaps that is what his father wanted to teach him, a shared trait of theirs that Sesshomaru did not inherit."

Inuyasha sat in a tree, jabbing the sword into the air. It was stuck. Still old and rusty, still a piece of junk. How the hell was he supposed to use it if he couldn't even get it to transform again? He swung it at the trunk of the tree in frustration, but the blade bounced off the bark without so much as denting it. He growled.

"Practicing?" Miroku's innocent voice came from below.

Inuyasha huffed, sticking the sword back in its sheath and jumping down to meet the monk. "What's it to you?"

Miroku beamed at him. "You need to keep protecting us poor, mere mortals, after all."

Inuyasha snorted, trying to keep a smile from his face. "Eugh, what makes you think I want to protect you lousy humans?" He turned away, crossing his arms. "I can think of much better things to do with it, like collecting Jewel shards and making me more powerful! I don't have time to waste babysitting you weaklings."

He detected the sour change in the monk's scent almost instantly. He turned to look at Miroku, and saw that the smile had been replaced by a tight jaw and drawn brows. It took him a moment to realize why. He'd been joking, following the bit between them, but suddenly he realized he hadn't been. He still wanted the Jewel shards, was still planning on going after them. Sesshomaru's appearance had only distracted him from them. Nothing had changed – but he had to admit that something had shifted between him and Miroku.

He'd first noticed it when they fought against Yura, more so with Sesshomaru. They had worked as a team, had protected each other and saved each other's life. There had been moments between them – of humour, of trust, of quiet understanding. The monk was the closest thing Inuyasha ever had to a friend, and that was only after knowing each other for a handful of days. True, it had been a relatively action-packed few days, and life-or-death situations tended to make emotions flow stronger. But now, Inuyasha mourned the loss of connection. Could the bond between them really be broken so easily? He chanced a look at Miroku and saw calm, violet eyes looking back at him. He'd seen those eyes shine with emotion, blaze with anger and sparkle with humour. Now they were guarded, unreadable. It touched something deep inside Inuyasha, made him want to fix the wrong, to bring back the openness of before.

Miroku huffed a short breath and brought up a smile from deep within himself. He saw Inuyasha's wary eyes, knew he wasn't convinced, but he bumped their shoulders together companionably and began to walk. "I think it'll be a long journey before we get to that point, Inuyasha. After all, we currently have exactly one shard of the Jewel. It's been five days since we got it and we have no idea where all the others might be."

Inuyasha groaned, putting his hands behind his head and looking up into the sky. "They could be anywhere. There's probably a hundred demons who's already gotten hold of a shard each. The sword'll definitely come in handy on that account."

Miroku nodded sagely, hummed his agreement, and brought them further over the small wooden bridge. It was only when he stopped and Inuyasha followed suit that the hanyou seemed to notice something was going on. He looked at Miroku, questioning, and his eyes widened a heartbeat before Miroku was shoving him off the bridge and into the river. Inuyasha surfaced with a splutter but Miroku was already running away as fast as his legs would carry him. He heard Inuyasha swearing at him and a laugh bubbled from his chest as the sodden hanyou flopped after him.

For now he could pretend that things were alright, could maintain the illusion that they were friends. What he'd said was true – it would take months, maybe even years to track down all the pieces of the Jewel, and Inuyasha needed him to find them. Who knew what might happen during that time? At the end of their journey, if they were both still alive and Inuyasha's mind was unchanged, he would confront him then. Until that day came, though, they would be a team. He just hoped that it would be enough.


	8. Chapter 8: s1e08

Warnings for this chapter: a character asking to be killed and more creepiness. The pervy scene from the beginning has been removed, but it is balanced out by Miroku later on.

* * *

In the end, it was only logical. No more Jewel shards were to be found in Kaede's village, and they couldn't sit around waiting forever. Inuyasha huffed at the idea of leaving, but Kaede and Miroku agreed with Myoga. However, it had been another long, sleepless night fighting Sesshomaru, something of a pattern that Miroku wanted to break. They would set off early the following morning. He spent the rest of the day preparing for the journey as best he could – new sutras, bandages, and the little money that Kaede could spare. Food and water would be their greatest concerns, but Miroku refused Kaede's offer of rice or a cooking pot.

"Whatever we are to carry must be lightweight. I'm sure we can gather enough food on the road." He met her skeptical look with a reassuring one. "He's a hanyou and I'm a Buddhist monk – neither of us are unused to hunger. In fact, we've been rather spoiled in your company, Lady Kaede."

They went to sleep early, Inuyasha for once choosing to stay in the room with Miroku instead of his usual place on the roof. They woke at first light and Kaede shoved them full of stew one last time. She took one final opportunity to lecture them on the dangers of the Shikon Jewel as they walked out of the village. Miroku took one final opportunity to flirt with the village women. Inuyasha looked on both with equal distain. At the edge of the village, Kaede had them put their backs to her and she struck a steel striker against a piece of agate, sending a shower of sparks against their backs. Inuyasha looked at Miroku incredulously, but the monk only smiled. When she had completed the kiribi ritual, she handed over the striker and agate to Miroku and wished them a final farewell.

One good thing about the Jewel shards having disappeared in all directions was they had no shortage of paths to choose from. Myoga had no insight, and in fact decided to sleep on Inuyasha's shoulder. Miroku placed the base of his staff on the ground and let it fall where it may. They looked in the direction it pointed, and started walking.

An uneasy silence hovered over them all day. Other than the occasional "Watch your step" or "I think there's a village that way", neither of them spoke. It wasn't just the adjustment of a new phase in their journey – the tension of the previous day remained. Miroku knew how fast Inuyasha could run, but the hanyou seemed content at keeping an easy pace. He didn't know if it was for his sake or if Inuyasha didn't want to have to carry him, but while it was fine for the first day, they would soon need to cover more ground. By the time it had gotten dark, they were still much closer to Kaede's village than Miroku would have liked. He was further confused when Inuyasha suddenly stopped in the middle of the forest and looked at him.

"We should make camp here for the night."

Miroku blinked in surprise. "No need to stop on my account. I can see well enough in the dark."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes, arms crossed. "You need to sleep, and you need to eat. Who knows when we'll find the next Jewel shard? I'm not dragging your butt around all of Japan when you pass out from exhaustion or starvation. And you can bet I'm not gonna nurse you when you get sick!"

Despite the surprising logic in the statement, Miroku was still hesitant. Then again, who knew how long Inuyasha's good humour would last? He might as well take advantage of the easy pace while he could. "Alright, I'll start a fire, but there's no need to find anything to eat. We already ate this morning."

Inuyasha shook his head. "Are you sure you're human?"

Miroku huffed a laugh. "My training prepared me for many of life's hardships. I am used to going days without food, water, or rest."

"We've been doing plenty of that, lately." One of his ears flicked to the side. "There's a river nearby. You make the fire, I'm going to catch us some fish."

He left before Miroku could say anything one way or the other. They were still uneasy around each other, he realized. At the village, they had Kaede and the other villagers around more often than not. Here, it was just them. Oh, and Myoga. Miroku caught sight of the flea sitting on a rock a little ways away. He hadn't said anything all day, and Miroku had practically forgotten about him.

"How long are you planning on travelling with us?" he asked as he gathered together wood for the fire.

"Lord Tōga instructed me to watch out for his son," Myoga said. "I will stay for as long as I am needed."

By the time Inuyasha returned with two large fish, Miroku had built up the fire to a steady blaze. Miroku kept a smile fixed to his face as they skewered the fish onto sticks and held them above the fire. He thought he had been very convincing, until he saw Inuyasha staring at him. He raised his eyebrows.

"You too good for fish or something?"

Miroku huffed. Despite his gruff nature, the hanyou was very perceptive. "Just another part of my faith I can't follow."

Inuyasha cocked his head. "How do you mean?"

"Buddhist monks aren't supposed to eat fish, or any animal. Sometimes we can accept food with meat, but not if the animal was killed for us. Unfortunately, my lifestyle makes following the rules rather difficult."

Inuyasha nodded slowly. "Isn't there something in there about not being a lecher, too?"

Miroku cleared his throat softly. "There are many interpretations."

They ate in companionable silence, something settled between them, but Inuyasha still felt bad. He remembered Kikyo's struggle with her life as a priestess. It had been something imposed on her that she wanted to escape. Miroku seemed to have the opposite trouble. Then again, no one was exactly forcing him to flirt with every woman he saw.

They slept sitting upright with their backs against trees, Miroku with his staff across his lap and Inuyasha with his sword leaning on his shoulder. It took a while for Inuyasha to drift off, instead listening to the quiet, rapid heartbeat of Myoga and the slow, steady beats of Miroku. He had no idea about flea heartbeats, so no guesses there, but he knew the monk wasn't asleep. At first it frustrated him – they were stopping for him, after all! Then he was angry. Did Miroku think he'd run off or something? Surely the past few days together had proved that he was committed to doing this together. Or maybe there was something else? Was it just being out in the woods? They lacked the shelter of the village, but Inuyasha hoped that Miroku would know that he'd handle any demons that came after them.

In the end, he cast off the speculations and just concentrated on the myriad of sounds coming from the forest. He was thinking in circles and it made his brain hurt. The full moon bathed them in silver light, and there was nothing around but the chirping of insects and soft wind. The night was warm with the first hints of summer. Soon, Miroku's heartbeat slowed and his breathing deepened. Inuyasha stayed awake for a few more hours, but eventually he figured he'd take his own advice. They had a long way to go, and he had a feeling it wasn't going to be an easy road.

They woke early the next morning and after drinking from the river, head out. They followed the same direction as the day before and walked in silence. The next day was much the same. By the one after that, Inuyasha was getting antsy. Miroku had convinced him to stop for a quick wash in the river before they started for the day. Inuyasha watched from the branch of a high tree as the monk washed off the grime of the road. Miroku's hair was unbound, the first time he'd ever seen it like that. Inuyasha didn't like it. It made the monk look so much younger, so much more vulnerable.

He could see the smatterings of bruises across his body, some yellow-green from Yura, some still fresh and blue from Sesshomaru. His own bruises had disappeared the day after he got them, and the scars from Yura's sword were all but gone. Humans were so damageable. He wondered how long it would be before new wounds joined the monk's collection. The thought made him turn to glare at Myoga, though he didn't move from his relaxed position.

"We've been on the road for three days now! You said if we left the village, we'd find more Jewel pieces throughout Musashi."

Myoga hummed and folded his arms. "Patience, Lord Inuyasha. Patience."

Inuyasha growled, ears flicking back. "I've been plenty patient. You need to start earning your keep, flea!"

A flash of white fur caught his eye and the hair on the back of his neck stood on end. The blur sped past him, heading down the slope towards the river and the unsuspecting monk. Inuyasha shoved himself off the tree and took off at a run. He landed on a rock and Miroku turned questioningly, his brows drawn and stance wary. He was somewhat less imposing, though, in nothing but his fundoshi and tekkou. Suddenly, Miroku's eyes widened and Inuyasha whipped around to follow the monk's gaze. The white blur had turned purple and black as Miroku's robes flew through the air. He heard an indignant "Hey!" from Miroku and he chuckled. The humour quickly faded as he picked up the barest sounds of a whistle.

"Jewel shard!" Miroku called, scrambling to the shore and grabbing up his staff, sandals, and underclothes.

"What, you sense one?"

"No, the one in my robes!"

Oh, shit! He immediately set chase, trusting Mioku and Myoga to follow. He followed the scent, which he quickly realized was monkey, and soon heard the voice of a man. Inuyasha burst through the bushes angrily and came to a stop in front of the young man and his monkey. "Hey!"

A heartbeat later, reinforcement arrived in the form of a dripping-wet Miroku holding a bundle of clothes in one hand and his staff in the other with a flea on his shoulder. Personally, Inuyasha felt that their presence somewhat diminished the intimidation factor he was going for, but the young man seemed even more frightened at the odd procession. He fell back onto his ass and scrambled to pull out his sword.

"Who are you? You look suspicious!"

Inuyasha snorted and easily pinned the human's head to the tree behind him with his foot. "We were about to say the same thing."

The monkey screamed and began running around in circles. Inuyasha looked at it in disgust. Miroku emerged fully from the bushes and pointedly picked up his robes from the ground. "Why don't we all calm down and behave rationally?"

"Feh."

"What my companion means is," Miroku continued calmly. "We'd appreciate it if you put away your sword while we talk things through."

Inuyasha huffed and unpinned the human. The young man looked between the two of them with wide, frightened eyes. "I'm sorry!" he mumbled. "I never meant for Hiyoshimaru to steal anything of value. I just wanted some food! I'm so hungry."

Miroku turned to look pointedly at Inuyasha, and Inuyasha just as pointedly bared his teeth. Miroku turned back to the young man with a brilliant smile. "Inuyasha here would be more than happy to fish for you."

The young man's eyes flickered from the hanyou to the almost-naked monk. Miroku tried to look reassuring. Inuyasha sneered at him. With a gentle clearing of his throat, Miroku turned his back on the young man and Inuyasha followed suit.

"I don't trust him."

"I'm not asking you to trust him, just to feed him."

"You expect me to leave you alone with him?"

"I think I can handle him – just look at him!" With that, they both shot a look at the baffled young man over their shoulders. "He obviously wasn't after the shard. He's what, fifteen? He's as thin as a stick and can't even handle a sword properly. I think I'll be fine."

Inuyasha looked unconvinced and had one ear trained on the man, but eventually he huffed and jumped away. Miroku gave the young man another smile and quickly put his clothes back on. He made sure that everything was still there, especially the Jewel shard, though he didn't take it out of its bag just to be safe. The young man just stared at him with wide eyes all the while, compulsively petting the fur of his monkey. He tried to think of what to say. Thankfully, Inuyasha returned a moment later with two large fish.

"Excellent!" Miroku exclaimed. "It will take a while, but I can make a fire and cook these."

He could feel the distain coming from Inuyasha, but ignored it as he began to gather some kindling. He even got Inuyasha to cut down a branch from the tree for some wood. He pulled the striker and agate from his robes and soon the fish were cooked. Miroku watched in mild horror as the young man scarfed one down. Miroku picked up the second fish and gestured at Inuyasha, who shook his head, so he passed it over to the young man as well.

"You must have gone some time without food."

"Yes, it has been a long journey to this point." The young man devoured the second fish then bowed at Miroku. "I give you thanks, hoshi."

"My name is Miroku. Inuyasha you already know, and-" Right on cue, the young man startled and slapped his own cheek. "That would be Myoga, the flea. Tell me, why are you out here all alone? Forgive the intrusion, but your clothes and sword suggest that you're a nobleman."

It was rather amazing to see the young man's expression shift from nervous youth to utter arrogance. He stood and pointedly turned his back to Miroku, crossing his arms. "I am not at liberty to reveal my family or my connections. You may refer to me as Nobunaga."

A jolt of alarm ran through Miroku and he felt Inuyasha stir behind him, no doubt picking up on his elevated heartrate. "Oda Nobunaga?"

Nobunaga spun around with an irritated expression. "Amari Nobunaga. I belong to the Takeda Clan in the land of Kai. Please do not confuse me for that cretin from Owari!"

Miroku's lips quirked into a smile. "Cretin?"

"And a great fool, too, from what I hear. Now," Nobunaga sniffed and turned away again. "I trust you'll excuse me. An important mission demands my immediate attention. Thank you for the food. Farewell."

"Uh," Miroku said, seeing the direction the young man was heading.

"Uh," Inuyasha echoed from behind him. "I wouldn't-"

A shout followed by a crash sounded as Nobunaga disappeared over the small ledge. Miroku crept forward to see the young man face-down in the dirt. He winced in sympathy. Inuyasha peered over the ledge as well then turned to Miroku.

"Care to explain what that whole Nobunaga thing was about?"

"You mean Oda Nobunaga?" A nod. "He's the son of a deputy shugo in the Owari province. I heard about him when I passed through the area several months ago. Apparently he's caused quite the scandal by running around with all sorts and playing with firearms. I was worried we'd just insulted a firearm-enthusiast from a very powerful family."

They both hopped over the ledge next to Nobunaga. "Instead we got this idiot."

Miroku nudged him gently with his foot. "Are you alright?"

Nobunaga sighed and got to his feet. "I'm perfectly fine, thank you. I must see to my mission!"

"Which is?"

"I am not at liberty to say," Nobunaga sniffed. "All I can reveal is that I am following rumours to a nearby village, where they say that many young women have been taken to the castle and never seen again."

"We'll help you."

Inuyasha's head whipped around. "We'll do _what_?"

"Inuyasha," Miroku whispered earnestly. "Young women in trouble! Young, beautiful girls in need of rescuing!"

"You're unbelievable."

"What makes you think I need or want your help?" Nobunaga asked haughtily.

"It's what we do," Miroku responded in his most serene tone. "If there are any being unjustly harmed, it is our duty to help them."

To both their surprise, Nobunaga gave him a short bow. "Then I gladly accept your help, hoshi-sama. Thank you."

They followed him to the nearby village, Miroku ignoring Inuyasha's glare all the while. They crept through the bushes as they got close, listening to a small group of villagers talk amongst themselves.

"Haven't they taken enough young women away from this domain?"

"I heard that none of the girls summoned to the castle have ever returned."

"Aha," Nobunaga exclaimed quietly. "I knew it!"

Inuyasha grabbed Miroku's sleeve and pulled him none-too-gently to the side. "Do I need to remind you that we have our own mission?"

Miroku opened his mouth to say something about the good of humanity – not to mention that they weren't exactly in active pursuit of Jewel shards at the moment – when the villagers continued talking.

"I wouldn't want it repeated, but they say that the lord's been possessed by a demon."

"Demon?" Inuyasha exclaimed, fully stepping on Nobunaga as he leaned in to listen closer.

Miroku smiled to himself. That did it, then. The villagers revealed no more useful information, so they set off in the direction of the castle. It took the rest of the day to get there, and Nobunaga stubbornly refused to give them any more information about his mission. At least Inuyasha was convinced at this point. It was rare for a demon to be powerful enough to possess a human – odds were there was a Jewel shard nearby. Otherwise, it was just a powerful type of youkai and they would have a serious fight on their hands.

As dusk fell, they crept up to the base of the cliffs on which the castle rested. Inuyasha grinned. "I smell the demon stink from here. There's a Jewel shard there, alright. We better go and have a closer look." He crouched down. "Jump on, Miroku."

Miroku did. Unfortunately, so did Nobunaga.

"Hey, what's the big idea?" Inuyasha growled. "Get off!"

"I've got business up there!"

"Then climb up yourself!"

"Might as well take him, too, Inuyasha," Miroku advised. "He seems rather insistent, and who knows what trouble he'll get into on his own."

Nobunaga nodded. "Appreciate it!"

Inuyasha gave them both a long glare but eventually huffed. He took a deep breath and leapt high into the air, clearing first the cliff then the high wooden walls of the castle fortress. He landed softly and Miroku slipped quickly off his back. They looked over to where a guard sat slumped against a tree, a fire burning merrily before him. It took only a moment to confirm that he was snoring merrily rather than asleep. Inuyasha's ears twitched forward and he followed the sound to where another guard was asleep at the bottom of some stairs. He exchanged a wary look with Miroku as they crept forward.

"Don't be fooled, Lord Inuyasha," Myoga advised. "Their sleep is hypnotic – it may even be castle-wide."

Inuyasha nodded, resolving to stay as quiet as possible as to not tip off the demon that they were poking around. Whatever it was, it was strong enough to cast a powerful sleeping spell. The element of surprise would be-

"Princess!"

Inuyasha whipped around to glare at Nobunaga, who had apparently lost his mind.

"Princess Tsuyu!"

The young man ran towards the castle, and Miroku and Inuyasha had no choice but to follow the shouting idiot. He ran inside, throwing open doors and checking in every room.

"Princess Tsuyu, where are you? It is I, Nobunaga, come to save you!"

"Should we be letting him carry on like that?" Miroku asked, watching the young man flitter about.

"A bit late for that now," Inuyasha grumbled. "At least this way it'll draw out the demon sooner, and we can get the Jewel shard."

"Princess!" Nobunaga cried out from his latest room, and Miroku poked his head in to see what all the fuss was about.

Nobunaga knelt over the sleeping form of an old woman. Miroku blinked. He wasn't one to judge – it was simply…unexpected.

"Princess, be brave!" Nobunaga continued on, oblivious but very moved. "Oh, what has happened? What has become of you?"

Miroku glanced from the weeping young man cradling the old woman… to the beautiful young woman asleep on the floor just across the room. She was wearing fine clothes and looked much more like what he'd been expecting.

"Nobunaga," he started slowly. "If you have your heart set on that princess, can I have this one?"

Nobunaga gasped and let the old woman fall unceremoniously to the ground. Her head connected with the wooden floor with a solid thump. Miroku winced.

"Did someone say princess?" Myoga asked as he appeared on Miroku's shoulder. "I know a good way to wake her up."

He jumped and landed on her cheek, instantly taking a bite and sucking up the blood it produced. Behind Miroku, Inuyasha made a noise of disgust. "You're both animals."

"Princess!" Nobunaga exclaimed, pushing past Miroku to reach the young woman's side as she awoke.

"Nobunaga?" The Princess seemed confused, but unharmed. "Why are you here?"

"Princess Tsuyu! You recognize me?"

"Of course I do! I'll never forget. You were always so kind to me when we were children."

"I, uh, I- I don't know what to say," Nobunaga stammered out. "I- I just thought you wouldn't remember a lowly vassal like me."

"I remember everything," the Princess assured. "How you'd fall into the pond, or slip on horse dung and make me laugh."

Beside Inuyasha, Miroku sighed dreamily. "It's always nice to see young love blooming."

Inuyasha shorted. "So you're still going after the princess?"

Miroku seemed deeply wounded, placing his hand on his heart. "Of course not! I would never stand in the way of star-crossed lovers."

"If only I could go home," the Princess said wistfully, tears filling her eyes.

"Princess…"

"It was shortly after I came here as a bride that my lord husband began to act strangely. He'd fallen into the garden pond and ran a terrible fever. It was though he'd become a different person!" Miroku and Inuyasha exchanged a look. "Nobunaga, what am I to do?"

"There seems no choice – you must return to Kai. Even your father has heard of the Lord's derangement all the way from his land. It was he that ordered that I come find you that you might be returned to him."

"You came on my father's orders?" The Princess sounded a little put-out, and Miroku winced.

"Even if he had not ordered it, I would somehow have come."

"Nobunaga…." Miroku leaned in as the Princess spoke, waiting for her to be brave enough to say something, since it was obvious that Nobunaga wasn't going to get there any time soon. "Nobunaga, there's a monkey on your head."

While Miroku mourned the pitiful loss of potential, Inuyasha stiffened beside him, his ears pricked. "Something's finally arrived. Let's go."

Inuyasha stepped out into the hallway, Miroku right behind him. A tall, heavy figured walked towards them, covered head-to-toe in bandages under his kimono and reeking of youkai. Inuyasha's lip curled at the smell.

"I thought I heard something," the demon remarked in a whiny voice.

"Took you long enough," Inuyasha growled back. "I had to watch a disgusting attempt at a human mating dance. I'm about ready to kill something!" He rushed forward, dodging the razor-sharp tongue that shot from the demon's mouth. "Let's see your true form!"

He slashed at the bandages and landed back in front of Miroku as a giant toad demon was revealed.

"My Lord?" the Princess gasped from behind them.

"I have you, Princess," Nobunaga said reassuringly behind them. "Don't worry!"

Miroku squinted. "Jewel shard in his right shoulder."

"Yeah, and a fat lot of good it's done 'im," Inuyasha spat in disgust.

"Not so fast!" Myoga warned. "He's the Toad of Tsukumo, the ninety-ninth toad of the ninety-ninth generation. He's a three-hundred year old demon and he's stronger than he looks."

"Hah! I'll crush him in one blow!"

He rand and jumped, but the toad's throat swelled for a heartbeat before spewing out a cloud of noxious gas. Inuyasha fell to the floor, clutching his throat.

"Miroku, deadly poison – don't breathe it in!" Myoga said, suspiciously appearing on Miroku's shoulder.

The toad walked past the gasping Inuyasha. Miroku levelled his staff at him, but the fumes were burning his eyes and he couldn't see clearly. The footsteps stopped for a moment, and he swung blindly in the direction of the demon, but then a strong arm connected with his shoulder and sent him flying into the wall. Miroku gasped in pain, the fumes rushing into his lungs. He shoved his sleeve over his mouth and nose. Inuyasha seemed alright for the moment, so he turned to see the toad demon standing in front of Nobunaga and the Princess.

"Give me back my princess," the toad demanded in the same whiny voice.

Nobunaga unsheathed his sword and held it levelly at the demon. "Stay back, monster!"

"Very funny – as though you could stop me, human scum!"

The tongue shot from his mouth again, glancing off Nobunaga's blade before striking his upper arm solidly. Nobunaga cried out and fell back, the faint Princess falling from his arms as he did so. Miroku pushed himself to his feet, ignoring the wave of nausea that came from the fumes. The toad picked up the Princess and crashed through the castle wall. Miroku ran first to Nobunaga as he called out for the Princess. At least with the gaping hole in the wall, the fumes were quickly dissipating. He glanced him over, making sure there was nothing life threatening. The toad was quickly disappearing across the rooftop, and Miroku growled. Luckily, Inuyasha clambered to his feet, looking pissed.

"You good?" Miroku asked, half-way out the hole in the wall already.

"That disgusting toad!" Inuyasha spat. "He won't get away! I'm going on ahead – you take care of the idiot."

With that, he leapt past Miroku and took off after the demon. Miroku could appreciate the tactical aspect of that plan, seeing as he couldn't exactly picture Inuyasha doting over Nobunaga's wound.

"Let me see," he said as calmly as he could, grabbing at the young man's arm. "That's a serious injury."

"It doesn't matter what happens to me," Nobunaga gasped. "Please, you must save the Princess!"

Miroku smirked at him slightly, pulling a roll of bandages from his robes. "You can't go save her all heroic-like if you're dead. Then how will you prove your love?"

Nobunaga's wide gaze turned to him. "You could tell?"

Even as Inuyasha ran after the toad, he kept one ear trained on Miroku and Nobunaga. There was something fishy going on, and he didn't trust the demon not to pull some dirty trick. He followed the scent to another part of the castle where he burst through the wall. The toad was there alright, but to his horror, the Princess was sealed away in some kind of giant slimy ball. Dozens of others littered the room behind them, forming long chains.

"Too late," the toad mocked, stroking the ball almost tenderly as he laughed and drooled.

"What the hell?" Inuyasha asked, not tearing his eyes from the horrific scene.

A moment later, Miroku came into the room with Nobunaga's arm slung over his shoulders. Nobunaga was quickly bandaged up but he looked rather sickly. Myoga tutted from Miroku's shoulder.

"Sealed her in like toad spawn. He's likely keeping these young women in the egg sacks until their souls ripen and he can eat them. With the Lord's status, no one would dare oppose him."

It was true. In each of the giant toads eggs piled high across the room, a naked woman lay curled and dormant. Inuyasha had never seen anything like it. Judging by the horrified expression on Miroku's face, neither had he. Nobunaga, however, was more single-minded.

"You mean that _thing_ is going to eat Princess Tsuyu?" He ripped his arm from Miroku's grasp and unsheathed his sword, rushing forward. "Not while I'm alive!"

Instantly, Inuyasha ran forward as well, pushing the human out of the way as the toad's throat puffed up with poison again. Idiot. He unsheathed Tessaiga and swung it at the toad, tearing a massive hole in the floor with the unexpected power. In his anger, he'd actually forgotten to worry about the sword transforming. Didn't matter – he was more than happy to test it out again.

"I'll slit open your belly and dig out the Jewel if I have to," he warned, holding the glowing sword before him.

"I don't wanna die," the toad said, pawing at the wound on his shoulder that Tessaiga's strike had created. "Come to me!" he tried out, his voice reverberating through the room. "Souls. Souls! I need souls!"

The eggs all glowed with a white light and a few of the women broke free from their eggs. They slithered to the toad through the air, their lower-halves narrowing to a point like tadpole tails. They flew into the toad's gaping mouth and he swallowed them down greedily. The wound on his shoulder instantly closed. He aimed a grin at Inuyasha.

"I live again."

Inuyasha growled. "Filthy, no good-"

"What are you waiting for?" the toad mocked, spreading his arms wide. "For each cut you make, I'll take another soul!"

Inuyasha didn't need to hear the whispered "Don't" from Miroku to know that wasn't gonna happen. He growled at the toad, his lip curled in disgust, until they were both distracted by Nobunaga.

"Princess Tsuyu," the – admittedly rather determined – idiot cried out. "Talk to me!"

He'd gouged into her egg-prison with his sword and shook her desperately as she slumped on the floor, unconscious. Her eyes flickered and she coughed the slime from her lungs. Nobunaga gathered her up in his arms as she gasped and retched. Her hands curled into his clothes as she clung to him.

"Now I die without regret," he whispered, embracing her firmly.

"Don't you touch my princess!" the toad cried out, stampeding towards the couple.

"Hold it!" Inuyasha warned, bringing Tessaiga down on the toad's head. Two ofuda sliced into the demon's face a heartbeat later. "You got nuthin' to say."

The demon fell over, dazed. Inuyasha nodded at Miroku – that solved that problem – until the toad blinked in confusion.

"Princess Tsuyu…" he gasped, his voice entirely different. "What- what've I- where am-" He gingerly touched his face with webbed hands and looked around the room. Inuyasha could smell the panic and confusion radiating from him. "Please, someone tell me this isn't my doing…"

"Well, well," Inuyasha scoffed, though he doubted that a toad would be able to act that well. "Isn't that convenient."

"That voice," the Princess exclaimed. "It is the voice of my kind lord husband!"

"He was likely trapped in the demon's body when he was possessed," Miroku said.

"It's like a nightmare but I can't wake up. Somehow I knew, deep inside, I realized what was happening, and yet I was powerless to stop it. I- I wanted to, but I couldn't." He turned large, frightened eyes onto Inuyasha. "Kill me, _please_! I don't think I have the strength to stop myself."

"My Lord!" the Princess cried out, and Inuyasha could hear the heartbeats of all three humans pounding.

"Do it now!" the toad begged, tears streaming from his eyes. "Please, before it's too late!"

Well, that turned out better than Inuyasha could've hoped for! "Alright! Now you're finally making sense. You want it in the gut, or-" He levelled Tessaiga at the demon's throat. "Do I take the head?"

"Inuyasha, wait!" Nobunaga, of all people, cried out.

Inuyasha soundly ignored him and lifted Tessaiga above his head, ready to bring it down in one, clean strike.

"Inuyasha, stop!" Miroku called in a booming voice, so unlike his usual mild tone. Inuyasha stopped.

"What about the Lord?" Nobunaga asked.

"There's a human in there," Miroku insisted. "And what about the souls of the women trapped inside as well? There might still be some way to save them!"

"Please, do not kill my husband," the Princess pleaded, throwing her voice into the mix as well.

Inuyasha huffed, pointing Tessaiga at the Princess. "Look, lady – your husband's a toad. I'm doing you a favour! And you two-" He turned on Miroku and Nobunaga. "He just asked me to kill him, didn't he? This ain't the time for stupid sentimentality."

"Stop it!" Nobunaga cried out, throwing himself between Inuyasha and the toad, arms held wide like a shield. "Sheathe your sword, Inuyasha, please! Inside this monster, the real Lord's heart is still beating."

Inuyasha would never understand humans. "Move it, little man, or I'll kill you, too!"

"Please, don't!" Nobunaga replied, staring at the tip of Tessaiga resting on his nose.

"Then move!"

"I can't! I cannot let you kill him while the real Lord's still in there. Besides, even if he wasn't, I can't approve of you taking life. This may sound naïve considering the times in which we live, but I can't help it. I can't!"

Inuyasha huffed and slid the Tessaiga back into its sheath, the blade transforming as he did so. He had to admit, this kid had guts. Still, the demon was still alive, still dangerous. "Have it your way. I'll let you settle this – the responsibility's yours now."

He sat down against the wall and crossed his arms. He could feel Miroku's eyes boring into him, but he didn't deign the monk with a glance. They wanted this – all three of them – so they could figure it out. Inuyasha refused to lift a finger, even when the toad started cackling and rose to his feet.

"Thank you for sparing me," the demon said in that familiar, whiny voice.

His tongue shot out and cut straight through Nobunaga's shoulder. The young man fell forward with a cry of pain. Miroku moved. He reached into his robes and grabbed another ofuda, throwing it at the demon before whacking him on the head with his staff. Just as he'd suspected, the toad didn't summon more souls, but instead stumbled away in a daze. He couldn't use his wind tunnel, not without sucking up the Jewel shard as well. Miroku struck the demon again with his staff. From against the wall, Inuyasha watched him with narrowed eyes.

The toad lunged for the Princess, who screamed and scrambled away. The toad reached for her again and she looked desperately from Nobunaga, who lay bleeding on the floor, to Miroku. Alright, if Inuyasha wasn't going to help, then he would figure out a way to deal with the toad himself. He had studied demon possessions before and knew that if the host was damaged enough, the demon would often flee. They couldn't fight the toad here, though – not with all the trapped women around. He couldn't let them die. Miroku looked regretfully at the Princess, but saw steely determination in her eyes. He really hoped that he wouldn't get too much bad karma for using a Princes as bait.

"Inuyasha," he called out as he took the Princess's hand. "Look out for Nobunaga and make sure he doesn't die!"

Inuyasha shot him an incredulous look, but the toad was coming at them again. With one final glance at the prone figure of Nobunaga on the floor, Miroku and the Princess took off down the hallway. Inuyasha watched as the toad roughly kicked Nobunaga aside before running after the other humans. He glanced from the demon's disappearing form to the blood smeared across the floor from where Nobunaga had been lying. He didn't understand. There was a demon, and he wanted to kill it – what was the problem? More importantly, why was Nobunaga willing to risk his life to stop him from going after the toad? Why had the Princess begged him not to kill the demon she was bound to, and Miroku sounded so certain when he told him to stop? Inuyasha glared at Nobunaga, even as he listened keenly for the sounds of the struggle in the hallway. He didn't understand.

"Now do you see?" Inuyasha asked Nobunaga, not really sure if the young man could even hear him. "You want I should kill him yet?"

"No," Nobuaga gasped. "No killing."

"Idiot."

Miroku ran down the hallway with the Princess right behind.

"Do you have a plan?" she asked, glancing at the toad lumbering behind them.

"Uh…" Miroku glanced around, desperately casting around in his mind for a good place to face the demon. "Sort of. Myoga?"

"He's still a toad," the flea observed. "Try something hot!"

Hot. Right. He could do that. Miroku looked around, at the oil lamps lining the wall. He could do that. They came to a halt near the end of the hallway. The Princess looked wary and she stepped behind him, but her mouth was set in a determined line. Her eyes flickered to the oil lamp right above their heads. Miroku smiled and nodded slightly. They turned and waited for the demon to catch up, ignoring his taunts. Miroku reached into his robes and took deep, measured breaths.

They moved in unison. As soon as the toad was close enough, Miroku threw ofuda at him, the paper slicing through the air and striking the demon in the chest. The toad stumbled back, the spiritual energy crackling along his body. The Princess stepped forward then, the small bowl of oil in her hands, and she threw it at the toad. It soaked into his clothes, but the wick fell to the floor, the flame extinguished. The toad cackled and reared back. Miroku pushed the Princess behind him, barely managing to block the first strike of the demon's tongue. Then, Inuyasha appeared, leaping over the toad's hand and landing solidly between him and the humans.

"Miroku, I'm sorry, but mercy's a luxury we cannot afford!"

Miroku's eyes widened as panic seized him. No, no – they were so close! All they needed was- He scrambled forward, bodily shoving Inuyasha aside, and pulled the striker and agate from his robes. He could sense the toad about to strike again, could feel Inuyasha lifting Tessaiga behind him, but all he needed was a spark and- A single spark landed on the toad's robes. The tiny burning patch began to spread, catching the oil, and suddenly the toad was in flames.

The toad cried out and suddenly seized, a bright glow emanating from his body even as the fire flickered out of existence. The demon slithered into the air and the Lord, now free, slumped to the floor. Miroku's eyes flickered to Inuyasha, who nodded in understanding. He jumped over the body of the Lord and sliced through the escaping demon in a single cut. The Jewel shard fell to the floor. Inuyasha snatched it from the floor, just as Nobunaga came staggering towards him, calling his name.

"Well done!" the young man exclaimed, taking his hand and looking earnestly into his eyes. "The Lord is safe. You worried me for a bit, but then you came through!"

Inuyasha looked markedly uncomfortable. "Actually, I, uh…"

Miroku stepped forward and leaned an arm on Inuyasha's shoulder. "Indeed, Inuyasha. You truly were the hero today."

The words would've made him bristle if they hadn't been said in such a genuine tone. Also, Miroku smelled vaguely like singed meat.

"Nobunaga!" the Princess cried out, and the young man instantly turned his attention to her.

"Princess Tsuyu!"

"Nobunaga," the Princess continued, kneeling down on the floor and throwing her arms around the young Lord, who was only just coming to. "You saved my husband. Thank you!" She pulled back to look into the face of her husband. "Oh my Lord, you haven't changed a bit. It's as though you were never away!"

"I'm so sorry I worried you," the Lord said in a kind, soft voice.

Miroku and Inuyasha looked from the tender gazes passing between the two, then to the devastated expression on Nobunaga's face. Well, they'd both tried, in their own ways, to help them together. There was only so much they could do. A slight sound came from behind them, and they both turned to the remains of the toad demon. Several small, pale creatures writhed around in the demon slime. Inuyasha's nose scrunched, but to his surprise Miroku walked over to them and knelt down. He murmured something and to Inuyasha's astonishment, the creatures began to grow and form limbs. Slowly, they took the form of several naked women, all unconscious.

"Inuyasha," Miroku instructed over his shoulder, checking that each of the women were breathing. "Go and gather the castle guards. I imagine the sleeping spell will have broken by now. Tell them we need blankets – lots of them – and food for these poor women. Let them know what happened to the Lord, too."

Inuyasha nodded at the quiet words and disappeared to do just that. He returned some time later with a pair of guards in tow and the news that others were gathering supplies. Thankfully, none of them had been too obnoxious about finding a hanyou in their castle, considering what had happened to the Lord without their knowing. Still, the two men regarded the situation with suspicious eyes until the Lord approached them. He gave them orders in the same quiet, earnest voice and they soon set off. Inuyasha ignored them in favour of crouching down next to Miroku.

"Everything alright?"

The monk nodded. "They seem alright, though they haven't awoken. I suppose that's to be expected after they were trapped for so long. We're going to have to free the other women from the eggs one-by-one."

And that's what they did. The women in the hallway slowly came to and the Lord arranged several rooms for receiving them. He gathered the rest of the staff throughout the castle and had them look after the dazed women. Back in the room where the rest of the women were still trapped, Miroku and – after some stern words – Inuyasha moved from egg to egg, breaking through the thick jelly and pulling out the woman inside. As soon as they were free, one of the guards saw to them, wrapping them in blankets and carrying them to one of the rooms where the rest of the staff looked after them.

It took the rest of the night to work through the eighty or so women trapped in the eggs, and they were all exhausted by the end of it. Inuyasha watched the last of the women being carried away and huffed, leaning heavily on Tessaiga. Miroku came to stand beside him, his robes splattered with egg goo. He also smelled disgusting.

"So much for that wash yesterday," Inuyasha murmured, and Miroku chuckled.

"The river will still be there today. We freed the Lord, saved the women, and even got a Jewel shard out of it. I'd say it was worth a little slime."

Inuyasha's nose wrinkled as he exaggeratedly sniffed the monk. "Maybe." Then, his expression grew more serious. "I gotta say, I was expecting you to be all over the women here."

"How do you mean?"

"Oh, please. A bunch of naked women in a room, all vulnerable and grateful for being saved? I'd've thought you'd have a party."

Miroku's face clouded with a grim expression. "They've been through enough already."

Inuyasha blinked, registering the change in mood but not knowing what to make of it. He cautiously bumped Miroku's shoulder with his own and the monk smiled at him. After one last check to make sure they'd freed all the women, they tracked down Nobunaga. He was in one of the room with the women, fetching them bowls of rice and stew, his wounds tended and bandaged. He stopped when he saw Miroku and Inuyasha and walked over to them.

"The Lord has said that all the women will be cared for until they are well enough to travel, then they'll be returned to their families."

Miroku nodded slowly. "That's very nice of the Lord," he said cautiously.

Nobunaga smiled, though there was still a tightness to his eyes. "Yes, he seems like a good man. Princess Tsuyu will do well with him."

Ah, there it was. They tracked down the Lord, who thanked them properly. He insisted on giving all three of them some coins in thanks, which only Miroku was graceful about accepting. Inuyasha at least seemed interested at the small bundle of food given to them as well. They wished him farewell, trusting that he would be true to his word. Then they said goodbye to the Princess. It was actually pretty sad to see Nobunaga trying to keep a straight face as she made him promise to visit often. He looked so desolate that Miroku didn't even entertain the idea of staying there for the night. Instead, they all walked out of the castle together.

They ended up on a grassy hill some ways from the castle – close enough to still see it but far enough away that it was a private spot. Inuyasha and Miroku sat with Myoga on the grass, while Nobunaga sat some distance away, staring forlornly at the castle.

"He seems like a very benevolent lord," Miroku observed pointedly, a little louder than was necessary.

"He wasn't awful," Inuyasha agreed when Miroku's prompting glare got too much.

"I believe that he will treat the people fairly," Miroku continued. "It's good to know that Musashi is in good hands."

When Nobunaga made no sign of having heard them, Miroku sighed. Time for the direct approach, then. He got up and walked over to the young man, plonking himself down beside him. "It's alright to feel bad about what happened."

Nobunaga blinked at him in surprise, but it was Inuyasha who responded. "Idiot. He practically got himself killed trying to save the life of his only romantic rival."

Miroku looked over his shoulder at Inuyasha, unimpressed. "Please, make him feel worse, why don't you?"

Nobunaga chuckled darkly. "That's me, alright – Amari Nobunaga, the world's biggest idiot."

"You are an idiot," Inuyasha agreed, giving Miroku a small fit. "But you also saved a lot of lives, so don't beat yourself up."

"Know what? That does cheer me up!" Nobunaga surged to his feet with a sudden bout of energy. "Okay."

"Uh," Miroku said, seeing where he was headed.

"Ugh," Inuyasha said, watching with vague amusement.

They watched Nobunaga step off the cliff and tumble down it with a cry. Neither of them got up. Instead, Inuyasha turned to the monk. "Hey, Miroku. Why'd you care so much about whether I killed the lord?"

Miroku looked at him thoughtfully. "It's not his fault that he was possessed by evil, and he shouldn't have to suffer for something out of his control."

He carefully didn't look down at his right hand, but Inuyasha caught his meaning all the same.

* * *

Justification and information on the timeline/setting. Official Inuyasha sources state that Kaede's village is in the Musashi province. The broadest setting is feudal Japan during the warring states era or "sengoku jidai." However, other factors narrow down the era:

\- the Band of Seven were killed before matchlock firearms which appeared in 1543, and the Band was killed fifteen years ago at the time of the series, so the series takes place sometime between 1543-1557

\- Nobunaga in this episode knew about Oda Nobunaga and referred to him as a fool in the Japanese script, probably a reference to his early title of "Fool of Owari" before he became a famous conqueror later on. This makes it likely that Oda Nobunaga was already well-known for his teenage antics but had not yet got his act together

Therefore, I have this series set sometime around 1551, just before Oda Nobunaga's father died and he started to gather followers. This also allows matchlock firearms to spread in popularity while still being new. If you disagree or have other insights, please let me know!

Source: wiki/Sengoku_jidai


	9. Chapter 9: s1e09

Warnings for this chapter: canonical character death

* * *

Inuyasha licked his lips and picked a small bone from his teeth. Another fish roasted over the fire and he eyed it hungrily. They had eaten well the previous evening on the rice dishes given to them by the lord. Now there were several small yams roasting on sticks and the fresh fish from the river. Inuyasha glanced over to Miroku.

"You sure you don't want some food? It's really good!"

"No, thank you," Miroku called back, wiping a hand over his brow. "I'm not hungry."

Inuyasha shrugged and grabbed the fish. It wasn't his fault that Miroku wanted to pray for each and every corpse they came upon. It was a useless pastime, especially when the bodies had long turned to skeletons. The countryside was littered with battlefields, but Miroku insisted on praying at each of them. Inuyasha was fine with it – at least until the food ran out. He crunched on the fish, feeling the bones snap under his teeth, and huffed.

A while later, Miroku climbed out of the ditch, his sleeves tied back and his kesa covered in grime. Inuyasha eyed him. "Seems like you can't go a full day without getting your clothes dirty again."

Miroku hummed but didn't say anything as he sat down heavily next to Inuyasha. Despite having washed his clothes in the river the previous day and let them dry all afternoon, the cloth was still damp and smelled vaguely of toad slime. Now it had tinges of decayed human flesh to add to the mix.

"It's a shame that there's no time to burn the bodies," Miroku murmured, smoothing out his sleeves. "These men must have been left to rot for months. What a waste."

Inuyasha didn't know what to say to that, so he reached into the fire and grabbed one of the yams from where it had baked. "Here," he said, tossing it at Miroku. "You need to eat something, and at least this is Buddhist."

Miroku gave him a small smile and bit into the yam. To be fair, it wasn't exactly the most exciting meal ever, but it was at least something. They ate in silence for a while longer and were just putting out the fire where the sky suddenly darkened around them. They stood in unison, weapons at the ready.

"Well this doesn't look like a good omen," Miroku observed levelly.

"Definitely trouble," Inuyasha agreed, his hand on the hilt of Tessaiga.

"You down there!" a voice called out from the sky, and suddenly a swirling bright blue portal formed in the air. "You possess a piece of the Sacred Shikon Jewel!"

"Who's that?" Inuyasha barked out.

"Sounds like a child," Miroku mused.

"That's fox fire," Myoga observed from Inuyasha's shoulder.

"Fox fire?"

The portal spun rapidly into itself, forming a floating orb of blue light for a heartbeat before suddenly a giant pink ball burst forth – a ball with large eyes, a tiny mouth, and ineffectual stringy arms. Miroku, who had his hand on his mala beads, froze. What the-

"Hand over the Jewel," the giant pink ball demanded, floating over to them in what was probably supposed to be a menacing way. "The Jewel or your life!"

The ball came to a rest with its tiny mouth clamped over the top of Inuyasha's head. The hanyou growled and slapped the ball across the…cheek? The ball careened away, making several loops through the air before transforming into a small demon and crashing into the ground. Miroku blinked. The demon stroked his cheek from the impact with tears shining in his large eyes. He was a child! That was unexpected. Inuyasha and Miroku both crept forward, blinking at the demon child, who glared right back at them.

"Who dares to burst my bubble?"

Inuyasha reached out and hoisted up the demon child by the tail, looking him over. "Huh, feisty little thing, aren't ya?" He sniffed at the struggling boy. "Nice tail – looks like a badger or a squirrel."

"I'm a fox, you heathen!" the demon squeaked back, snarling.

Miroku looked on in confusion. This was a child! A demon child, yes, but a child all the same. They couldn't kill him! Where were his…parents? Surely he must have them. How old was he? Youkai could live for hundreds of years. Was he old enough to be out on his own? Inuyasha looked at Miroku and tilted his head at the fox questioningly. Miroku could only give him a lost look. He leaned in beside Inuyasha's shoulder and examined the fox child. Other than the tail, pointed ears and fox paws instead of feet, he looked alarmingly human.

Inuyasha let out a startled grunt as he suddenly fell forward, the fox cub in his hand suddenly replaced by a jizo statue. Inuyasha growled and tried to pull his hand out from the heavy stone statue. Meanwhile, Miroku felt a slight tug at his robes. He looked down to see the fox climbing up his leg to his back with astounding speed. Miroku had no idea what to do. He lifted his arm as the fox crawled over his torso, darting from place to place, and shot a helpless look at Inuyasha. Suddenly a small hand darted into his robes and Miroku's eyes widened. He made a desperate attempt to grab the fox but missed. The child jumped onto his head and then sprung into the air. He floated just above their heads and turned back to address them.

"Ah-haha! It's mine! Farewell!"

With that, he disappeared in a bright blue swirl. Miroku blinked. "That's unfortunate."

Inuyasha growled, having retrieved his hand from under the statue. He glared at the sky for a moment before his ear twitched. He followed the sound over his shoulder and, sure enough, the fluffy tail of the fox was sticking out of a skull bouncing merrily away from them. Inuyasha spared a glance at Miroku's amused expression before he pounced. A solid whack to the head stopped the fox short. Inuyasha picked him up by the scruff and plucked the bag containing the two Jewel shards from one of the tiny hands. He let the demon drop to the ground. The little fox huffed and curled into himself, crossing his arms and legs like the pouting child he was. As annoying as this kid was, Inuyasha kinda felt sorry for him. He was really little. Miroku's mind obviously followed a similar path, as he knelt down in front of the fox and looked at him with soft eyes.

"Why are you so determined to get the Jewel shards?"

"For my father," the fox shot back, glaring at the ground with a stony expression that didn't match his young face. "I need the shards of the Shikon Jewel so I can avenge him."

Something twisted in Inuyasha's gut. He could practically feel the muscles tighten along Miroku's back, though the monk's expression didn't change. He kept a serene look on his face as he nodded encouragingly at the fox. "Avenge? Your father was killed?"

"I get it," Inuyasha sighed, reaching into his own robes to pull out the bag with the Jewel shards. "He's a little weakling, so he needs the power of the Jewel to take out his enemies for him."

Miroku blinked at the bag and looked questioningly at Inuyasha. He tossed the bag at the monk, who easily snatched it from the air and returned it safely to his robes. The little fox glared at them.

"I'm strong enough to take on any enemy!" he announced haughtily. "I wanted the shards as a precaution."

Miroku subtly jerked his head to the side as he stood and Inuyasha followed his lead. They both turned their backs on the little demon as Miroku leaned in conspiratorially. "I admit to knowing almost nothing about demon children, but it doesn't seem right to leave him here alone. He's a child! He doesn't have a father, and those tricks of his won't last against any real threat."

Inuyasha stared flatly at him. "You can't be serious."

From behind them, the fox cub growled. "Hey, I'm talking here!"'

"Apologies," Miroku said, while Inuyasha huffed and crossed his arms.

"Trust me, you've never met demons like the ones I'm after."

Miroku contained his smile as Inuyasha's ears literally pricked up at the mention of dangerous demon foe. He knew it was more than likely that they were going to end up helping this little fox. He crouched down in front of him. "You know, he and I, we fight demons."

The fox eyed him suspiciously. "But you're just a human, and he's just a hanyou."

"True," Miroku conceded, though he could feel Inuyasha bristling behind him. "But we know what we're doing. We could help you." The fox continued to glare at him. "My name's Miroku, and he's Inuyasha. What's your name?"

"Shippo."

Miroku nodded encouragingly. "Well, Shippo, I don't know about you, but I could use something to eat. Do you know any good fishing spots nearby?"

Inuyasha snorted and crossed his arms, obviously seeing what Miroku was getting at, but Shippo seemed to relax a bit.

"Yeah, I know all the good places around here! Come on, I'll show you!"

Miroku smiled at the enthusiastic transformation. He followed the fox as he scampered off towards the forest, Inuyasha trailing behind them with Myoga on his shoulder. They walked for a little while in silence before Miroku asked nonchalantly "So, Shippo, why don't you tell us more about the demons you're after?"

That's all it took to break the dam. Shippo instantly launched into his tale, voice deep and serious as any storyteller. "It all started not too long ago. Two demon brothers began terrorizing the area near where we lived. They wanted power and were collecting the Jewel shards. That's why they went after my father. He had a shard, and they killed him for it." The fox sniffed, blinking hard to clear the tears from his eyes. "That's why I need your Jewel shards. I've seen what they can do. Just a few days ago, the demon brothers returned. Hundreds of human warriors were engaged in a battle near the forest where we lived, but a dark cloud passed overhead – a cloud so dark and evil that none could imagine what horrors it would bring. I could hear the humans talking amongst themselves. They were confused, and I don't think they realized that demons were hunting them. The brothers had the power of lightning and thunder at their command. They annihilated one of the human armies with a single strike of lightning, and the other side thought that maybe they were benevolent gods come to save them. Instead, they struck down the rest of the humans just as easily. They used the power of several shards of the Shikon Jewel – five, I think. They took all the valuables from the dead humans and ate their bodies."

Miroku met Inuyasha's eyes over his shoulder. This was definitely a job for them, then. He turned back to Shippo, making sure not to press too far. "They took your father's Jewel shard? How did he come upon it to begin with?"

"Oh, they've been popping up all over the place," Shippo shrugged casually. "I've heard of loads of demons who just find them, buried in trees or just lying on the ground. They say the shards just appeared one day, that some idiot must have broken the Shikon Jewel."

Miroku cleared his throat lightly. Inuyasha quietly cackled behind him.

"The Thunder Brothers go around, stealing the Jewel shards from other demons," Shippo continued. "They kill anyone who has one."

"Thunder Brothers?" Miroku asked, looking back at Inuyasha, who shrugged.

"It's what people have been calling them, because of their thunder and lightning attacks."

Inuyasha slowed his pace, falling further behind Miroku and the fox. "Heard of 'em, Myoga?"

The flea hummed. "He must be talking about Hiten and Manten. I've heard of them, and, if the rumours are true, they are evil incarnate."

"Big deal!" Inuyasha snorted, arms crossed defiantly. "All I gotta do is defeat the brothers and I'll walk away with all their Jewel shards! How's that for one day's work?"

"Ha!" the fox laughed, glaring at him. "You're no match for the Thunder Brothers. They're two of the most powerful demons around, and you'd be half a match for even one of them!" Inuyasha growled, but the fox cub wasn't done. "Stay out of this, hanyou. This is between demons, not stinking half-breeds!"

Inuyasha opened his mouth to shout back something equally uncomplimentary, but to his shock, Miroku beat him to it.

"Shippo!" he said in a booming voice, one that commanded attention and respect. "You have no right to talk to Inuyasha that way. He and I are trying to help you, and even if we weren't, he does not deserve your scorn."

Shippo stared at him with wide eyes, obviously surprised. Inuyasha also looked a little stunned.

"I don't get it," the fox said quietly. "He's just a half-demon."

Inuyasha stepped neatly forward and landed a solid blow on Shippo's head. Miroku shot him a wearily pleading look. "Inuyasha…"

Shippo turned around and began bowing at Inuyasha's feet, muttering variations of "Sorry" and "Forgive me". Inuyasha turned pointedly to Miroku. "See? He gets it now."

Miroku huffed. Honestly, it was like dealing with fighting children. He glanced at Inuyasha suddenly, wondering how old he actually was. How long did half-demons live? Removing the fifty years that he was bound to a tree, how many years had he already lived through? Miroku had seen many flashes of childishness from him – now, for instance – but also moments of great maturity. Inuyasha looked youthful, maybe a little younger than Miroku himself, but that meant nothing if he had lived for hundreds of years. Inuyasha blinked at him, clearly wondering why he was being stared at for so long. Miroku shook his head and smiled reassuringly, tucking the question away for later.

"As a token of my apology," Shippo said, holding out something in one of his hands.

Inuyasha looked questioningly at Miroku, who made a 'go on' gesture. Inuyasha cautiously held out his hands. Another jizo statue materialized in his palms and sent him reeling to the ground. Shippo slapped a paper seal on the statue's head, a seal that looked alarmingly like a sutra, and jumped a safe distance away.

"Is this supposed to be funny?" Inuyasha shouted after him, then turned to Miroku with a deadly quiet voice. "This is the last time I follow your advice."

"You're stuck until you can find a way to peel the charm off," Shippo called back mockingly. "And until then, that statue's not moving!"

"Shippo, there's no need for this," Miroku scolded, kneeling down to examine the charm.

"I don't like playing tricks on holy men if I can avoid it," Shippo said as he walked towards Miroku. "Don't hold it against me, okay?"

Miroku frowned at the words and stood. Shippo leapt at him, his paws connecting with Miroku's chest hard enough to knock him back ever so slightly. Miroku caught the fox as he sprung back, but suddenly a flash of bright blue fire burst from Shippo's hands. Miroku stumbled back, protecting his face with his sleeve as the flames cleared. Shippo stood a ways away, the bag with the Jewel shards in his hand.

"Thanks!" he shouted over his shoulder as he scampered away. "I'm sure these will come in handy!"

"Damn," Miroku swore and took off after Shippo.

He could hear Inuyasha calling after him, telling him to free him from the jizo statue first, but Miroku had a feeling that this fox was crafty enough to avoid them. If he let Shippo gain too much ground, they might never find him or the Jewel shards again. Besides, that charm hadn't looked like anything Miroku knew how to fix. Foxes were too smart for their own good, and Miroku was willing to bet that Shippo would be the only one able to remove the charm once it was placed. He followed Shippo's demonic aura through the trees and into a field full of long grass. Shippo disappeared into the grass. Miroku stopped, looking for any sign of movement in the sea of green. Instead, he saw a giant, amphibious demon rise into view and start talking to something. Miroku could just make out the orange flash of a fox pelt tied around the demon's waist above his armour. He ran.

A cry sounded from just ahead, a child's cry, and Miroku ran faster. The demon opened his mouth wide and a sizzling orb of light formed between his jaws. Miroku skidded to a halt and hurled a sutra straight at the demon's face. It sliced across the bridge of his nose, leaving a thin gash in its wake.

"Who are you?" the demon asked, eyeing Miroku. Shippo, who was on his hands and knees, began crawling away from the demon with the bag of shards in his hand. "As for you…" the demon reached for Shippo.

"Stay back!" Miroku shouted, his staff in one hand, another sutra in the other. "This doesn't have to end badly for you."

"My beautiful nose!" the demon whined, pawing at the gash across his face.

Miroku glanced at Shippo, who stared back with wide eyes. "Shippo, come here, and bring the bag."

"Stop!" the demon called, and began to chase after him. "I must have that Shikon fragment! Wait!"

Miroku held his ground, eyeing the two shards already embedded in the demon's forehead. He couldn't use the wind tunnel, not without getting the shards first. Miroku slapped a sutra onto the head of his staff and threw it like a spear. It glanced off the demon's forehead, leaving a deep gouge up his face. It wasn't enough to dislodge the Jewel shards, but it still halted the demon in his tracks. The only problem was, he had just thrown his weapon away. He really needed to stop doing that. The demon was shaking, pawing at his head. Miroku frowned. It wasn't even a serious wound! He'd seen Inuyasha brush off much worse than that.

"My hair!" the demon wailed, plucking a severed strand from his predominantly bald scalp. "_How could you_?"

He threw his head back and shouted into the air, another orb of light forming in his mouth even as a bolt of lightning struck the ground behind him, forming out of thin air.

"Run!" Shippo shouted, already scampering off to one side. "That's the attack that killed my father!"

Miroku felt a tug at his heart even as he turned and ran after Shippo. It wasn't just about the Jewel shards for him. He wanted to help Shippo defeat the thing that took away his father. Miroku glanced over his shoulder just in time to see a wave of lightning hurling at them. He didn't have time to think, just snatched Shippo from the ground and threw himself to the side. He knew it was too little, too late. The brunt of the attack flew over their heads, but the blow that caught them flung Miroku through the air. The lightning burned across his body in a thousand jabs and he hit the ground hard. He could feel Shippo wriggling in his arms, tried to move himself, but his body wasn't cooperating. Miroku felt consciousness slipping away, and as hard as he fought to stay awake, it was no use.

Inuyasha whipped his head around to glare at the human who'd come walking down the forest path. The man startled when he saw him, and took a step back.

"No, please, wait!" Inuyasha called out to him, his ears flattening against his head in an attempt at submission. "Please, get this this off me!"

He tugged his hands demonstrably, still trapped under the incredibly weight of the jizo statue. The man turned and ran with a cry of "Monster!" Inuyasha called after him as he disappeared. "Wait, where are you going? I need you to peel off this stupid charm! _Please_!"

"I fear that no passers-by will help, my Lord," Myoga commented sagely from his shoulder.

Inuyasha growled at him. "Then get over there and pull it off yourself!"

After some token protest, Myoga hopped over to the paper charm. He examined it from all angled, then took one of the corners and pulled. Nothing happened.

"It's no use, my lord," the flea reported. "I can't peel off the charm."

"Damn that fox!" Inuyasha snarled, pulling back with all his might. "He'll regret this!"

"Inuyasha," a voice sounded, and Inuyasha's head snapped up to glare at the fox in question. "I'll help you, but only if you promise not to hit me anymore."

Inuyasha ignored the request entirely. "Where's Miroku? Why didn't he come back with you?"

"Will you promise me, or won't you?"

"Answer the fucking question, you little twerp!" Inuyasha shouted. "Where's Miroku?" Shippo crossed his arms, obviously not willing to budge. "Fine, I won't hit you."

Shippo peeled the seal easily off the statue, which shrunk down to the size of a pebble. Shippo snatched it from the air and wrapped the charm around it. "Alright, now listen quietly. The monk-"

Inuyasha's hand shot out and whacked the fox cub across the head before dragging him up by his shirt.

"I thought we had a promise," Shippo sulked, tears in his eyes.

Inuyasha ground his teeth. He wanted nothing more than to pummel this annoying fox, but Miroku had been right – he was just a kid. He forced himself to set Shippo down gently on his feet. Then he snatched the cloth bag poking out from the top of Shippo's vest.

"I almost forgot you grabbed these, you little thief," he muttered, peeking inside the bag to make sure both shards were still there.

"Forget that!" Shippo snapped. "Miroku's been captured by the Thunder Brothers!"

Inuyasha's eyes snapped to Shippo's. "You lost my human?" Then the words really sunk in. "Wait, the same Thunder Brothers who killed your father? They took Miroku? You let 'em get away?" Shippo huffed and looked away, obviously ashamed. Inuyasha didn't care. He was pissed. "You're not exactly reeking of victory, there. What did you do? Hide in the bushes and watch Miroku being kidnapped?"

"Why're you pinning this on me?" Shippo shot back, angry tears in his eyes. "You just said he's _your_ human – _you're_ the one who should be rescuing him!"

Inuyasha blinked. The only reason he didn't rip Shippo to shreds then and there was that he had, in fact, just said that. Why? "That stupid monk isn't my responsibility," Inuyasha snapped, turning his back on Shippo. "I knew it was a bad idea to travel with a human from the start. They're nothing but trouble!"

"Please!" Shippo cried out, falling into a deep bow. "I can't save him by myself. I'm sorry I said those things before, alright? I need your help!"

Inuyasha sighed. He could feel the distress rolling off Shippo in waves, and besides, he had to go get the monk either way. He started walking, heard Shippo running after him.

"You better keep up," he shot over his shoulder at the fox. "We got a lot of work to do, Shippo. Now, show me where they took him."

Consciousness returned slowly. The first thing Miroku became aware of was the burning ache that travelled across his body. Then, the sensation of lying down. Then he heard the demon speaking, saying something about recipes and ingredients. Miroku cracked an eye open and instantly wished he hadn't.

"Awake, are you?" the demon asked without turning around, busy with his cooking.

"Where am I?" Miroku asked, wincing at the raspy quality of his voice and glancing around the room.

"That's the least of your worries," the demon assured, gesturing at the bubbling purple goo cooking away.

"I hate to tell you this," Miroku said, slowly easing himself up into a sitting position on the wooden cot. "But I don't generally do well in stew."

"Not stew," the demon corrected conversationally. "A potion. They say that humans with spiritual powers do marvels for hair growth."

Miroku didn't bother to hide the disgust on his face. "I'd rather be eaten, actually."

The demon threw his head back and laughed. "If my brother heard you, he'd be more than happy to fulfill your wish. As it is-"

The door exploded to Miroku's right. Chunks of wood flew across the room and the demon yelped in surprise.

"Thought I heard voices," another demon remarked from the doorway, his arm wrapped around a female demon. Miroku tried not to stare at the thin snake wrapped around her ample breasts. "Back so soon, Manten?"

"That _thing_ is your brother?" the female demon sneered.

"Hiten! Good to see you!" Manten greeted, though Miroku could see him sweating.

"Who's he?" Hiten demanded, turning cool eyes on Miroku. "What's a human doing here?"

"He's mine," Manten said, throwing his arms out to stand between Hiten and Miroku. "I found him first."

"No need to worry," Hiten waved him away. "I have no use for him – not when I have this little vixen."

He tugged the female demon close to his chest. Miroku ignored the pang of arousal that came from her effortlessly dangerous appearance and focused instead on Hiten's words. No use for him. What kind of _use_ was he referring to? What kind of use would be served instead by a gorgeous demoness? Miroku could only think of one thing, though to be fair, he was usually thinking about that. He shook his head, clearing the thoughts from his mind. It didn't matter what Hiten meant. He'd said that he had no use for a human, so perhaps he would convince Manten to let him go. Hiten seemed to have more authority of the two. Miroku studied his face carefully. He appeared much more human than Manten, with red eyes glowing in a handsome face and pointed ears like Shippo's. More human looks didn't mean more humanity, but Miroku hoped that he would at least be more receptive to bargaining.

"Oh, while I'm thinking about it," Hiten continued, turning to look coolly at Manten. "How'd you fare in your search for more Jewel fragments?"

"Huh?" Manten startled nervously. "Er…Right. How could I have forgotten? My apologies, dear brother. I found one but I…lost it."

"Found one but lost it?" Hiten mocked, stalking forward a few paces and raising a fist. "Don't tell me you were more interested in this monk that you forgot about the Jewel shards!"

To Miroku's surprise – and Manten's, too, by the look of it – Hiten took the crackling power gathering in his hand and flung it at the female demon. She gasped in shock, her body dissolving under the sizzling lightning. Miroku closed his eyes against the blinding glare of the strike, and when he dared to look, the blackened body of the female demon fell to the ground.

"Please, Hiten," Manten begged, his hands held out before him and trembling. "Forgive me!"

"You bring nothing but shame to this family," Hiten spat. "If you were not my younger brother, I would have done you in long ago."

Nope. Miroku shook his head. Nope, nope, nope. He ignored the quarrelling brothers and the smoking corpse behind them and instead cast his eyes around the room. There was a window behind him, with only a few thin bamboo bars which could be easily broken, but there was no way he could climb out of it before the brothers got to him. The only other exit was the doorway in which Hiten still stood, and even if he could fight his way past the both of them without his staff, he had no idea how to escape their lair. He still couldn't use his wind tunnel, not with all the Jewel shards embedded in the demons. What could he do? Miroku closed his eyes and took a deep, steadying breath. He reached out with his mind, found the nenju beads dancing at the edge of his consciousness. He gave them a sharp tug, hoping desperately that Inuyasha would understand. He focused back on the conversation before him.

"So you let a puny fox steal the Jewel fragments?"

"Are you going after him?" Manten asked nervously.

"Of course I am – and you're coming with me!" Hiten shot over his shoulder, already walking out the door.

Miroku slowly slid off the wooden cot, but Manten spun around angrily. "Where do you think you're going?"

He lifted a giant meat cleaver over his head and slammed it down, missing Miroku by a hair. Miroku jumped to the side and reached into his robes to grab a sutra. Instead, Manten slammed him against the wall, pinning him there with a hand on his chest.

"A thousand pardons," Manten smirked mockingly. "I meant to make it quick so you wouldn't suffer. Can't let my special ingredient escape."

"I wouldn't kill me if I were you," Miroku said, keeping his voice level even as he wracked his brain for a sufficient lie.

Manten seemed intrigued. "Oh? And why not?"

"Well…" Miroku hummed. "You won't be able to find the fox and his Jewel shards, for one."

Hiten paused at the doorway, eyeing him over his shoulder. "And?"

This was actually working! He had no idea how, but Miroku wasn't going to question it. "For another, I doubt you want an enraged warrior seeking vengeance." The brothers exchanged a look, their interest clearly piqued. "I assume you've heard of Inuyasha?"

"I've heard he's a hanyou," Hiten scoffed. "Not exactly much of a threat."

"I suppose not," Miroku shrugged as Manten loosened his grip slightly. "Though I suppose his brother, Sesshomaru, would have a different opinion. He was quite the sore loser." Hiten and Manten exchanged another look. "Or you could ask the Toad of Tsukumo, or Yura of the Hair, or even Mistress Centipede…"

Hiten crossed the room in two strides and grabbed Miroku's arm, dragging him away from Manten. "You better not be lying, monk. Did he really defeat all of them?"

"I saw it myself," Miroku said earnestly. "He's very protective of the things he holds dear, and he has quite the temper, if you ask me."

Hiten narrowed his eyes. "He loves you that much? You really think he'll risk fighting us to come get you?"

Miroku narrowed his eyes right back, trying to look suave instead of wildly unconvinced. "Your words, not mine. If you take me to meet him, I'm sure an arrangement can be made."

"Hiten, he's lying," Manten hissed, tugging on his brother's arm. "This human doesn't smell like demon-mate."

"I think he's telling the truth," Hiten mused, eyeing Miroku. "Why else would he be so calm? Alright, monk." He stood and dragged Miroku over by the arm. "Take us to this hanyou of yours at once – but be warned," he grabbed Miroku's face and dragged it close to his own before turning him to look at the charred corpse of the female demon. "If you're lying, you'll suffer as she did, and I doubt you'd enjoy being fried to a crisp."

"I don't know," Miroku muttered. "I've never had the chance to find out either way."

Hiten laughed delightedly as he dragged Miroku out of the room, Manten following subdued behind them. Miroku had no idea what exactly he'd just gotten himself into, but he had a sneaking suspicion that it wasn't anything good.

Inuyasha jumped from rock to rock, scaling the side of the cliff easily. Shippo was making little mewling sounds on his shoulder, but Inuyasha ignored him. His vague directions of "up that way" weren't anywhere near enough to find the Thunder Brothers' lair. He'd really rather have left the fox cub behind, but he might come in handy. Whatever it took to find Miroku. Inuyasha gripped the staff tighter in his hand. Shippo had shown him where one of the demons had attacked, the scores in the earth where his power struck. Miroku was in serious trouble.

Something tugged at his necklace and Inuyasha skidded to a halt, almost toppling off the rock he was perched on. Huh? He glanced down at the necklace, which turned pink and tugged him forward again. He recognized the feeling instantly from the cursed nenju beads, but why would- Oh! They were tugging him in a very specific direction. A slow smile spread across Inuyasha's face. He had to hand it to the monk – he was smart. And, apparently, good at keeping himself alive. Inuyasha shot a toothy grin at Shippo, suddenly in a much better mood.

"What's the matter?" he teased the fox cub. "Not afraid of heights, are you?"

"I'm not afraid," Shippo insisted, though he let out a little yelp when Inuyasha started jumping forward again. "I'm going to save Miroku and avenge my father!"

"Big plans for such a little guy," Inuyasha mused, unable to keep the humour from his voice.

"That's what you're here for! You'd better be as strong as you say you are. Those Thunder Brothers aren't just powerful demons – they have five Jewel shards between them!"

"That'll only make this more fun!"

"Master," Myoga piped up from his shoulder. "Should we not have a little more urgency? I worry for what they might be doing to Miroku."

Inuyasha snorted. "If he can find a way to get me a message, he'll have no problem waiting until I get there."

"We can only hope," Myoga muttered darkly. "If the rumours are to be believed, the Thunder Brothers have a taste for human flesh."

Inuyasha frowned.

Shippo tugged on his sleeve urgently. "Inuyasha, do you think that's true? What'll we do?"

"Wish them indigestion, I suppose," he mumbled, almost to himself. He tugged at his necklace, wondering if there was a way to send a message back to Miroku through the beads. He didn't think so.

"We need to hurry!" Shippo insisted. "Before the Thunder Brothers get hungry!"

Inuyasha opened his mouth to snap back a response, but suddenly there was an odd tingling to the air, and his instincts screamed for him to move. He stepped back just in time to avoid being struck by a bolt of lightning. As it was, the rock he was standing on crumbled beneath his feet, and he went tumbling to the ground. Inuyasha landed on his feet, Miroku's staff still in his hand. He didn't bother searching out his attackers, just grabbed Shippo up off the ground and ran. Another lightning bolt struck the ground behind him, then another in front of him. He skidded to a halt.

"Very impressive maneuver, dodging my lightning bolt," a voice commented from above them. "Maybe you really are as good as they say – the famous Inuyasha."

"Hiten," Myoga whispered in his ear. "The elder brother."

Shippo clambered up Inuyasha's arm to glare at the demon. "Where's Miroku? What've you done with him?"

"Relax. Nothing, yet." Hiten turned to the side and called out "Manten!"

"Coming brother," the other demon, Manten, said as he approached on a black cloud. He held up Miroku by the shoulders. "Behold!"

"Hello," Miroku called out wryly, giving them a little wave.

"Miroku!" Inuyasha called out to him, almost unintentionally.

A powerful and unexpected wave of relief washed over him, making his stomach clench. Miroku looked unharmed, if a little pale. Inuyasha focused in on his heartbeat, only slightly faster than normal. There was something in Miroku's eyes, though – something off, almost apologetic. Inuyasha's brows furrowed in confusion, maybe concern.

"Judging by your expression, it looks like the monk wasn't lying," Hiten remarked, smirking down at Inuyasha. "I'm a reasonable man, so I'll make you a deal. Hand over the Jewel fragments without a fuss, and you'll get your mate back. Try anything, and we'll rip him to shreds right in front of you."

Hiten punctuated his last statement with a bolt of lightning. Meanwhile, Inuyasha had forgotten how to breathe. What? Mate? What? When had-? _What?_ He looked at Miroku, who was staring intently back at him. No, this was- This couldn't- What? No.

No.

"Uh, there's been some kind of misunderstanding," he stuttered out, gesturing vaguely at Miroku. "He, uh, mate? My mate? I think you have me confused with someone else."

Miroku continued desperately making 'just play along' eyes at Inuyasha. "This is not really the time or place to be discussing the finer details."

Manten growled and tightened his grip on Miroku's shoulders, squeezing hard enough to bruise. "I _knew_ you were lying!"

"You actually thought I'd just hand over the Jewel shards?" Inuyasha called up to him, still reeling from shock and anger and embarrassment. "You thought I'd pretend you were my mate? _Really_?"

"I was hoping you would at least attempt to play the part," Miroku said flatly.

"You're insane!" Inuyasha informed him emphatically.

Miroku huffed, getting frustrated now. "After all we've been through together, you couldn't pretend for one moment that you cared for a human?"

"There's a big difference between 'caring' and mates, you asshole!"

Hiten looked between the two with an utterly unamused expression. "I couldn't give a damn about all this relationship nonsense, but one thing seems to be true: you do have some Jewel fragments for me, Inuyasha. Those shards will be mine!"

Inuyasha snarled as Hiten dove for him, lightning crackling in his wake. He unsheathed the Tessaiga and held it before himself protectively. "Not in my lifetime, pal."

The tip of Hiten's Thunder Pike connected with the Tessaiga's blade, sending a shower of sparks through the lightning all around them. Inuyasha's arms shook with the impact as he braced the blade. Hiten smirked as bolts of lightning struck the ground all around them. Inuyasha ground his teeth and pushed, fighting hard against the powerful attack. The Tessaiga moved forward ever so slightly, giving some precious distance between him and Hiten's weapon. Inuyasha pulled back ever so slightly then swung forward, flinging Hiten into the air with a shout. The demon smirked.

"You have power but no style. This should be an interesting battle!"

Inuyasha panted for breath, sweat already gathering at his brow. He glanced from Hiten's mocking face to Miroku's pale expression. He could hear Shippo standing some distance behind him, little heart pounding. Interesting battle, indeed. Call it a gut feeling, but Inuyasha had a notion that it would be the last, for one of them at least. He was determined to not let it be his.


	10. Chapter 10: s1e10

Warnings for this chapter: familial character death, sadness, etc.

* * *

Hiten danced away once again, pushed back by Tessaiga. He grinned at Inuyasha, who bared his teeth in response between gasping breaths.

"I see you wish to draw out this game," Hiten called down. "Fine with me! I relish your prolonged suffering."

"I've heard many a dead man say the same thing," Inuyasha shot back.

"Perhaps in your dreams!" Hiten glanced over at Miroku and Manten, and whatever he saw made him sneer. "Enough delays. Time to die!"

Hiten flew towards the ground, pike at the ready. Inuyasha met the blade and deflected it into the ground, shattering the rock on which he stood. He jumped off at the same time as Hiten, using his youkai to push off further mid-air. He turned around just in time to see Hiten strike at him. He barely caught the pike with Tessaiga, another bolt of lightning erupting from the point of contact.

"Enjoy your last moments of life!" Hiten spat at him, grinning maniacally.

Inuyasha didn't waste a breath on a response. All his concentration was put into blocking every blow. Hiten's powers were strong, and Inuyasha knew that just one solid hit with that lightning would stop his heart. Every strike drove him further back, took more energy to block. If this fight carried on much longer, he would be in real trouble.

Miroku watched the scene with unmasked horror. He'd never seen Inuyasha struggle like this before, had never been so unable to help.

"Good work, brother!" Manten was shouting down. "I'll lend my assistance!"

He opened his mouth and summoned a blast of lightning. It was now or never. Miroku took a step back then rammed his body into Manten, sending the demon tumbling off his cloud and crashing into the ground. Miroku barely had time to feel a thrill of success before the cloud suddenly dissolved beneath him. Oh, not good! He desperately cast out with his mind, giving a sharp tug to the nenju beads and hearing the answering shout of "Miroku!" Through the wind rushing past his face, he could make out the red of Inuyasha's robes jolting from place to place as he avoided Hiten's weapon. The ground was approaching at an alarming rate. Miroku curled into a ball and covered his head as best he could. This was going to hurt.

It didn't actually hurt as much as he anticipated, largely due to the amply large backside of Manten which he slammed into before bouncing off onto the ground. Miroku wheezed, all the air knocked from his lungs and his vision blurry, but at least nothing seemed broken. He clambered to his feet even as the world spun disconcertingly. He stood for a moment with one arm thrown out to the side and the other bracing him on the ground. Slowly, his vision became less fuzzy. Unfortunately, he could also sense Manten sitting up beside him.

Miroku grabbed his mala beads before remembering the Jewel shards. Still unsteady on his feet, he pulled out a handful of sutras from his robes and simply tossed them at Manten. Only two of them connected, hitting Manten's chest and shoulder. He rocketed back a step or two then turned, angrier than ever. Honestly, Miroku was not especially in the mood for a battle at the moment. He still couldn't pull air properly into his lungs, and he was running dangerously low on weapons. He turned and ran. Manten immediately gave pursuit. Wonderful, just wonderful.

Manten had created somewhat of a crater when he fell. This was unfortunate for several reasons, the first of which was that Miroku would've had difficulty scaling the sheer, rocky walls on a good day. With blurry vision, unsteady legs, and a demon in hot pursuit, he was in real trouble. Miroku reached one of the crater walls and spun around, pressing his back into the rock. He turned to face Manten grimly, one of his last sutras in his hand.

"Fox magic!" Shippo's voice sounded over the edge of the crater as a green spinning top came flying down onto Manten's head.

Both Miroku and Manten were equally surprised by this, more so when the top grew explosively to a hundred times its original size. Manten shouted as the wooden top bore into his skull, forcing him to his knees. Miroku blinked. Huh.

"Miroku, hurry!" Shippo shouted at him, drawing him back to reality. "Over here!"

He ran over to the edge of the crater and jumped, barely catching the edge with his hands. He pulled himself up slowly, every muscle in his body protesting. Tiny hands wrapped around the tekkou on his right arm and pulled. Miroku smiled despite himself. He turned to Shippo as soon as he hauled himself out of the crater. "I'm very impressed."

Shippo's face lit up in delight before he blushed and looked away. "Aw, it was nothing."

"Far too early to celebrate," Myoga warned, jumping onto Shippo's shoulder. "Fox magic is only an illusion. It won't last for long."

Miroku glanced over to Manten just in time to see the top shrink back to its original size and fall harmlessly to the ground. Manten clambered to his feet and picked up the top with a sneer. The last hair on the top of his head fell like the last leaf of autumn. He cried out in genuine distress – Miroku didn't know whether to feel pity or humour at the stricken expression.

"No!" Manten cried out. "My beautiful hair!" He grasped at his smooth skull. "Gone, they're all gone!"

Manten spewed out a wave of solid lightning into the sky, wailing in consternation. Miroku glanced at the braid still sticking out at the base of Manten's skull. Was it fake, or did the demon not know that it was there? Could he even get a mirror back far enough around his giant head to see? Was that really the most important thing for Miroku to be focusing on? The last question, at least, was easy enough to answer. He grabbed Shippo and ran, avoiding the bolts that struck at random. Rocks and trees both exploded around them, many bursting into flames from the blasts. He ducked behind a large mound of dirt, hoping that it would buy them enough time to come up with a plan.

"I can smell your fear," Manten growled, a shadowy appearing through the smoke as he stalked towards them. "I will hunt you down and devour you – one for my hair, the other for a new pelt."

He walked past them, and Miroku shuffled around to the other side of the dirt mound. He needed a plan. He needed- His staff!

"Shippo," he hissed. "I need your help with something."

He explained his plan in a few short words then darted out of the way. When Manten's blast hit the mount of earth, the force of the explosion left a monk lying in its wake. Manten marched up and lifted the figure by the hair, growling a question. Miroku watched as Shippo shot back an answer with a scalding tongue. Miroku smirked despite himself. The little kit certainly had guts. He threw a sutra at Manten, who cried out and dropped Shippo. The fox returned to his natural form and scampered off to the side.

Miroku snatched his staff, cast to the ground when Hiten first attacked Inuyasha. He threw himself at Manten, knocking him off balance. Shippo reappeared with long strands of snakelike rope which wound themselves around Manten's wrists, dragging him to his knees. Miroku raised his staff, ready to strike the Jewel shards from the demon's forehead. Just before he brought his staff down, he caught Manten's eye, which crinkled with the barest hint of a smile. Miroku's stomach dropped. Manten tore one arm free and caught Miroku square across the chest with his forearm. Miroku crashed into the ground with a solid thud. He watched, dazed, as Manten shook Shippo's restraints off the other arm and threw the fox to the ground before kicking him away.

Miroku tried desperately to rise, to make some move to stop Manten – to do something – but he couldn't see properly. Air was simply not entering his lungs, no matter how deeply he tried to breathe with aching ribs. He gasped again and again, trying to catch a breath. Just as he managed to suck in the tiniest amount of air, he felt giant hands close around his throat. This was bad. This was really, really bad. Black dots were swirling into the fuzzy grey of Miroku's vision. He desperately threw one arm up, trying to catch Manten on the side of the head with his staff, but the demon easily blocked it with a forearm. He did so without removing the tiniest bit of pressure from Miroku's throat.

Blood rushed in his ears. His heart pounded against his chest, thrumming against Manten's grip on his neck. Real, genuine panic was building in his chest. Manten's left hand had pinned his right arm against the ground, blocking the use of both his staff and the wind tunnel. He couldn't move. He was well and truly trapped, and he could feel the life draining from his body with every heartbeat. Miroku knew he was moments away from unconsciousness, that the slightest increase of pressure from Maten's hands would either crush his throat or break his neck. Miroku reached out with his mind once again and weakly tugged against the nenju beads. _Please_, he thought desperately. _Please._

Inuyasha batted Hiten's pike away once, then again, tension clawing its way up his shoulders and chest. Outside the rush of battle, he could hear Miroku's frantic heartbeat. He knew the human was in trouble, and every instinct in his body was screaming at him to go help. Then he felt the pull on his necklace. His vision flashed red and he ran forward, a cry of "Miroku!" ripped from his throat. His body jolted back as Hiten's pike tore into his shoulder with burning force.

"Stop looking away!" Hiten leered at him.

A dozen bolts of lightning flew in all directions at the impact. Inuyasha gasped in pain and flew back from the impact, Tessaiga falling from his hand. He looked up just in time to see Hiten's weapon levelled at his face.

"Pathetic. You don't live up to your reputation, half-breed. Don't you know that human compassion will be your undoing?" Hiten's eyes flickered over to the direction where Inuyasha knew Miroku was waiting for him. "What to do?" Hiten mused. "Should I kill you quickly, or make you watch as I rip that human limb from limb?"

White hot fury flashed through Inuyasha's mind. His youkai was calling for blood, but Hiten could wait. He needed to get to Miroku – needed to get to him _now_.

"What do you think, Manten?" Hiten called out casually. "Should we put these fools out of their misery?"

"I'm in no rush," Manten called back, shaking Miroku a little and forcing a small gasp from the monk. "It's so enjoyable when they're on the verge of death."

That did it. Inuyasha was about to simply fling himself at Hiten and damn the consequences, when Shippo hurled himself at Manten. He landed on the demon's forearm, as inconsequential as a flea, and Manten easily flung him away. But the kit was persistent, and instantly stood up to fight again.

With Manten's concentration diverted, the pressure on Miroku's throat eased slightly. It was just enough for him to draw in a wheezing breath. He still couldn't see anything, not with the black spots dancing in his vision, but he heart Manten's taunts.

"Just you wait, little tyke," the demon called out to Shippo. "I could use another fox pelt to keep warm at night – I'll make it a family reunion." He cackled. "I could skin you alive like I did your father. Or I could cut off your tees and use them for a new set of earrings."

Miroku sucked in a gasping breath, heard Shippo's angry response followed by a high-pitched growl. Manten huffed and suddenly Miroku was being jostled a fair amount.

"You fool!" Manten tutted. "Release me, you little pest! Remove those baby teeth from me now, or I'll beat your head into a pulp!"

Miroku felt a grin spread across his face. Shippo was actually biting Manten. Glorious.

"I may have racked up my fair share of bad karma," Inuyasha growled at Hiten as he slowly rose to his feet, his ears flat on his head. "But I'm a saint compared to you two." He dug his claws into the wound on his shoulder. "Blades of Blood!"

Hiten's eyes widened and he was forced back by the strength of the crimson blades. He smirked, readjusting his grip on his pike. "Finally, this is starting to get interesting!"

Inuyasha dove for the Tessaiga, transforming it as he pulled it from the ground. He leapt into the air and threw the sword in one fluid movement. It flew past Hiten, who barely had to move to avoid it.

"Nice throw," he mocked. "If you were aiming at the rocks!"

Inuyasha ignored him as he landed, all his senses trained in the direction the sword had gone. Had it struck true? The smile slowly disappeared from Hiten's face and he spun around, taking in the hilt of the sword sticking out of Manten's back.

Miroku heard Hiten's cry as he gathered himself up from the ground. He couldn't think properly – could barely stand at all – and was going purely on the fragmented thoughts that flashed through his mind. Shippo. Pick up. Staff. Pick up. Sword. Sword to Inuyasha.

"Father…" Shippo gasped out, and Miroku followed his gaze to the fox pelt still tied around Manten's waist.

Right. Father. Shippo needed closure. He had to get Shippo's father back. He tugged at the pelt, loosening it enough to drag it out from under Manten's bulk. He slung the pelt over his shoulder, cradled Shippo in the crook of his arm that held the staff. The other hand pulled at Tessaiga, to get it back to- Inuyasha? Why was Inuyasha yelling at him? A bolt of lightning struck the ground in front of him and sparked his mind back into action. Right, they were still in the middle of a battle. A second bolt struck a little too close to home and sent Miroku flying. Blackness greeted him the moment his head struck the ground.

Hiten ran to Manten and Inuyasha followed suit. He fell to his knees in front of Miroku's prone form, listening for the heartbeats. Shippo was already groaning and coming to. Miroku's body was utterly still. Inuyasha reached out and grabbed the monk's shoulder, partly to feel the warmth, partly to try and rouse him. Miroku groaned and his face scrunched but he didn't open his eyes. Air wheezed through his bruised throat, each breath an effort. Inuyasha grabbed the front of Miorku's robes and dragged him up into a sitting position, supporting his back and head with his other arm. Miroku's head tipped back against his shoulder, and to Inuyasha's relief, his breathing came a little easier as his airway opened.

Inuyasha crouched there for a moment, one ear on the demon brothers waxing poetical together, and the other focused on the shallow breaths. Gradually, Miroku's eyes blinked open. He looked dazed and still pretty out of it, but Inuyasha didn't care. A powerful wave of relief almost knocked him off his feet and he wrapped his hand tighter into the robes on the monk's chest.

Miroku blinked at Inuyasha, a question in his eyes. He looked almost panicked, his pupils blown and ears held back. He was also staring at Miroku quite intently. After a moment he seemed to shake himself, glanced over Miroku's body before returning to his face. "You alright?"

Miroku wheeze-squawked in response. To his relief – and utter embarrassment – humour replaced some of the worry in those amber eyes. Miroku shifted his gaze to Shippo, who was sitting upright, and back over to Inuyasha, catching sight of the blood seeping from his shoulder. He conveyed his concern to Inuyasha through his furrowed brows and slight frown. Apparently, silence was contagious, because Inuyasha simply shrugged and set about helping Miroku to his feet. Miroku's legs weren't overly cooperative in accepting his weight, and he had to cling to Inuyasha's arms for balance. Inuyasha picked up his staff for him and he gripped it with white knuckles. Meanwhile, he could hear the Thunder Brothers speaking quietly together.

He'd seen the Tessaiga strike true, knew that Manten was dying. What surprised him was the devotion that the brothers seemed to show to each other. Hiten seemed genuinely distraught, and Manten spoke about reincarnation and the strength of their brotherhood. It was odd. Before meeting Inuyasha, Miroku had assumed that everything youkai was bad. Then with Shippo, he would never have thought of demons as having families. Now it seemed that even the dangerous, murderous youkai could have loving families. Inuyasha seemed to be listening in as well as he hoisted Miroku's arm over his good shoulder. He looked oddly subdued.

Lightning flashed across the sky as Hiten cried for his dead brother. Then Miroku watched in horror as he bit into Manten's forehead. He glanced at Inuyasha, at the disgust on his face. Not a common demon ritual, then.

"Master Inuyasha!" Myoga called out, hopping towards them. "You must be careful, Master. Hiten now holds the power of five Jewel shards."

"Gee, ya think?" Inuyasha sneered as Myoga landed on his shoulder. "Hey, you wanna try explaining your absence up 'til now? That was real convenient."

Myoga stuttered out an excuse, but Inuyasha wasn't listening. Only the slight blue light from behind them warned of what was to come. Inuyasha slung Miroku over his shoulder, snatched Shippo and the pelt he was lying on, and jumped. The lightning shattered the ground where they had been standing a heartbeat earlier. Inuyasha landed and set Miroku on his feet before turning back to face Hiten. The demon looked pissed as hell. Inuyasha shifted to stand further in front of Miroku.

"You dared…" Hiten gasped, tear tracks on his cheeks. "You dared to kill my dear kid brother. I swear I won't stop until I return the deed!"

Inuyasha didn't break eye contact with him, even as he felt Miroku tug Shippo and the fox pelt out from under his arm. Five Jewel shards. Hiten's power with just three had already been one hell of a fight. With five, his pike, his lightning, his strength – everything would be that much worse.

"Miroku," Inuyasha hissed, keeping his eyes on Hiten. "Take Shippo and get as far away as you can."

"I'm not leaving in the middle of a fight," Miroku rasped, his voice utterly unrecognizable.

Inuyasha risked a look, hoping to convey the urgency of the situation in a quick glance. "I can't fight him properly if I'm worried about keeping you alive as well."

Determination flashed across Miroku's face, but Inuyasha could only guess as what that meant, since Hiten was gathering a giant ball of lightning at the tip of his pike.

"I shall avenge my brother. Prepare to die!"

The lightning orb reached twice Inuyasha's height and rolled towards him, the ground exploding beneath it. Inuyasha's eyes widened. He wouldn't be able to get away!

"Use the sheath of Tessaiga!" Myoga shouted from his shoulder. "Repel the bolt!"

With no time to question the order, Inuyasha ripped the sheath from his side and held it protectively in front of himself. To his utter astonishment, a small barrier formed where the bolt connected with the sheath, sending the lightning continuing off on either side of him. Once the lightning cleared, Inuyasha looked up at Hiten, who seemed just as shocked as he was. He looked at the spot before him where the deep gouge in the earth from the lightning orb split in two around him. He glanced to the side where dozens of tiny marks were made in the ground from stray bolts, caught sight of Miroku just before the pink sphere around him and Shippo disappeared. Miroku had told him about his spiritual barriers before, how they had saved his life many times. Well, it seemed that Inuyasha had a barrier of his own.

"It really worked," Inuyasha breathed, eyeing the sheath.

"Glad my hunch was correct on that one," Myoga breathed.

Inuyasha glared daggers at him. "You sent me into battle armed with a mere _hunch_?"

"Educated guess, if you will," Myoga tittered. "However, let's get back to escaping first."

"No chance! I'm gonna use this baby to defeat that demon!"

Inuyasha ran at Hiten, who cast another lightning orb at him. Inuyasha held the sheath out in front, feeling the lightning ricocheting off it in bursts. He emerged from the other side triumphant – only for a stabbing pain to erupt from his back. Inuyasha cried out in agony as Hiten cackled behind him. He crashed to the ground.

Miroku set Shippo down and reached for the last of his sutras. He needed to help Inuyasha! Grasping his staff in the other hand, he glanced over at Shippo, who was cradling the dead face on his father's pelt. Miroku clenched his jaw. It wasn't just their lives they were fighting for, after all. He had to get Tessaiga back to Inuyasha – it was the only way they could finish this. Miroku glanced over at the battle. Inuyasha blocked each strike from Hiten's weapon, but he was scrambling back under the force and he couldn't keep up this pace for long. Already, he seemed to be tiring. Miroku's eyes fell on the floating wheels strapped to Hiten's feet, the ones which allowed him to hover easily in the air. Maybe there was something he could do, after all.

"Shippo, I need to get a clear shot to help Inuyasha," Miroku said, searching around for something to wrap the sutra around. "Can you help me out?"

Shippo dug furiously through the many pockets in his vest and pulled out a slingshot with a cry of victory. Miroku grinned and took the tiny weapon. He put a sutra-wrapped rock into the leather pad and took aim. The rock shot into the wheel on Hiten's left foot and shattered it into bits. Hiten shouted in surprise and tumbled halfway to the ground. Inuyasha growled and charged. Miroku turned and ran for Tessaiga.

"No, Master- no!"

Miroku skidded to a stop, Myoga jumping in front of him, his eyes fixed on the fight. Inuyasha had taken hold of Hiten's pike. Bolts of lightning travelled through his body into the ground. As they watched, Inuyasha cast aside the sheath and raised a fist. He brought it down hard on Hiten's cheek in a solid punch. Hiten went flying. Miroku blinked.

"Huh, guess he didn't need our help after all."

Shippo nodded. "Whatever works."

But Hiten sat up, angrier than ever, glowing blue with sizzling energy. Miroku started towards Tessaiga again – this did not look good. Hiten lunged at Inuyasha, pike in hand. Inuyasha grabbed the discarded sheath and held it in front of him with both hands. The pike connected solidly and the wood of the sheath cracked under the pressure. Miroku ran faster. Shippo landed on his shoulder, the fox pelt clutched in his tiny hands.

"I shall relish your demise more than any other, half-breed," Hiten sneered, his eyes crazed.

His smirk grew as he looked over his shoulder, catching sight of Miroku running towards Manten's corpse. Inuyasha was still holding back the Thunder Pike, and all he could do was watch as a sizzling bolt of energy began growing in Hiten's mouth.

"Miroku!" Inuyasha shouted, panicked dread twisting his stomach. "_Run!_"

Miroku's head snapped in the direction of the blast that Hiten sent their way but it was too late, too fast-

"_No!_" Inuyasha screamed out the word, not trusting his eyes. "Miroku- _Miroku!_"

"Wouldn't waste my breath," Hiten grinned. "Got 'em both with one strike."

A surge of youkai strength flooded through Inuyasha's veins. He rose with a ferocious snarl, eyes fixed on his prey. "You slaughtered my friends. Damn you!"

Hiten danced backwards, shouting back mocking words of "That's right, half-breed!" but there was fear in his eyes.

"You'll regret the day you ever crossed me," Inuyasha growled, dark promise in his voice.

"The blood's gone to your head since I tore apart that stupid monk," Hiten sneered, moving back defensively. "When will you learn that no human is worth anything?"

He struck again, catching the sheath just as before. The sound of splintering wood filled Inuyasha's ears, signalling his impending doom. Inuyasha snarled. Not yet. Not until he'd ripped Hiten apart! There was a sound, a whistling on the wind, and Tessaiga came flying towards them. Inuyasha reached out and caught it from the air, swung it above his head and brought it down in a single, fluid movement. Hiten's pike broke in two. Hiten was soon to follow. He fell to the ground, a look of utter surprise on his face. One by one, the five Jewel shards fell from his forehead. Inuyasha fell to his knees.

"Lord Inuyasha," Myoga prompted when he didn't move. "The shards?"

"I don't care about them," Inuyasha growled, low in his throat. "I should've taken care of Hiten sooner. Then I could've-"

"Inuyasha…"

Inuyasha spun around. Couldn't believe his ears. Couldn't believe his eyes. Miroku stood before him, Shippo in his arms, surrounded by an ethereal blue glow.

"Well done!" Miroku smiled at him with shining eyes and a low voice. "You fought so hard and well."

"You helped me avenge my father," Shippo added softly.

"Witness, their souls have come to bid you farewell," Myoga whispered, entranced.

"No!" Inuyasha shouted, darting forward. "Don't go! Don't leave!"

He grasped Miroku's arm desperately, trying to hold on just a moment longer, to say all the things he hadn't been able to before, all the-

"Not going," Miroku said, a confused smile on his face. "Just on fire."

"Huh?"

The blue flames which danced about them suddenly rose into the air, forming the shape of a fox before dissolving into thin air. Inuyasha watched it go, his heart clenched, then looked back at Miroku. Wide, violet eyes stared back, confusion, amusement, and concern all swimming in their depths. "Inuyasha?"

"You're alive?" Inuyasha gasped, not believing.

"Indeed," Mioku said slowly. "Are you alright?"

Inuyasha pulled Miroku in by the arm and caught him in a crushing embrace. His claws curled into Miroku's robes, clutching the fabric tightly. His nose buried in Miroku's shoulder, gasping in the familiar scent. Miroku made a slight wheezing sound – from surprise or Inuyasha's arms squeezing the life out of him, it was unclear – and Inuyasha instantly let go, looking sheepish. He blinked at Miroku, both of them still dazed and unsure of what to say next. Shippo looked slowly between them, a little ruffled. After a moment, Inuyasha's face hardened and he turned to glare stonily at Myoga.

"Souls?"

"I should clarify," Myoga stuttered. "When I said souls, I really meant to say fox fire that shone from the trapped spirit of Shippo's father."

"Yeah, sure," Inuyasha wheezed. "I make that mistake all the time. And you!" He turned on Miroku. "What was with the sultry voice and serene, dead expression?"

"I can't raise my voice above a whisper," Miroku responded in the same raspy voice. "And it's been a very, very long day. I apologize that my face was misleading."

"Shut up, you idiot. How are you alive?"

"Um," Miroku glanced at Shippo.

"Father protected us," he replied, tears in his eyes and a small smile curling his lips.

Inuyasha nodded at Shippo, both approving and reassuring, and turned to Miroku. "And you're really okay?"

Miroku nodded. "A little sore, but otherwise unharmed." Concern flashed across his face. "What about you? I saw Hiten stab you."

Inuyasha tried to brush it off, but Miroku insisted on pulling apart the tattered pieces of his robes to see the wound for himself. It was bloody and deep, but the bleeding had already stopped despite the intense exertion. Miroku still had bandages in his robes, but Inuyasha told him to save them for something more serious.

"I'm sorry I wasn't more helpful," Miroku said as they gathered up Hiten's shards of the Jewel. "I couldn't use my wind tunnel without sucking in the shards."

Inuyasha nodded thoughtfully. He had been wondering, after all. "That's alright. You're only human. Besides, you still did plenty."

He handed the five shards to Miroku, who tucked them safely into his robes. They gathered their various weapons, then glanced at the fox pelt. Miroku placed it gently on the ground and Shippo said goodbye for a long, anguished moment. He didn't speak, but tears flowed freely down his cheeks. Once he was done, Miroku said a prayer over it and then set it alight. They watched it burn together, and watched the wind scatter the ashes all across the rocky ground. They started their way back to the forest where Shippo lived, all stumbling and a little dazed. Inuyasha offered to carry Miroku, who was still struggling to breath properly, but Miroku shook his head and gestured at the stab wound in Inuyasha's back. They made their way down sheer cliffs and jagged rocks in uneasy silence. Inuyasha's mind was working overtime, trying to process everything that had happened. He had so many questions.

"Hey, Myoga, why did you assume the sheath would save me?"

"The sheath was designed to hold all of Tessaiga's mighty power, so naturally, it should have been able to repel a mere lightning bolt. It seems that it summoned Tessaiga to you, as well."

"Oh, uh, no," Miroku interrupted quietly. "That was me. I threw it at you."

Inuyasha shorted. "Doing real well there, Myoga." Then he bumped his shoulder against Miroku's. "Thanks. I would've been in real trouble back there if it weren't for you."

"Well, you did come to rescue me," Miroku smiled. "So I suppose we can call it even."

"Yeah, you better be grateful for that, 'cause I'm not doing it again."

Miroku laughed. "Now we both know that's not true. You will come for me every time. Want to know why?"

Inuyasha eyed him warily, wondering just how serious he was behind his cheerful façade. "Why?"

Miroku reached into his robe and dangled the bag in front of Inuyasha's face. "Why do you think I carry them around everywhere? You have no choice but to come get me!"

Inuyasha grinned despite himself. "Yeah, unless you lose them again, genius."

"Which is why I'm utterly delighted with this wonderful trick," Miroku continued, reaching out and tugging on Inuyasha's necklace with both fingers and mind. "Now I can simply annoy you into coming to get me."

"Aw, hell. You're going to be insufferable now, aren't you?"

Miroku grinned broadly and his eyes sparkled with laughter. "That's the plan."

Inuyasha felt indescribably lighter as they continued back to the forest. He helped Miroku more readily, caught his arm when he stumbled and helped him over particularly difficult terrain. It was nice. True, he had been more open than he'd anticipated when he thought Miroku was dead, but that wasn't the end of the world. He liked Miroku, and he was pretty sure the monk knew it. There was no harm in showing that, to an extent. It wasn't as if-

Oh.

Oh no.

Inuyasha dropped Miroku's arm like it had burned him. Miroku stumbled, catching himself on some rocks to regain his balance and shooting a questioning look at Inuyasha.

"Why the hell did you tell those demons we were mates?" Inuyasha growled dangerously, arms crossed and ears back.

Something cleared in Miroku's expression. "Ah, right. I'd forgotten about that."

"What. The. Hell?" Inuyasha emphasized through clenched teeth.

"To be honest, I have very little understanding of what that even means. I was trying to convince the demons to bring me to you instead of killing me, so I implied that you would avenge me if I died. Hiten made the leap first to love, then to mates. I truly don't know what that entails."

Inuyasha blanched and flushed in rapid succession and jumped ahead, putting a safe distance between himself and Miroku. "No!" he shouted back when Miroku opened his mouth to speak. "I am not having this conversation, now or ever!"

He turned his back pointedly on the monk and crossed his arms. Miroku sighed. So much for companionability. He would simply have to ask Shippo about it later. Much later. Once Inuyasha was out of earshot. The rest of their journey to the forest was made in silence. Only once Inuyasha picked a direction and everyone else began following did he speak. He whirled on Shippo, eyes blazing.

"What're you still tagging along with us for?" he growled. "I don't remember handing out an invitation."

"Please," Shippo shot right back. "You need me and you know it!"

"Let him stay, Inuyasha," Miroku said. "He's all alone, he doesn't have a home – besides, he saved both of our lives today."

"Yeah!" Shippo nodded vigorously. "I'm just a kid, but I can help!"

"Alright," Inuyasha sighed. "You can stay with us, but only until you can look after yourself."

The transformation was instantaneous. Shippo squealed and hurled himself forward, running in a circle around them before taking off in the direction that Inuyasha had been heading. He looked remarkably like a child again. It made Miroku smile. It quickly faded, though, as the reality sunk in. Shippo was a _child_. Their lifestyle, wandering around the province and fighting everything they came upon, wasn't exactly a safe environment. Miroku slowed his pace and Inuyasha instantly followed suit, shooting him a worried look.

"Shippo is our responsibility now," Miroku whispered. "But that includes keeping him safe, and he's not safe with us. This, travelling around and fighting every other day, this is no way for a child to live."

Inuyasha nodded. "What do you suggest? We can't just get rid of him, and we can't stop looking for the Jewel shards, either."

"We'll take him to Kaede," Miroku said decisively. "That village is more accepting of demons than most, and she'll be able to protect him. We can drop him off there the first chance we get."

Inuyasha nodded again, glancing over at the fluffy tail bouncing in the distance. It was for the best. Shippo was a good kid, and they couldn't afford to put him in danger. It was bad enough that a human was being batted around by demons every other day. It would be easier for Inuyasha to focus on protecting Miroku. Besides, he had almost gotten used to it just being the two of them. Despite everything, he liked having Miroku around. Inuyasha smiled slightly to himself. Yeah, all things considered, this awful journey could be a hell of a lot worse.


	11. Chapter 11: s1e11

Warnings for icky.

As more and more characters are being introduced in future episodes, I'd like your feedback on the direction you want this story to go. Sango/Kirara and Shippo are all going to be involved to some extent, especially when the storylines focus on them, but do you want it to be mainly an Inuyasha/Miroku show? Or should their relationship develop within the group dynamics? A bit of both? Please let me know!

* * *

Miroku wasn't sure what reaction they would receive upon returning to Kaede's village. For one, they had set out barely a week ago and were already returning. For another… It was true that the villagers had learned to accept Inuyasha to some extent, but Miroku didn't know how they would react to a full demon, even if he was just a child. But Shippo was bouncing with excitement, eager to meet everyone and befriend the village children. As they walked through the rice fields, villagers waved a greeting and shouted words of welcome. Miroku smiled to himself. It had only taken a few days of helping the people here for Inuyasha to be accepted. He was sure that Shippo would win them over in no time. At least they had traded in one demon for another – Myoga had decided to search out some information and would meet them in the village in a few days.

A few men and women saw them as they made their way to Kaede's hut. They all smiled and approached until they saw Shippo. Then their smiles morphed into confusion and they kept their distance. Kaede appeared from her hut, bow slung over her shoulder and several sutras in hand. She froze when she saw them, eyes flicking from Miroku to Shippo to Inuyasha.

"I can explain," Miroku said right away, holding out a hand. "He's not a threat."

"You brought youkai here?" Kaede asked, glaring suspiciously, her eyes flicking to the prominent bruises around Miroku's neck.

"His name is Shippo," Miroku continued. "He's a fox demon child, and an orphan, and he saved our lives."

Kaede gave them all a long, measured look. Finally she sighed and gestured for them to come in. Miroku needn't have worried. As soon as Shippo started on one of his stories, Kaede melted like butter. She fed the little fox copious amounts of stew and ignored Miroku and Inuyasha for the better part of the evening. Once she had made a bed for Shippo and he was fast asleep, she rejoined them by the fire.

"I take it your journey has been productive?" she asked, looking between the two of them.

"We collected six new Jewel shards," Miroku reported dutifully. "And managed not to die in the process." Inuyasha snorted behind his stew bowl and Miroku grinned. "Inuyasha is injured, though."

Inuyasha shot him a betrayed look as Kaede instantly shuffled over to check his back. She insisted on bandaging it with a poultice, just in case infection set in. The rest of the evening was spent with Kaede mending Inuyasha's torn clothes and Miroku making new sutras while Inuyasha sulked in the corner. They both lay against the wall facing the doorway, their weapons leaning against their shoulders. In the woods, they slept on opposite sides of the fire, their backs to trees. Here there was only one entrance to defend, so they sat side-by-side. Miroku smiled to himself. They had fallen into their routine rather quickly. It was nice.

The next morning, Miroku asked to look through the village records. He wanted to gather as much information as possible about the Shikon Jewel. Kaede brought him the scrolls he was supposed to have been reading shortly after they first met. He looked sheepish as he took them. Unfortunately, there was very little information available. Inuyasha sat beside him, claiming to be there to help. He started sighing almost immediately, though, and then began kicking his legs back and forth. Once Miroku shot him a look over the top of one of the scrolls, Inuyasha shot to his feet.

"I'm going to go see if Kaede needs anything," he announced, and walked off.

Miroku couldn't keep the smile from his face as he dug through the records. The hanyou was so predictable. Unfortunately for Inuyasha, Kaede had just gained an enthusiastic new helper. Shippo was eager to obey Kaede's every command, answering each one with "Yes, granny!" Inuyasha gave Kaede an incredulous look. He sat beside the old woman as she mended his suikan jacket. He huffed, bored. He stretched and popped some of his joints. He moaned.

"That's it," Kaede said, lowering the needle and thread. "Stop lazing about and find something useful to do!"

"Hey, I was stabbed!" Inuyasha shot back.

"You'll be stabbed again if ye keep on the way ye are," Kaede threatened, gesturing at him with the needle.

"Fine," Inuyasha sighed dramatically and heaved himself to his feet.

Miroku put the records back in their chest and made his way through the village. He had found very little about the Shikon Jewel, even less than he'd hoped. Kaede had been keeping an ear out, but there had been no reports in the area of further Jewel shards or unusual disturbances. They would likely stay in the village for another night then leave the next morning, hopefully leaving Shippo in the hands of Kaede. Miroku changed his path to head towards the forest. Despite the amount they had been walking over the past few days, there had been little chance to slow down and appreciate nature. Since they had time, he decided to take a walk. He pretended not to notice the figure watching him from the trees.

The day was warm and sunny, spring giving way to summer. Barely more than two weeks ago, he'd been walking the same path in the opposite direction. Subconsciously, his feet had led him to the tree where he'd first encountered Inuyasha. He passed it without stopping, knowing the place likely held bad memories for the hanyou following him. Instead, he walked in a large loop back to the village, listening to the birds and simply feeling the summer breeze on his face. As he made his way to the edge of the forest, Inuyasha jumped down from a tree and landed beside him.

"You shouldn't go off on your own like that," he scolded. "There could be anything out in those woods!"

"I wasn't alone," Miroku pointed out, and Inuyasha flushed at that.

"Just be more careful," he said as he walked Miroku back to Kaede's hut.

Shippo excitedly showed them all the herbs he and Kaede had gathered throughout the day. They chatted over their meal and Kaede mended the rest of their clothes. She praised all the work that Shippo had done, and Miroku shared a smile with Inuyasha. Things seemed to be going well, then. After their meal, Miroku wandered about the village, speaking with the villagers. He quickly gained the attention of most of the women. Inuyasha leaned against a hut some distance away, glaring as Miroku flirted his way through woman after woman. He asked most of them if they would bare his child, somehow managing to keep them all laughing and not overly jealous. Inuyasha was pretty sure that the monk had already asked most of them the same question during their first stay in the village. He sincerely hoped that the women were just humouring Miroku's antics. It was one thing for the monk to chat up women in other villages – they had to live with the ones here.

As Miroku put his arm over the shoulders of one of the young women, Inuyasha decided he'd had enough. The monk stank of pheromones and sex. He had no intention of sticking around for the next step. He found one of his favourite trees and jumped up into the branches, deciding to stay there until it was safe to come back down.

The sun dipped towards the horizon as Miroku made his way back to the hut with the records. Kaede had mentioned that there might be some more information in another chest of scrolls. It was a long shot, but Miroku didn't mind. It had been a lovely day and a fun afternoon. The village women knew how to carry on a conversation! He would quickly look through the records then go and find Inuyasha, who had been conspicuously absent for the latter part of the day. Miroku knelt down in front of one of the wooden boxes and began rummaging through the contents. It didn't take him long to smell the smoke.

He jumped to his feet, looking around wildly until his eyes landed on the smouldering clay box on one of the wooden shelves. He crept closer, watching the paper sutras scattered around the package shrivel and burn. Then the package exploded. Miroku dove to the ground, covering his face with his hands as shards of clay and splintered wood flew in all directions. A few of the shards caught his shoulder and arm. Fire spread rapidly around the room, devouring the wooden walls. Miroku glanced over at the contents of the clay box, surprised to see a Noh mask staring back. It was lightly cracked but beautifully designed. There was also a strange aura around it, almost familiar. Miroku was more preoccupied with the fact that it was floating. It rose into the air, and Miroku had the sense that the painted eyes were looking at him.

"Give me a body."

The voice emanated from the mask. Well, that was odd. Miroku climbed carefully to his feet, holding his staff out in front of him. The mask suddenly flew towards him and he put up a barrier. The mask slammed into the barrier with a tremendous thud and hovered back into the air. There was a shout and footsteps approaching, and the Noh mask began to move towards the doorway.

"Miroku?" Kaede's voice called out from just outside the hut.

"Kaede, get away!" Miroku shouted as the mask flew over his head. "Run!"

As Kaede appeared through the smoke, Miroku dropped the barrier and ran for her. The Noh mask dove towards her and Miroku hit it out of the air with his staff. It spun off to the side, connecting with the burning wall of the hut.

"What is it?" Kaede asked from behind him. "Is that not the mask from that Noh actor?"

"Don't let it touch you!" Miroku warned. "I think it's trying to possess a body."

The mask emerged from the flames and moved towards them again. Miroku threw a sutra at it, but the paper burned into nothing before reaching the mask. The constant chant of "A body. I must possess a body" continued as it approached. He hit it with his staff again, sending it flying over their heads. The hut began to collapse from the fire, and Miroku shoved Kaede out of the way of a burning wooden beam. As the smoke cleared, they saw the mask shooting towards a village man who had come to help.

"No!" Kaede shouted.

"Run!" Miroku yelled.

The mask latched on to the man's face. His hands lifted into the air then froze as his muffled screams came from behind the mask. Slowly, his body slumped awkwardly, limbs loose but still holding him upright. Suddenly, the man began to stumble towards Miroku, limbs flying.

"Flesh and blood," his voice croaked. "Give me eternal flesh and blood."

"What do we do?" Miroku asked, readying his staff.

The man's body was turning black and beginning to ooze over the ground. Kaede notched an arrow to her bow. "That man is dead. We must stop the mask before it possesses anyone else."

She kept the bowstring drawn tight for a moment, and spiritual energy began to gather around the arrowhead. When she loosed it, and the arrow struck the man's chest, a burst of pink light emanated from the man's body. The Noh mask shrieked and began stumbling away.

"That mask has a Jewel shard embedded in its forehead," Miroku gasped, suddenly identified the aura that had been surrounding the Noh mask.

"That explains it!" Kaede nodded. "A Noh actor brought the mask here just the other day. He had carved it from a katsura tree but the mask gained life and began to hunger for blood. He called it a Flesh-Eating Mask. A Jewel shard must have been embedded in the tree!"

"And the presence of the shards I brought with me must have awakened its hunger," Miroku finished. "How do we stop it?"

"We cannot let it harm anyone else. The mask will continue to absorb bodies as its flesh disintegrates. It will not rest until it has the Jewels."

"Alright," Miroku nodded. "I'm going to draw it away from the village. If you figure out a way to stop it…" He shrugged. "Let me know?"

He ran before Kaede could yell at him for being reckless. He knew she wanted to, but he couldn't let anyone else die! He ran through the huts, following the trail of black slime left by the disintegrating body. A scream sounded from nearby and he rounded a corner just in time to see the Noh's body stretch and fold like tar around a young woman. Miroku lunged for her but the black rot covered her from head to toe, already beginning to dissolve her.

"The Jewel!" the mask shrieked, staring at him. "I must have the Shikon Jewel!"

"Come and get it!" Miroku taunted, waiting for it to come after him.

He didn't have to wait long. The mask shot at him, its body trailing behind it, splattering black slime across the ground. He shouted for the villagers to stay away as he ran for the forest. Once they were clear of the huts, he reached out with his mind and tugged on Inuyasha's necklace. It was likely the hanyou would already be coming after him, what with all the commotion, but it didn't hurt to provide extra incentive. Miroku pushed his tiring body further, waiting for the telltale flash of red robes. They didn't come. His heart sank even as he pushed deeper into the forest. Where was Inuyasha?

Inuyasha lounged in the branches of the tree, gazing up at the night sky. The last remnants of the sun were disappearing over the horizon, and the stars were shining brightly beside the waning moon. Another tug lit up the nenju beads around his neck, but he ignored them. He didn't care if the monk was having lady problems – he could figure them out himself! He pointedly closed his eyes and tried to relax in the warm summer air. Screw the monk.

Miroku sucked in deep gulps of air, blinking the sweat from his eyes. This was bad. He couldn't let the mask get close enough to touch him, but his sutras were useless and he couldn't use the wind tunnel without sucking in the Jewel shard. He angled his path back to the village. He'd just have to keep the villagers away while Kaede used those arrows again! A branch snapped from his left, and Miroku almost tripped over his own feet as Shippo appeared in front of him. He didn't bother with pleasantries, just snatched the little fox off the ground and kept on running.

"What's going on?" Shippo asked, staring wide-eyed at the Noh mask stampeding after them.

"Possessed mask, long story," Miroku gasped. "Go find Inuyasha and get him here, now!"

Shippo nodded and jumped off his shoulder, launching himself off into the forest. Miroku adjusted his pace in the other direction. So long as the creature was following him, everyone else would be safe. He just hoped that Inuyasha would show up soon. He couldn't keep on much longer!

Inuyasha solidly ignored Shippo as he heard the kit's shouts. Unfortunately, he'd forgotten that foxes could climb trees. Shippo scaled the branches in no time and rammed into his stomach.

"Ow!" Inuyasha grunted. "What was that for?"

"Miroku's in trouble and you need to help!" Shippo insisted, pulling at Inuyasha's sleeve.

Inuyasha snorted. "What, he get in over his head?"

"He's being chased through the forest by some kind of monster!" Shippo shouted. "He's going to be devoured!"

Oh, shit! Inuyasha flung himself from the tree and sped off in the direction Shippo was pointing, the fox clinging to his back. He should've known better! Miroku wasn't the type to abuse the nenju beads. _Damnit!_ It didn't take long to pick up the faint smell of the monk's blood, almost lost in the overwhelming stench of rot. Inuyasha jumped from tree to tree, his eyes fixed on the path ahead, praying that he wouldn't be too late!

Miroku realized his mistake the moment he burst through the treeline. The ground disappeared into a sheer cliff, extending out of sight in either direction. He spun around, trying to get back into the forest, but the Noh mask erupted from the trees. It crawled towards him on all fours, bulbous body scraping along the ground.

"Give me the shards of the Shikon Jewel!"

Miroku backed up to the edge of the cliff, clutching the bad of Jewel shards within his robes. He was gasping for breath, wouldn't have the concentration to put up a barrier if he tried. The Noh mask raised up to its full height, towering above him, and dove.

"Iron Reaver, Soul Stealer!"

Inuyasha cut through the oozing slime with his claws, spinning in midair to land beside Miroku.

"Nice timing," Miroku gasped, catching Shippo as he jumped from Inuyasha's back into his arms.

"Are you alright?" the fox asked, clinging to his robes.

"Much better now."

"I bet!" Inuyasha growled, unsheathing the Tessaiga. "You see, this is what you get when you go around sticking your nose in places it don't belong!"

Shippo clambered up to Miroku's shoulder and whispered conspiratorially "I think he's jealous or something."

Miroku had no time to analyze that little tidbit as the Noh's body reformed. "Who dares attack my body?"

"Inuyasha, aim for the mask," Miroku advised, adjusting his grip on his staff. "There's a shard of the Jewel in its forehead."

"I must consume the flesh!" the mask shrieked as it dove at them.

"I'd lose the flesh, if I were you!" Inuyasha shouted as he aimed a punch at the mask.

The mask split in two, revealed a giant vertical mouth lined with sharp teeth. It clamped down on Inuyasha's wrist and pulled him into the pulsing black body. Inuyasha cried out and dug his feet into the ground, but it was no use. Pink sparks sizzled along his body as the mask tried to digest him. Only the power of the Fire Rat hairs kept him from being instantly dissolved.

Miroku lifted his staff above his head and began an ancient incantation, summoning an immense wave of spiritual power. He slammed the staff onto the ground, sending all the energy bursting through the mask's body. The mask screeched and its body began to dissolve into a puddle of black goo. It released Inuyasha's wrist and the two halves rejoined in the air before flying at Miroku. He instinctively blocked the mask with his forearm, the force of the collision sending him sliding back towards the cliff. The mask split apart again and clamped down hard on his arm, the sharp teeth breaking through the fabric of his sleeve and into his skin. Miroku brought up his right arm and slammed the mask with the head of his staff, but it didn't let go. The mask pushed him further towards the cliff, tearing deeper into his arm.

Tossing his staff to the side, Miroku grabbed the cloth bag from within his robes and threw them into the air, shouting "Shippo!" Thankfully, an orange blur snatched the bag from the air and sped off along the edge of the cliff. The Noh mask instantly released Miroku's arm and began the chase. Miroku picked up his staff and set off after them. The mask sent a spear of black ooze shooting at Shippo, causing him to stumble. The bag of Jewel shards flew from his hands and he skidded dangerously close to the edge of the cliff.

"Shippo!" Miroku shouted, and another voice sounded simultaneously.

Inuyasha leapt past Miroku, sword drawn, and sliced the Noh mask cleanly in two. The mask shattered and vanished, leaving only the Jewel shard which fell to the ground. Inuyasha picked it up and gave Shippo the once-over before turning to Miroku.

"You did it!" Shippo shouted, jumping onto his arm.

"Sure thing, kid," Inuyasha smiled, sheathing the Tessaiga. "You alright, Miroku? How's the arm?"

"No real damage," Miroku shrugged, flexing his hand.

Inuyasha shook his head, still smiling, as he walked over and shoved Miroku's sleeve up above his elbow. Several deep punctures lined his arm on two sides, still oozing blood from where the Noh mask had bitten.

"I can't take you anywhere!" Inuyasha tutted, ripping the sleeve off from his own suikan jacket and tying it tightly around Miroku's forearm.

"Didn't Kaede just mend that?" Miroku shot back.

One of Inuyasha's ears twitched but his smile didn't change. "I'll just blame it on the kid – she can't get mad at him."

"Hey!" Shippo protested, climbing up Inuyasha's leg. "You can't just use me like that!"

Miroku smiled as Inuyasha launched into a friendly argument with Shippo about foxes earning their keep. It would be dawn by the time they returned to the village, and he knew Kaede would be waiting for them. With another sleepless night, they would likely eat a quick meal and have a nap before washing their clothes in the afternoon and sleeping soundly all night. They would return to their mission the following day. This sense of certainty, of knowing what was to come, settled something deep in Miroku's chest. He watched Inuyasha chatting with Shippo and thought about how much the hanyou had changed since they had met, such a short time ago. Their relationship was an interesting one, both dynamic and dependable. Inuyasha always came through, in the end. Miroku had never had someone in his life like that. It was a nice feeling. He didn't want to let that go.


	12. Chapter 12: s1e12

Thanks to everyone for your comments/messages! I have a clearer idea of where I'm gonna go with the story. Unfortunately my health has been pretty wonky recently, so while I'm going to try to continue my weekly upload schedule, I might miss a week here and there.

Warnings for this chapter: canonical child death, death by fire, mentions and threat of hell, and minor injury because honestly these boys are a wreck. This chapter is also slightly angstier than intended. Whoops.

* * *

"I can't believe you fought against all those demons and survived!" the young woman gasped, looking up at him with shining eyes. "You must be so brave!"

"I do what I must to keep people safe," Miroku agreed solemnly. "But it _is_ true that my life is very dangerous. I have many tasks to complete, many things that must be done. That is why I wish to have a son to carry on my mission."

The woman nodded emphatically, pressing closer to his side. "It must be so lonely, travelling from place to place, never having a home!"

Miroku opened his mouth to answer, amazed at how well this was going, but something caught his eye. They were chatting at the edge of the village in the evening light, and Miroku was ready to leave the following morning to resume his hunt for the Jewels. He'd spent the day as he'd predicted: being lectured by Kaede about being irresponsible as she sewed up his arm and then sleeping by the fire with Shippo sprawled over him. Now he was trying to have a little fun before turning in for the night. Instead, he was staring at the children nearby. They were playing quietly by the light of a lantern, but the curl of dread in Miroku's gut warned him that not all was as it seemed. As he watched, one of the children crept forward and sprinkled something into the lantern, which suddenly flared brightly. The other children screamed and scrambled back, but the little girl who had caused the ruckus only laughed. She turned and began to run away. Miroku pushed through the various mothers that had materialized to comfort their children and set off after the girl.

"Stop right there!" he called out in his commanding voice. The girl spun around. "What did you do that for?"

"You…" she blinked at him, confused fear in her eyes behind her snarl. "You can see me?"

Miroku took a step back, unease settling in his chest. The girl was young, likely barely older than ten, and covered in dirt and grime. Though she was barefoot, she wore a heavy and padded winter kimono…in the summer. In Musashi. It was evening in early summer and Miroku was still sweating under his dark robes. Something was definitely off.

"Why would I not be able to see you?" Miroku asked gently, kneeling down in front of her.

"None of your business!" the girl shot back, but he could see tears rising in her eyes.

"There's no need to be frightened," Miroku consoled, reaching out to her.

She slapped his hand away, the brief contact sending a jolt of burning pain ripping up Miroku's arm. Fire burst from the ground all around him and he instinctively curled into himself. He glanced up at the girl through the flames, his eyes watering from the heat and smoke. Her face was an angry mask as she shouted "Leave me alone!"

She vanished in a swirl of flames and Miroku was left kneeling on the ground, a strange hollowness in his chest.

"Where did you go, hoshi-sama?" his previous conversation partner asked, approaching from behind. "You disappeared all of a sudden!"

Miroku pushed himself to his feet, fixing a smile on his face and slinging an arm over her shoulders. "My apologies! I was momentarily distracted. Now, where were we…?"

Inuyasha's ears twitched at the constant buzzing of the wasps. He sighed and leaned his head against his hand. "How much longer is this going to take, anyway?"

"Be patient, my lord," Myoga advised, landing on his shoulder. "If you try to take the sheath from the steel wasps now, you'll be stung to death. Let them do their job."

He huffed. The wasps crawled over the Tessaiga, which was still in its sheath and buried half-way into the wasp nest. It was covered in the magical-wax-goo that Myoga promised would repair the cracks left in the sheath from his battle with Hiten. It wasn't that Inuyasha didn't appreciate Myoga's help, but he was _bored!_ Despite his short nap, he was still exhausted from the previous night's battle and he wanted to get some proper rest before setting off the next morning. At least Myoga promised that the sheath would be repaired long before that.

"Woo~" Shippo's sing-song voice sounded from behind him. "How 'bout a bite?"

The tiny mouth of Shippo's pink-ball-thing opened wide into a gaping maw before closing over Inuyasha's head. The teeth were rounded and dull, and it didn't actually hurt, but Inuyasha was _not_ in the mood.

"Back off before I bite you, instead!" he snarled, shoving Shippo away.

"I was only trying to liven things up around here!" the kit whined, transforming back. "It's so boring being stuck with you!"

"That's _my_ line," Inuyasha scoffed, turning back to glare at Tessaiga again. "Kaede's busy at the shrine and Miroku's looking through more records for the Jewel. Feel free to go bother one of them, if you think it'll be more interesting."

Shippo groaned dramatically and flopped over onto the ground. Beneath his grumbling, though, there was a soft whistle in the air. Inuyasha's ears swiveled, trying to find the source of the sound, and he stood slowly. It sounded like a pipe… A faint golden glow caught his eye. A sphere of light was floating through the air above a nearby stream, followed by several smaller glowing orbs. The faint sound of children's laughter drifted across the water. "What's that?"

"It's a demon!" Shippo shrieked, jumping up and latching on to Inuyasha's arm.

"So are you, you dolt," Inuyasha scoffed, but he didn't try to shake the kit off.

"That's the soul piper," Myoga observed from on top of Inuyasha's head. "The piper cares for the souls of dead children until they are ready to accept their death and their soul is at peace." Inuyasha could just make out the vague shapes of young children around the piper, who had a serene look on its face as it played the quiet tune. "So long as the eyes remain closed, it's peaceful."

They watched in silence as the small procession disappeared from view in the low evening light. Unease began building in Inuyasha's gut, but he shook it off and stalked back to the Tessaiga. "Tell me this thing's done."

"It does appear to be more or less repaired," Myoga said slowly.

Inuyasha's hand darted in and snatched the sword and sheath before any of the wasps could react. They buzzed angrily, but he simply turned and jumped into a nearby tree. Shippo still hadn't let go of his arm. He made it back to Kaede's hut quickly and slipped inside. Neither human was back yet, but the embers were warm and Shippo soon curled up next to them. Inuyasha followed suit, stretching out across the floor with his head propped up in one hand. He blinked slowly as he stared into the fire, letting his other senses take over. It didn't take long to pick up the quiet footsteps, the slight jingling, and the familiar scent on the breeze. A small smile curled at his lips and he peered over his shoulder as Miroku entered the hut.

"Was it successful?" the monk asked, gesturing at the Tessaiga lying on the floor in front of him.

"Good as new. What about your research?"

"Ah," Miroku stuttered, a slight blush colouring his cheeks. "Not quite as successful."

Inuyasha's eyes narrowed and he took a deep sniff of the air. Miroku stunk of arousal and another human. His upper lip raised to expose his teeth. The uneasy smile that the monk shot him did something to quell his temper, though. It seemed that he wasn't the only one to feel that something was off. When Miroku took a seat leaning against the far wall of the hut, Inuyasha picked himself up off the ground and moved to sit next to him. He leaned the Tessaiga against his shoulder, noticing Miroku doing the same with his staff. They closed their eyes and waited for morning.

It was unclear when Kaede returned that night, but the following morning she was busily cooking over the irori. She greeted them with a smile, and Shippo instantly ran to her side and began chattering away. They passed around bowls and ate in relative quiet before Miroku looked up at Kaede.

"Have there been any fires in the area recently?" he asked, voice oddly subdued. "Any resulting in injuries or anyone dying?"

Kaede's brows furrowed in concern. "Not that I know of. Why do ye ask, hoshi-dono?"

Miroku shrugged. "Just a suspicion. Nothing to it."

Inuyasha and Kaede both eyed him with suspicion, but he resolutely ignored them. Not that Inuyasha minded. He was more than ready to head out again and find more Jewel shards! No more yammering fox cub, no more scary looks from old ladies, just him and Miroku- What was that?

Kaede rose to her feet and moved stiffly over to the doorway of the hut just as the small group of villagers approached. Though the others remained seated, Inuyasha's ears pricked as he listened in on the conversation.

"Apparently some kid in the next town over is pretty sick," Inuyasha informed Miroku, his eyes still fixed on Kaede's back. "They want her to head over there to say a prayer for him."

A frown flashed across Miroku's face before he stood, handing his bowl wordlessly to Inuyasha as he moved over to stand by Kaede. "Pardon the interruption, but I would like to offer my assistance in her stead. You see, Kaede is highly demanded in this village, and I wouldn't want her to leave her post for too long."

"Miroku will be more than able to help you," Kaede assured, though she shot him a wary glance as she spoke.

"The hell he will!" Inuyasha called from across the hut. "We're just about to leave!"

"My apologies, Inuyasha," Miroku grinned over his shoulder. "I don't suppose we could delay our journey by a day or so?"

"I'll be able to help granny Kaede with her herbs!" Shippo chirped. "Inuyasha, please?"

Inuyasha panicked slightly as he realized that they had not, in fact, informed Shippo that he wouldn't be coming with them when they left. He shot a dismayed look at Miroku, who had a matching expression of mild horror on his face. He turned quickly back to the villagers. "I can leave immediately."

"Coward!" Inuyasha mouthed at his back as he quickly left the hut. At least he had another day or so to figure out how to broach the subject with Shippo. Though, that being said, he still didn't see the problem with his original plan of just running in the middle of the night. Surely Kaede would be able to handle him…

Miroku followed the man from the neighbouring village through the forest. It sounded as though the child and his mother were in desperate need of some help, though the man refused to share too many details. Apparently it was still a fresh wound in the community. The sun was high in the sky by the time they reached the village. It was somewhat larger than Kaede's, with a few larger houses. The villagers greeted him warmly once they learned who he was, but Miroku couldn't shake the odd sense of apprehension that had been following him since the previous evening. He followed one of the men into their physician's house, where a woman knelt beside the body of a young boy.

She turned and gave a small smile when she saw them, rising stiffly and bowing. "My thanks for your time, hoshi-sama."

"Not at all, Ikeda-sama," he replied with a small bow of his own. "I understand your son is ill?"

"Not exactly," she sighed, looking back at the small boy under the blankets. "He's been unconscious for half a year, now…since the fire."

Miroku tried to ignore the pricking at the back of his neck. "Why don't we sit?"

They settled beside the boy. Miroku watched with soft eyes as the mother brushed her fingers through the boy's hair. He tried to ignore the patches of burnt skin stretching across her hands and forearms.

"Physically he's healed, but he still won't wake," she said softly, not taking her eyes off her son's face. "My poor Satoru… Thankfully he wasn't burned."

She twisted one of her hands slightly with a wry smile, finally meeting Miroku's eyes. He tried to look reassuring as possible. He started on a prayer for Satoru, and peace for his mother. Peeking over at the woman beside him, he noticed some of the lingering tension disappear from her shoulders. He closed his eyes again and kept on murmuring quietly. He kept going for a long while, trying to give the poor woman as much comfort as possible. Only the slight creaking of wood stopped his voice. He glanced up, just in time for a wooden panel to break off from the ceiling. Miroku shoved the mother roughly back before diving on top of the son, wrapping his body around the boy and rolling them both to the side. The panel crashed and splintered over Satoru's abandoned bedding.

"Satoru!" his mother cried out, scrambling over the wreckage and cradling the boy in her arms. "No, no- are you hurt! Oh, my boy!"

She buried her face in his hair as tears leaked from her eyes. Miroku glanced up and startled at the burning eyes glaring back through the new hole in the ceiling. The young girl from Kaede's village hovered over the roof for a moment before vanishing into the air. Miroku sped outside, but she was gone. When he returned to their side, the mother had yet to release the embrace on her son. She was trembling slightly. Miroku placed a hand on her shoulder and she startled. She stared up at him with wide, tearful eyes.

"Why does this keep happening to us?" she gasped between sobs. "Why must these awful things happen?"

"Has something like this happened before?" he asked softly.

"Yes. Ever since the fire, misfortune has befallen anyone who comes near me or my son. They are pushed, hit, scratched- some were almost killed in accidents. Everyone has become afraid of us." She sobbed, covering her mouth with one hand. "Satoru, he's all I have now. Ever since…"

"Since what?" Miroku prompted, watching her shudder.

"My daughter, Mayu, died in the fire."

It all made sense. "I'm so sorry." Everything made sudden, terrible sense.

They didn't feel it was safe to leave Satoru in the physician's house, but finding another place for the small family to stay turned into a much bigger ordeal than Miroku had ever anticipated. He should have been warned by the fact that none of the villagers came rushing to their aid when the roof of the house had spontaneously collapsed. It seemed that they all had a deep-rooted suspicion of Satoru and his mother, which led them to avoid them at all costs. It took far longer than it should have to convince one of the families to let Satoru and his mother stay in their hut for just one night while the roof of the physician's house was repaired. Miroku elected to help with the task, partially to ensure that the physician would keep his promise and let the two of them return. It wasn't until late in the evening, after a long afternoon of shifting wood and thatching, that he was able to check up on Satoru and his mother.

"Do you think someone could show me to your old house?" he asked once he had assured that they had settled in well. "I might be able to figure out what's causing these strange occurrences."

She paused her task of carefully feeding Satoru some broth. "You would do that for us?"

He gave her a small smile. "Of course."

It was another ordeal to convince one of the villagers to show him, and even then, the man refused to approach it at night. Resigned to a long night, Miroku settled down against the wall across from Satoru's bed to keep watch. He only hoped that Inuyasha would allow him one more day to uncover the secrets of this village.

The Ikeda house was near the very edge of the village. Miroku knew that it had been utterly destroyed in the fire, but the sight of the burnt husk still surprised him. Only small sections of the walls remained, the barest hint of a roof above it. Rubble littered the house in all directions, scorched black and ashy.

"We tried to rebuild it, or at least clean it out," his guide said gruffly. "But every time someone would step foot in that place, they would get hurt."

As if on cue, one of the partial walls burst apart. Large chunks began flying towards them. Miroku shoved the villager out of the way and they both hit the ground, hard. Rocks and jagged pieces of wood bounced off Miroku as he covered his head with his arms, waiting for the assault to die down.

"See!" the villager shrieked. "This house is cursed by an evil spirit!"

He scrambled to his feet and ran away. Miroku sighed. So dramatic. A flash of red caught his eye and he saw the young girl – Mayu – balancing lightly on one of the last frail beams of the ceiling. As he watched, she stepped forward into thin air.

"Watch out!" Miroku shouted before his mind caught up to the situation.

"Stupid!" the girl shouted at him as she floated safely down to the ground. "I'm already dead!"

"I know that, Mayu," Miroku sighed, noting the slight flinch that she couldn't hide at the mention of her name. How long had it been since she was addressed? "I just didn't know if you did."

She huffed and looked down, a mix of emotions flittering across her face. She crossed her eyes and shrunk deeper into her kimono.

"Mayu," he started slowly. "I've been speaking to your mother. I saw your brother, Satoru. Why are you doing these things to them? You don't really want to hurt them, do you?"

"I don't care about them!" she shouted immediately, tears filling her eyes as she levitated from the ground. "I don't care about stupid Satoru, and I especially don't care about mommy!" A sob ripped from her chest and she curled into herself. "Mommy couldn't stand me. She didn't even care that I died!"

"Mayu, that's not true-"

"Shut up!" she screamed, fire sparking in the air around her. "What do _you_ know, anyway? My mommy abandoned me in the fire!"

"Your mother loves you," Miroku said almost pleadingly. "Please, listen to my words. I've spoken with her. She loves you just as much as your brother. She's heartbroken-"

"_Shut up!_" She crushed her hands against her ears to block out his voice. "Get away from me! Stay away, or I'll kill you, too!"

Miroku ducked as another volley of rubble flew at him. A crackling sound came from nearby, and suddenly the trees on the outskirts of the village were pulled up by their roots. He dove to the side, one flying just over his head, and then rolled to avoid another. They crashed into the ground around him, shaking the earth and causing much of the remaining structure of the house to come crumbling down. Miroku glanced around but Mayu was nowhere in sight. Instead, the world around him darkened as though the very sun had dimmed. A low whistle sounded from behind him and Miroku spun around, coming face-to-face with a demon. It was a large pale golden ball, narrowed eyes fixed somewhere in the far distance and small arms holding a green pipe to its face. A whispering voice curled around Miroku's mind, '_Until my eyes are open_.'

He blinked and it was gone. The light brightened to regular daytime brightness. Then Inuyasha slammed into him.

"The hell was _that_?" the hanyou spat, wrapping an arm around Miroku's waist almost absentmindedly to keep him from landing face-first on the ground. Tessaiga was fully transformed in his other hand. "Where's the danger?"

"Actually, I think the danger's passed for the moment," Miroku assured, steadying himself against Inuyasha's shoulders. "Not that I'm not grateful, Inuyasha, but what are you doing here?"

Inuyasha huffed, taking a step away from him and sheathing his sword. "I was on my way here to drag your sorry ass back to Kaede's village so we can actually go and _do our job_." His eyes flickered down to the ground, his ears lowering against his head slightly. "I smelled your blood."

"Are you alright, Miroku?" Shippo asked, clambering up Inuyasha's shoulder. "I thought you were dead, based on how fast Inuyasha ran here!"

A few splinters of wood were sticking out of his body at various intervals, but Miroku shook his head. "I'm fine. Is Myoga with you? I have some questions."

The flea popped up on Inuyasha's head. "Ready to serve, as always! That's me!"

"Uh-huh," Miroku and Inuyasha exchanged a look. "What do you know about a large, rotund yellow ball that plays a pipe and is found near dead children?"

Myoga's eyes narrowed. "Could it be the soul piper? It's a demon that consoles the children until they can accept their deaths. It entertains the children with its flute until they can find peace. We saw one in Kaede's village the night before you left."

Miroku nodded thoughtfully. "That would make sense. I saw a spirit that evening, a girl named Mayu. She died in a fire in this house." He gestured at the crumbling ruin. "Myoga, what happens if the soul can't find peace? I sense that the child is holding on to anger or jealousy."

"Then the child will become an evil spirit," Myoga shrugged. "The soul piper prevents them from wandering the earth for eternity. When it senses a child's rage, its eyes open and it hurls the child into the depths of hell."

"Miroku?" Inuyasha asked, concerned by the hammering of the monk's heart. "What's wrong?"

"The piper's eyes were opening," Miroku shuddered. "And I heard it, a warning of some kind." He shook his head, forcefully clearing his thoughts. "I won't allow that to happen! Mayu must find peace."

Inuyasha sneered. "Give it a rest, will ya, Miroku? Ghosts and spirits, they're different from demons. We can't just fight them off with swords. They're different and they're dangerous. It's our job to find the Jewel shards, nothing else! You can't just go gallivanting around the countryside doing who-knows-what."

"I can't ignore this, Inuyasha," Miroku shook his head, taking a step back. "I'm a monk – I can't sit by and watch someone suffer."

"Heh, well you can count me out." Inuyasha stepped back as well, folding his arms and closing his eyes. "There's nothing in it for me. And there's nothing you can do to help the girl, either."

Miroku levelled a long look at him before turning and marching back through the village. Shippo glanced between them before jumping off Inuyasha's shoulder and scampering off after the monk.

"I want you to stay outside, Shippo," Miroku warned as he reached the place where Satoru and his mother were staying. "The girl's spirit is destructive, and I don't know what she might try to do next."

Shippo nodded and slowed to a stop. Miroku took a deep breath and opened the sliding door to the house. Poor child. Poor Mayu.

"Ikeda-sama?" he called out gently, and she immediately turned to him.

"Hoshi-sama!" she exclaimed, putting down the small yukata robe she'd been mending. "I just heard that you encountered trouble at the old house."

"It's nothing," he toed off his waraji sandals and knelt down beside her. "I need to speak with you – it's about Mayu. If you can, I need to know what happened that day."

"That day-" She glanced down at the yukata – it was carefully designed and blue and…child-sized. "It seems like just yesterday. Mayu had performed in a dance but I was unable to go watch her. Satoru was sick with a high fever and I couldn't bring myself to leave him alone."

She stopped, pressing the back of the hand against her mouth as tears filled her eyes. "She was so angry with me. It seemed we were always having arguments. She ran and I thought I heard the door close. I thought she'd run off to the neighbours' house as she usually did, but I was mistaken. I left shortly after to go to the physician's house for more herbs to bring down Satoru's fever. I was there for only a short while when I heard people yelling."

She was shaking, her eyes darting from her son to the cloth grasped tightly in her hands. "Someone told me that my house was on fire. When I got there, everything was engulfed in flames. I reached Satoru and carried him out. How could I have known that Mayu was still inside? If I had known, I would have gone back in a heartbeat- but I was so sure that she wasn't there! If only I had known…"

She broke down, a sob ripped from her chest. Miroku placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "It took them hours to put out the fire. I began to search for her in that time, but I never thought- not until they told me that they found her. She was curled up in a kodana. I think she was hiding."

Miroku nodded slowly. It made sense that Mayu was angry with her mother before her death, that her mother hadn't known she was in there. But what to do? How could he convince Mayu before it was too late? A cracking sound came from the ceiling.

"Mayu, no!" Miroku shouted, leaping to his feet. "Stop this!"

"Mayu?" Her voice was barely more than a whisper as she looked around for her daughter. "Mayu, is that you?"

Mayu floated down from the ceiling, her face twisted in anger and pain. "Stay out!" she screamed, throwing a wave of power at her mother. The woman flew backwards, slamming into the door which broke upon impact.

"Stop!" Miroku cried out, torn between checking on Mayu's mother and staying close to Satoru, with Mayu floating just above the unconscious boy. "Let your brother go. It was all a misunderstanding."

"Shut up!" Mayu shrieked, and the beams of the ceiling creaked threateningly.

"Your mother's not to blame! Mayu, I need you to think back," Miroku pleaded, trying to keep his voice level. "Think about where you were when the fire started. Your mother never abandoned you – she didn't think you were at home." Mayu's brow furrowed and her face scrunched in confusion. "She never would have left you, otherwise."

Mayu's eyes darted past Miroku to her mother, flicking over to the yukata still clenched in her mother's hand. "I left my fan from the festival by the irori," Mayu started, slow and shaky. "It must have caught on fire!" Her breathing picked up, tears filling her eyes. "It's my fault that our house burned down. Mom's not to blame – and Satoru…"

"Mayu…"

"I forgot that…" she gasped out, looking down at her own soot-covered hands. Then her eyes snapped back to Miroku's face, hard and cold. "But it doesn't matter. _I still hate her!_"

A pulse wave of raw power shot from her in all directions, ripping through the walls. Satoru began to float, lifting up towards his sister. Miroku ran for him but suddenly strong arms were closing around his middle, dragging him back.

"Inuyasha, _no!_" he screamed, not taking his eyes off Satoru. "The boy! I need to get to the boy!"

Inuyasha swore softly and Miroku felt them both jerk forward, but he couldn't see- the house was collapsing around them and there were wisps of flame in the air- and he couldn't breathe and he couldn't _see_-

Miroku slammed into the ground, Satoru on his chest, and he looked up just in time to see Inuyasha dragging Mayu's unconscious mother away from the house as it collapsed.

"Inuyasha…" Miroku gasped, still trying to catch his breath.

"Can't you handle anything on your own?" Inuyasha asked roughly, depositing the woman on the ground and glancing over all three humans. He helped Miroku sit up with a hand on his back and shot a glare at Mayu, who hovered over the house. "This is why you don't mess with ghosts!" Then, in a softer voice, "Give up on the girl. It's too late for her. Making her realize the truth doesn't mean she won't be hurled straight into hell."

They both stiffened as the soul piper appeared behind Mayu, its eyes stretching wide to reveal glowing red irises that swirled with inky darkness. Rusted chains emerged from the piper's flesh, wrapping around Mayu's arms as Miroku and Inuyasha looked on in horror.

"What're you doing?" Mayu gasped, tears streaming down her face. The piper began to drag her away. "Let me go! I wanna stay here! _Wait! No!_"

Miroku shoved Satoru at Inuyasha and ran. The hanyou's voice called after him "What're you doing now? Can't you see it's over?"

"It'll drag her back to her place of death before taking her to hell!" Miroku shouted back, not stopping. "I've got to get there before that happens!"

"_Damn it!_" Inuyasha swore, depositing the boy on his mother's chest. "Shippo! Look after these two and make sure they don't die!"

He didn't bother to see if the kit had heard him, didn't bother to say anything to Myoga before throwing the flea over his shoulder in the vague direction of the humans as he ran after Miroku. He caught the monk easily and swung him onto his back without breaking stride. "You're an idiot, you know that?" he spat.

"Thank you," Miroku breathed, a little too sincerely for Inuyasha's liking.

They came sliding to a halt in front of the burned-down husk of Mayu's house. "That place looks dangerous. Let's just hope we're not too late."

"Inuyasha, let me off," Miroku prompted, as the hanyou's hands were still wrapped firmly around his thighs. "Let me handle it from here."

Inuyasha scoffed and began walking into the shell of the house, following the swirling pink and violet glow that was growing from the floor. "Like you handled the kid before? Not likely. I'm staying here and making sure you don't end up as dead as-"

The weight disappeared from his back. Inuyasha whipped around but Miroku was gone. It took a moment for his mind to make the connection – place where humans are dragged into hell, human Miroku. His own heritage must be keeping him safe – and trapping him here! He wouldn't be able to get to Miroku! He was totally helpless! _Damn_, Miroku wouldn't be able to handle this alone! He swore viciously, fingers curling into his hair as he desperately tried to think of _what to do_-

A strange weightlessness greeted Miroku as he shifted through earthly dimensions, then suddenly it was _heat_ and _smoke_ and _flames_. He coughed, instinctively curling away from the flames but he couldn't- He heard a child's scream from somewhere nearby. He ran for her, battling the darkness and the thick smoke billowing from the phantom fire. It hurt and his lungs were burning, but he couldn't imagine the terror of going through it again after _dying_ from it! He had to reach Mayu- he had to get to her _now_!

"Mayu!" he called out, breaking off into a hacking cough. "Mayu, _where are you?_"

Her mother had said kodana. He felt his way to one of the walls – miraculously whole once more as Mayu relived the moments before her death – and searched desperately for the cabinets large enough for a child to hide in.

"_Mommy?_"

The desperate cry broke his heart. "Mayu, where are you? Answer me!" He threw open one of the kodana to reveal the shaking child. "Hurry! I'm going to get you out of here!"

The shock and terror on her face morphed into rage. "How many times do I have to tell you – I'm dead, you stupid idiot! What's your problem? Why don't-"

The floor beneath them began to crumble, opening up into the pits of hell. The chain still wrapped around Mayu's arm tightened and suddenly she was being pulled down- Miroku dove and grasped onto her other hand. The shattered edges of the floor pressed against his chest as he slid forward a hair's breadth at a time. Mayu cried out in fear and pain, the chains pulling ever tighter. Miroku's other arm scrambled for purchase against the floor, trying to haul them back up but it was no use. He slipped forward some more and Mayu screamed.

"Don't let go!" Miroku called to her, tears rising in his eyes. "I know it hurts but listen to me! Mayu, you need to go home – go home and speak with your mother! She loves you and she always has. Don't you want to make peace with her before you say goodbye for good?"

Mayu's eyes widened and she stared at him through the smoke and haze and pain. "She's not angry?" The answer must have shown on his face because a glimmer of hope rose in her eyes. "Mommy's not angry at me?"

"She's not angry!" Miroku reassured, slipping forward to his stomach. "She loves you and misses you. Focus on that, Mayu. Try to remember that about her."

Mayu's sobbed, her eyes screwed shut. "Mommy!" she called out, desperate and pleading. "Mommy! I miss you, mommy! I want to say sorry to you! I'm _sorry_!"

The chain around her shuddered and snapped, disappearing into the fiery pit. Miroku dragged her up, bringing them both over the lip of the gaping hole. She wrapped her arms around him, clinging to his robes with shaking hands as she sobbed.

"I'll bring her here," Miroku whispered the promise into her hair. "I'll bring your mother here to say goodbye."

The fire slowly died around them, followed by the swirling pink glow. Mayu floated away from him and disappeared with a small smile. Miroku could still feel her presence lingering in the air, more recognizable now as a lost and lonely child. Miroku knelt there for a long moment. At some point Inuyasha materialized by his side, placing a careful hand on his back.

"You look awful," the hanyou observed, his lips twisting in wry humour even as his eyes were sharp with worry.

"I need to get back to her family," Miroku whispered, and Inuyasha nodded.

The villagers ran to meet them as they made their way back to the physician's house. They were a blur of noise and movement and frantic questions, all of which Miroku tuned out until "Thank Kami that poor boy is awake!"

A murmur of agreement rose from the other villagers, but Miroku still couldn't believe his eyes when they entered the physician's house and saw Satoru sitting upright, cradled in his mother's lap. Both of them turned to look at him and Inuyasha questioningly. Miroku managed to convey some subtle cues through his eyeballs and Mayu's mother nodded. Inuyasha just raised an eyebrow but followed him back out of the house again without question. Shippo appeared with Myoga clinging to the bow in his hair. He gazed at them with wide eyes, his tiny hand curling around the bottom of Miroku's kesa, but he didn't say anything.

After a while, Mayu's mother slipped through the door of the physician's house, closing it firmly behind her. She looked between Miroku and Inuyasha questioningly.

"Mayu wants to see you," Miroku murmured. "It doesn't have to be right now, but I would suggest not putting it off for too long. She's waiting to say goodbye."

Her eyes widened, but it was clear that she was a mother desperate to see her child. "Let me just tell Satoru I'll be gone. He- he still doesn't know about Mayu, and he's fairly disoriented after being unconscious for so long."

Inuyasha decided to stay behind with Shippo and Myoga. It was going to be an incredibly private moment between Mayu and her mother, and they didn't want to have a bunch of strangers involved. Miroku waited outside the burned-down house and watched as the poor woman wandered through the rubble in a daze. He wondered if she'd been back inside since the fire. She fell to her knees in front of the kodana where Miroku had found Mayu. A bitter smile twisted his lips. She cried for a moment before the soft "Mommy?" made her turn.

Mayu floated gently to the ground, a faint light glowing from her skin. She approached her mother almost cautiously. "Mayu?" her mother asked, reaching for her daughter then stopping herself.

Mayu placed a hand on her mother's cheek. "I'm sorry, mommy. Will you forgive me?"

"Mayu…" Tears fell down both their cheeks. "There was never anything to forgive. I'm so sorry as well. Oh, my baby, I miss you. I love you!"

A small smile played across Mayu's lips. "I love you, too." She glanced over her shoulder, looking past Miroku. "Bye, mommy. I have to go now."

She rose into the air and disappeared from view.

Her mother gave Miroku a short bow and hurried past him, the back of her hand pressed to her mouth as she tried not to break down entirely.

Miroku told the villagers that he'd be back to check on things the following day. Inuyasha didn't protest, and remained quiet on the way back to Kaede's village. The physician had offered them all a place to stay for the night, but Miroku had refused. They were crossing the rice fields when Miroku murmured "I hope Mayu's alright now."

It seemed to break the spell, and Inuyasha huffed. "What were you thinking, going in there all alone? One wrong move and you'd've been dragged into hell with that impish evil spirit!"

"She was never an evil spirit – just an angry and frightened child. She thought that her mother didn't love her and was striking back out of hurt."

Inuyasha growled. "Still, she could've easily pulled you into hell, Miroku, and I wouldn't've been able to save you."

Miroku shrugged. "I had to try."

"Sheesh! I don't know why you bother."

"Inuyasha," Miroku came to a stop, and Inuyasha followed suit. "Think back to when you were frightened or lost as a child. Think of how it would have been if someone had helped you. That poor girl was going to be cast into the flames of hell and I had a chance to save her. There's no way in my mind that I wasn't going to at least try."

Miroku didn't sleep that night. Inuyasha watched him under hooded eyes as he silently ate the food that Kaede provided and conveyed the story in a few short words. She mended the various small tears in his robes while he washed himself down with a cloth and the water from a bucket Shippo had fetched for them. Dozens of tiny cuts littered his body, and Inuyasha could make out the beginnings of some rather impressive bruises. Once Kaede, Shippo, and Myoga were all asleep by the fire, Inuyasha sat down next to Miroku. The monk looked at him with large, lost violet eyes. All the tension that Inuyasha had been carrying throughout the day suddenly bled away. He scooted closer to the monk and wrapped his arms around his shoulders. Miroku laid his head against Inuyasha's chest. They stayed like that for a long time.

Eventually Miroku shifted and Inuyasha startled from his doze. The monk blinked at him and he followed him out of Kaede's hut. The cool night breeze greeted them and Miroku let out a shuddering breath. They blinked up at the crescent moon.

"You did the right thing," Inuyasha whispered into the night air.

"I know."

He sagged slightly and Inuyasha sighed. He grabbed the monk in a strong embrace and huffed into his neck. Miroku chuckled and squeezed his arms tightly around him. They walked around together for a while in silence before returning to Kaede's hut. When they sat down, Inuyasha guided Miroku's head into his lap. Miroku made a slight noise of protest but didn't move. Inuyasha closed his eyes and listened to the monk's steady heartbeat. As the night stretched on, Miroku dozed but never fully slept. When the first rays of morning light broke over the horizon, he blinked with bleary eyes.

There was no question about whether or not Inuyasha was following Miroku back to Mayu's village – the monk looked about ready to fall over. They said their goodbyes to the others and made their way to the village in silence. They were greeted by the villagers right away. They thanked Miroku for ridding them of the evil spirit and eagerly explained how they were going to begin rebuilding the Ikeda house right away. They showed him to where Satoru and his mother were staying. They were curled together on the floor, red-eyed and quiet. They exchanged quiet words, but Satoru had just discovered of his sister's death and was in desperate need of his mother's comfort. Inuyasha followed Miroku to the site of the Ikeda house.

Miroku knelt by the small grave that had been erected for Mayu and said some quiet prayers. Inuyasha stood off to the side, arms crossed. It was late in the afternoon, as they were preparing to leave the village, that Miroku saw her. Mayu floated down to him, dressed in a blue yukata tied with a bright yellow bow.

"Hello again, Mayu," he greeted with a small smile.

"I wanted to see you again one last time before I left!" Mayu smiled brilliantly. "I wanted to say thank you!"

"You're very welcome." Despite himself, Miroku felt a genuine tug at his lips. "That's a beautiful yukata."

"Thanks! My mommy made it just for me." She glanced over her shoulder. "I'd better be going now. Bye!"

Miroku watched her disappear into the sky, surrounded by a soft golden glow as the gentle sounds of pipes slowly quieted into silence.

* * *

Note that I didn't really know what to call Mrs. Ikeda. While there is an Ikeda clan at this time period in Japan, I don't know the significance of someone with that surname, but I didn't want to just make up a name for her. If you have any insight on the matter, please let me know!


	13. Chapter 13: s1e13

Warnings for this chapter: it gets a little gay. Also death and gore and all that jazz, and some swearing and pretty negative self-talk from Inuyasha.

Note: as was pointed out to me in a comment, the spirit in youkai and hanyou should actually be spelled 'youki', which is how I'll be spelling it from now on. I'll probably go back and fix it in the previous chapters once I actually get around to editing this thing.

* * *

Miroku smiled at the sunlight dancing across the water, the birds chirping in the air, and the cool breeze that flowed down the river. They had left Kaede's village early the day before, successfully convincing Shippo that they were only going on a small trip and would be back soon. It wasn't technically a lie – he and Inuyasha had spoken, and both agreed that they would stop by Kaede's from time to time to recover from injuries or restock on supplies. They simply needed to convince Shippo that it was safer for him to remain in the human village. For now, it was a beautiful day, and Miroku was feeling good.

Inuyasha sat before him on the boat they had borrowed, back rigidly straight and ears pricked up in case of danger. He had barely said a word all day, and Miroku could feel the nervous energy radiating from him. He had no idea what caused it, but he tried his best to draw a smile from the hanyou.

"Such a beautiful day," he murmured, just loud enough to be heard over the water and hum of insects. "The sun feels amazing."

Inuyasha glared at him over his shoulder. "Would you mind focusing a little? We're not here to look at the scenery."

The words lacked any real bite, but they weren't their usual mocking banter, either. Miroku shrugged with a dazzling smile. "I don't detect any signs of the Jewel around here. I'll keep my senses heightened, though." He lay down in the boat, cushioning his head with his hands. "I wouldn't mind stopping early tonight. I'd love to swim in the water."

"We ain't wasting time on things like that," Inuyasha sniffed pointedly. "Regardless of how much you need it."

Even as Miroku chuckled, Inuyasha growled to himself. Everything was moving much too slowly for his liking. They had discussed searching this part of Musashi ages ago, and they were supposed to be well in the middle of the forest by now, safe from prying eyes. But _nooo_, Miroku just had to get eaten by a wooden mask and play with dead children, and now they were floating merrily down the river like they had all the time in the world! They were collecting Jewels _way_ too slowly and- And it wasn't supposed to happen this way. He'd wanted to have Miroku safely tucked away in some mansion or shrine so he could creep away unnoticed without feeling guilty. He'd still have to find somewhere to dump the monk once the sun set, but unlike all the other times, now he had more than just himself to worry about.

To make matters worse, he could feel the monk's eyes boring into his back. He huffed and resolutely ignored him. Instead he turned his senses outward, scanning the area for danger while he still could. That's how he spotted the gossamer threads shimmering in the sunlight.

"What is it?" Miroku asked as he stiffened.

Inuyasha stood, catching sight of more and more strands all clustered together. "Spider webs?"

He broke through them easily with his claws, but some of them stuck to his hand and sleeve. Myoga peered down from his shoulder. "Master Inuyasha, what matter of webs are they?"

Nope. Not today. "Nothing to be concerned about."

"Up there!" Miroku cried out behind him in concern.

Inuyasha's heart sank. How the hell had he missed the frantic human heartbeat up there? Let alone the pungent sent of demon? He watched as a young woman backed away from whatever youkai was after her, moving closer and closer to the edge of the cliff above them.

"Get away from me!" she shouted, voice defiant yet shrill with fear.

The demon lunged at her and she stumbled back, over the edge of the cliff. Inuyasha heard Miroku shoot to his feet behind him, felt the boat sway at the movement. Like that was gonna happen. He jumped, easily catching the falling human and landed safely on a rock on the side of the river.

Miroku smiled to himself and shouted "Nice catch!" at them. Inuyasha repeatedly showed that he cared for humans, despite his words to the contrary. They both watched the demon retreat back into the forest above, likely sensing that its prey was beyond its reach. Job well done, then. Miroku was more than happy to sit back and let the hanyou take the praise. Unfortunately, the young damsel in distress didn't appear to be of the same mind. She looked at Inuyasha and began murmuring thanks, then startled and shoved herself away from him, hard.

"Demon!" she shrieked, smacking him hard on the side of the head. "Unhand me!"

Miroku watched in mild horror as she tried to push herself out of Inuyasha's arms, while he simultaneously stumbled back from the blow, sending them both careening into the river. Well, looked like he'd need to get wet after all. Miroku tossed his staff down in the boat and, as an afterthought, quickly untied his kesa before diving into the water. He easily reached the young woman, who appeared to be a fairly strong swimmer on her own. She immediately clung to him, though, so he wasn't complaining. After a quick nod at Inuyasha, who glared at him from further down the river, he wrapped one arm around the woman's shoulders and struck out for the shore.

They dragged themselves onto dry land and the woman instantly clambered to her feet and away from him. Miroku sighed, ringing out some of the water from his hair. He checked to make sure that Inuyasha was safely bringing in the boat before turning back to the shivering woman, who had the distinct appearance of a half-drowned rat.

"Why don't you sit down while I build a fire?" he suggested, and the woman nodded silently.

There were plenty of small branches which had fallen from the forested cliffs above, and the agate and striker were still safely tucked in his koromo. Inuyasha sat a fair distance away, his back to them, arms crossed. After fetching his kesa and staff from the boat, Miroku sat down near the young woman and began ringing out the fabric of his koromo.

"Do you mind my asking what was after you in the forest?" he asked, not looking at the woman, who still seemed spooked.

"A demon known as the Spider Head," she muttered, arms crossed and staring into the fire. "These mountains have been plagued by their evil presence since early spring. Several villagers have already been attacked. Spider Heads trap humans in their web, paralyze them, and devour them alive." She shook her head. "They're _terrifying_ demons."

Miroku glanced between her and Inuyasha. "We may be able to provide some assistance in this matter. You see, my friend and I have experience battling demons."

"Any sign of the Jewel fragments?" Inuyasha asked over his shoulder before the woman could respond.

"I haven't sensed anything," Miroku admitted, tying his kesa back into place. "Not in the area or when the Spider Head attacked."

"Then let's move out," Inuyasha decided, rising to his feet but still not turning. "I wanna cross these mountains before nightfall."

Miroku frowned. "We can't just walk away. There's a demon threatening the people here."

Inuyasha sighed and turned, ears held back and voice strangely subdued. "Listen… I'm not gonna go hunting down demons every time a human comes running scared to me. I don't need their goodwill."

Miroku rose to his feet and walked over to stand beside Inuyasha, turning them both away from the young woman. "Inuyasha, I know she has treated you poorly and I'm sorry that she's being so prejudiced, but isn't that all the more reason to help her and change her perceptions of youkai and hanyou?"

Inuyasha snorted and took a step away from him. "You don't get it."

The young woman shot to her feet before Miroku could respond. "I'm leaving! Being obliged to a demon does not sit well with me."

Miroku couldn't suppress a frustrated sigh. "Feigning some measure of gratitude might sit better with _us_, though."

She gave them the shortest, most insincere bow Miroku had ever seen. "Thank you for your assistance."

"Before you go," Miroku grumbled. "I don't suppose you would consider bearing my child?"

The woman gasped, deeply offended. "You're just as bad as that demon!"

She moved over to the cliff face and began using a few of the sparse vines to climb up the sheer rock. Miroku knew instantly that the vines wouldn't support her weight, and watched as they either snapped or broke off at the roots, leaving the woman to tumble to the ground. He sighed and looked over at Inuyasha, who was watching the proceedings with distain and faint amusement.

"I'm going to help her get home, at least," Miroku insisted gently. "It's not safe for her out here on her own. I can meet up with you and Myoga once I'm done."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes and looked away. Miroku walked over to the young woman. She was kneeling on the ground and clutching her ankle, which was obviously sprained from her short fall. "I can carry you on my back," he suggested softly.

"No way!" the woman cried out, glaring at him. "You're a complete stranger! You're a lecher and you travel with demons!"

"I can also climb cliffs and have two working legs," Miroku shot back. "I only want to help you get home."

Thankfully she conceded his point and climbed onto his back. Less fortunately, it was more difficult than previously anticipated to climb a cliff with no good hand- or footholds. Progress was painfully slow, and his ribs still ached from the events with Mayu three days previously. By the time they'd made it half-way up the cliff he was panting, dripping in sweat, and his chest was screaming in protest. He glanced down at Inuyasha, who stood with crossed arms at the base of the cliff, glaring up at them. The hanyou sighed then jumped, catching hold of both of them on his way past and dragging them to the top of the cliff.

"You were taking all day," he growled as he dumped them on the forest floor.

"Many thanks, Inuyasha," Miroku grinned as he retrieved his staff from the young woman. "Shall we?" He helped her to her feet, then had a better idea. "Inuyasha, my ribs are giving me some trouble. Would you mind…?"

He gestured at the woman, who blanched slightly as she realized what he was suggesting. Inuyasha eyed him suspiciously, but he wasn't exactly lying. He just had a few ulterior motives, mostly in the vein of showing the young woman how wrong she was in her perception of the hanyou. They set off at a rather rapid pace in the direction the young woman had pointed them, and soon saw a long, winding set of stairs leading up to a gate which marked the entrance to the temple. Miroku smiled as the faint smell of incense seemed to clear some of the heaviness in his chest, though he saw Inuyasha's nose wrinkle. As they reached the top of the stairs, an old monk came out to greet them.

"You have returned," he observed, his steady eyes taking in Miroku's robes and mala beads, Inuyasha's sword and dog ears. "Are you injured, Nazuna?"

"Master!" the young woman shrieked, throwing herself off Inuyasha's back and throwing herself at the monk's feet.

"Hm. I feared that a Spider Head may have attacked you."

"It spied me while I attended the gravesites," Nazuna muttered, rubbing her injured ankle. "I had no choice but to rely on these _demons_," she spat the word. "To bring me home. I'm sorry master."

Miroku raised his eyebrows. "All demons are not equal, nor are my companions a danger to you."

The master looked thoughtfully surprised. "I don't suppose they are."

Inuyasha huffed and pointedly looked away. "Don't worry, we're leaving anyway."

"Wait, friends!" the master insisted. "You must stay the night here with us, at the temple."

"No, master!" Nazuna cried out.

"Go," he ordered her gently but firmly. "Prepare a meal for your kind guests."

"Yes," she sighed and walked dejectedly to another part of the temple.

Miroku found himself utterly obliged to the master, and not just for the food. He had been worried that the experience would only harm Inuyasha's relations with humans, but it seemed that they had finally found one who was more accepting.

"I beg you to forgive Nazune for her rudeness," the master sighed. "Her parents were killed by a Spider Head and she has harboured an understandable fear of demons since the incident. I have attempted to quell her fears, but to no avail."

"Are there many Spider Heads in the area?" Miroku asked. "We were planning on passing through the mountains tonight."

The master hummed, looking concerned. "As the number of men dying in wars increases, so do the number of Spider Heads, by leaps and bounds."

Miroku nodded thoughtfully. "Hm, I fear that it would be too dangerous for us to try to cross the mountains now. It's almost nightfall and I don't doubt that we would be attacked."

Inuyasha's eyes almost bulged out of his head as he stared at him. "You coward! We're on a quest, here, and I refuse to let some measly spiders stop us!"

Myoga coughed from his shoulder, radiating fear. "Miroku does have a point, you know."

"Stay the night with us and rest with ease," the master assured. "I have posted sutras throughout the temple to ward off any demons from attacking us."

"All demons?" Miroku asked, glancing meaningfully at Inuyasha and Myoga.

"Specifically Spider Heads."

"Interesting."

Inuyasha groaned, interrupting the two monks. "Suppose there's no sense arguing."

Though it was the outcome Miroku had been hoping for, he couldn't help but feel a twinge of disappointment at the frown fixed on Inuyasha's face. He simply hoped that some good food would lift his spirits, and that the master would help to show him that humans could be good to him.

As Nazuna prepared their meal, Miroku took advantage of the temple. He doused himself in the smoke from the incense and prayed at the Butsuzo statue. He also examined the master's sutras, interested to see how sutras could be tailored to specific demons. Both Inuyasha and Myoga seemed utterly unaffected by them. He didn't recognize the characters used at all, but he supposed it could be a regional tradition. He made a note to ask the master monk about it later.

Though neither she nor the master joined them for the meal, Nazuna turned out to be a phenomenal cook. Miroku practically inhaled the meal, in no small part due to finally being able to enjoy Buddhist food. The rice, tofu, and spring vegetables were delicious, and even Myoga seemed to enjoy it. Inuyasha, though, refused to talk throughout the meal and didn't touch his food. He simply sat in the open doorway, watching the last rays of the sun disappear through the trees.

Inuyasha held Tessaiga closer against his chest, feeling the anxiety rippling through him. This wasn't how it was supposed to go. He could still run, still get away if he hurried, but Miroku would demand an explanation and probably come after him if he did. Besides, he wouldn't be able to fight off the Spider Heads if they attacked, not while he was like…_that_. Miroku was chattering away with Myoga, had given up trying to draw Inuyasha into conversation some time ago. Not that he blamed him. He wasn't any good today, anyway. If anything happened, he would be worse than useless – he was a liability. He couldn't even protect himself, let alone Miroku. He was such a waste of space, such a- Miroku was standing next to him, looking at him with those big, violet eyes full of concern.

"Is something the matter?" he asked quietly.

"It's nothing," Inuyasha grumbled, only to have the monk peer at him with more scrutiny. "What? You got a problem?"

"I know what's going on, Inuyasha," Miroku sighed.

Inuyasha's heart froze in his chest. _Nononononono_-

"It must hurt to be treated such by humans, even after you help them," Miroku said, the sweet, clueless idiot. "But that's why we need to change their minds!"

Inuyasha blinked at him, an odd mixture of gratitude, amusement, and fondness pushing aside some of his fear. Then he sighed, leaning his head back against the doorframe. He couldn't stand the look that Miroku was giving him, all gentle concern and misguided support. He wasn't some kid who got his feelings hurt because someone teased him. If Miroku really knew what was going on, he'd be right there with the other humans – or worse, he'd realize how useless he was, what a disastrous mistake hanyou were.

"Inuyasha?" Miroku asked in the same gentle tone, and that was it.

Inuyasha shoved himself to his feet and stalked out of the room. He couldn't deal with this, not now – not when the world was growing darker in more ways than one.

"Where are you going?"

"To get some fresh air!" he shot back. "I'm sleeping outside tonight."

Before the last shred of his rational side – or Miroku – could convince him what a bad idea that was, he saw them. Dozens of pairs of red eyes glowed from the trees both in and outside the temple walls. _Damn, _his sense of smell was dead. They were surrounded. A few of them jumped from the trees to land in front of him, hunched over with their long, spindly arms bent at odd angles. They were dressed in shredded clothes, and most held at least one sword. He sensed Miroku come up behind him, heard the quiet intake of breath. A crash came from behind them, and a couple more ripped through the paper-screen wall.

"Their numbers are great, but they are not a formidable enemy," Myoga assured from Inuyasha's shoulder. "Up for some after-dinner exercise, Master?"

Fear rippled along Inuyasha's spine, settling in his stomach. He pulled out Tessaiga, but it didn't transform. "Yeah, ward them off! So much for the old monk's sutras!"

He ran at the nearest Spider Head, clashing swords immediately. It was harder than it should've been. He was already weakening. He glanced back at Miroku, who batted away a pair of Spider Heads before opening the wind tunnel. A shriek travelled across the gathered demons as they scampered away from the monk.

"Miroku, get out of here!" Inuyasha shouted, slicing at the Spider Head closest to him. "I'll be right behind you."

Miroku gave Inuyasha an incredulous look, though the hanyou didn't see it. Yes, there were many demons, but Myoga was right – they hardly posed much of a threat. A solid third of them had already been sucked into his wind tunnel, and they'd barely started. Did Inuyasha know something he didn't? Was something worse coming? Any why hadn't the Tessaiga transformed? He watched as one of the Spider Heads shot a long stream of silk at Inuyasha, covering him in the sticky threads. Something wasn't right.

"Hurry and do as I say!" the hanyou insisted, batting away some of the silk before more hit him square in the face.

Inuyasha growled and thrust blindly with his sword, hitting nothing but air. So far he'd only managed to push a couple of the demons back, and more were gathering all the time. A group of them surrounded him, shooting more and more spider's silk all over him. The strands stuck to the ground, binding him there. He tried desperately to lift his sword arm but the hundreds of strands were too strong. He heard the jingle of the staff a heartbeat before it cut through the curtain of silk, freeing him. Miroku's hands were on him, pushing him along the temple wall.

Miroku ground his teeth and shoved Inuyasha behind him before tearing off the mala beads and pulling a few more Spider Heads into his wind tunnel. Whatever was going on with Inuyasha, it was turning the tide of an otherwise underwhelming battle. Using the slight reprieve as the Spider Heads ran from the wind tunnel, Miroku grabbed hold of Inuyasha's sleeve and dragged him along behind him. They ran through the gate of the temple, out to the forest beyond. He hoped that Nazuna and the master could hold off for now, because Inuyasha was his priority.

He slowed to a stop once the overwhelming aura of Spider Head youki had faded slightly. Inuyasha continued a few steps past him, panting and still covered in sticky web. He fell to one knee, bracing himself on Tessaiga with a muttered "Damnit."

Miroku frowned with a sharp stab of concern. "What's going on?"

"Leave me alone!" Inuyasha growled, a vicious bite that Miroku hadn't heard before.

"Inuyasha," he tried again, reaching for the hanyou's shoulder. "What's wrong?"

A wave of shock hit him like a wall. Under the silver strands of spider silk was ebony black hair. He pulled his hand back without thinking, taking some of the web with him. Inuyasha didn't meet his eyes. His head was bowed and he grimaced as he pulled the rest of the silk from his hair.

"Forget about me for now," he grumbled, shooting an angry, brown-eyed glare at Miroku. "Worry about yourself, for once."

"What…" Miroku trailed off, mind racing.

Inuyasha let out a small, humourless laugh as he pushed himself away from Miroku, sitting back against a nearby tree. "If you think I can protect you this time, think again."

"What is this?" Miroku asked in a hushed whisper.

He looked at the hanyou, really looked. The dog ears were gone, and new human ears had sprouted at the side of his head. Not only his hair but his eyes had gone dark. The claws at his fingertips were replaced by blunt, human-looking nails.

"What's happened? Were you poisoned by the venom of the Spider Heads?"

"Don't you get it?" Inuyasha snarled, exposing blunt human teeth. "I can't protect you anymore! I can't do anything!"

"Well," Miroku said cautiously, moving to sit down beside Inuyasha. "I guess it can be my turn to protect you, for once." Inuyasha shot him an incredulous look, though Miroku could see the fear and desperate hope in his eyes. "So, what's going on?"

Inuyasha huffed and looked away. "Quit starin'."

Miroku reached out with his mind and was only mildly surprised to find no youki in him. "I was unaware that you could change yourself into a human."

"All hanyou are subject to certain times where they lose their youkai powers," Myoga explained, settling on Miroku's shoulder. "They are effectively mortal. For Master Inuyasha, the time must fall on the first night of the new cycle."

Miroku glanced at the sky, only just realizing the lack of moon amongst the countless stars. "The new moon."

"Because this is a life-threatening period, hanyou don't reveal their weakness lightly." Myoga jumped onto Inuyasha's shoulder, pounding on it with tiny fists. "Why, Master? Why did you not inform us that your period of vulnerability was impending? Why didn't you tell _me?_"

"Please," Inuyasha stated flatly. "If I had, you would've taken off a long time ago."

Myoga huffed and turned his back, arms crossed. "Have you not a whit of trust in me?"

"Yeah, I trust you to run away when there's trouble!"

"And what about me?" Miroku asked quietly, looking out into the forest beyond them. "If you had told me about tonight, I would never have insisted on staying at the temple. I could have helped more. Have you so little faith in me, too?"

Inuyasha growled and wrapped his arms around his middle, hugging himself. Anger warred with the need to reassure. "I don't trust anyone! Got it? It has nothing to do with you." He sighed. "It's just the way I've lived until now – the only way I know how to protect myself."

"I understand. It must be a difficult time, and I can only imagine how others might take advantage of it," Miroku shifted ever so slightly to the side, so the length of his upper arm was pressed into the hanyou's. "But Inuyasha, we're going to be travelling together for a long time. We need to be able to rely on each other, to tell each other these things. After all that we've already been through, I would hope that you've begun to trust me, as your friend."

Inuyasha hunched down at the words, shooting a glance at the monk. "Why do you look so sad all of a sudden?"

Miroku smiled softly, glancing up at the stars. "I hope that you can learn to trust me, that is all. Everyone needs to trust someone."

A rustling in the bushes interrupted Inuyasha's mild attempts at forming coherent thought. He snatched Tessaiga and held it out protectively. He tried to feel reassured rather than utterly useless as Miroku stood half in front of him, holding out his staff. Instantly he relaxed, and Inuyasha peered around him to see what had caused the sudden change.

"Nazuna!" Miroku greeted with relief. "I'm so glad you're safe."

"Please," she cried out, grabbing on to Miroku's sleeve. "You must return and aide my master."

"What?" Inuyasha snarled. "You want us to go _back?_"

"Your demon is strong," Nazuna continued to Miroku, utterly ignoring Inuyasha. "I'm certain he can assist us."

"Heh. Now what were you saying about being obliged to demons? Go get the old monk to write up some more sutras."

Finally, the young woman looked at him. "Your countenance seems altered. Has your hair changed?"

Inuyasha glared at her. "Fuck off."

Miroku sighed. "Inuyasha, I'm going back even if you're not. I can't just let the master die."

Inuyasha groaned and heaved himself to his feet. "Fine, just stay behind me. The Tessaiga won't transform for me tonight, but I'll be able to handle a few Spider Heads on my own strength."

They fought their way into the temple with surprising ease, with only a few Spider Heads still hanging about. Inuyasha followed Miroku's lead as he focused on a youkai presence coming from inside the temple walls. They burst into one of the rooms, surprised to find it empty.

"What-" Miroku started, before something slammed into him from the side.

Inuyasha watched in horror as the master crouched over Miroku, his neck extending out to bite through the monk's robes, ripping out the bag containing the Jewel shards with his teeth. He then picked up Miroku by the front of his kesa and flung him bodily aside. Inuyasha grabbed a piece of wood on the ground, part of the wall broken when the first Spider Heads attacked, and hurled it at the master like a spear. It caught the hand which held the cloth bag, knocking it from the master's grasp and tearing it open in the process. A few of the shards scattered across the floor. Inuyasha growled at the master, taking in the elongated limbs and newly-revealed fangs.

"So you were planning this right from the start," Inuyasha snarled as the demon turned to him with a sneer.

"I could hardly contain myself when I saw you," the demon grinned. "The hanyou rumoured to possess shards of the Shikon Jewel."

Inuyasha held the demon's gaze steadily, trying to keep his attention for a moment longer, but soon his head whipped around to see what was going on behind him. Miroku was there, snatching the remnants of the cloth bag and reaching for the other Jewel shards. The demon snaked his head around and clamped his mouth to the ground, swallowing up the fallen shards before Miroku could reach them. The monk jumped to his feet and caught the side of the demon's head with his staff, but the damage was done. At least half of their shards had disappeared down his throat. Miroku danced away nimbly as the demon struck at him, running back to Inuyasha's side.

One of the demon's arms shot out at Miroku and Inuyasha pushed him aside on instinct. The hand caught him instead, throwing him back and pinning him to the wall by his throat.

"How _unfortunate_ that you come to me tonight," the demon grinned. "Just as my web of deceit was closing."

"I may not have my powers, but I'll still crush you!" Inuyasha shot back, struggling in the demon's grip.

Miroku lunged at the demon, gouging flesh from his side with his staff before one of the spindly arms caught the weapon. The demon used the monk's forward momentum to drag him off his feet. Inuyasha used the distraction to break the demon's grip on him. He pushed himself off the wall, only to be hit by a wave of silken thread which knocked him to the ground.

"Finally, this charade is over," the demon smirked, dropping more and more of his human appearance. "Pretending to be human is quite a burden."

Vast streams of silk shot from his mouth, building a giant web around them. Inuyasha was yanked upwards, suspended in midair by the sticky threads. The demon's head shot toward him, and he could do nothing but watch as the fangs sunk deep into his shoulder. He gasped, feeling the venom pumping into his system. As the demon released the bite, he felt his body slump, cold and numb and unresponsive.

"Now then," the demon turned back to Miroku. "I'll take the rest of the Jewel shards."

Miroku didn't bother to respond. He hacked away at the various pillars of silk forming the giant web, trying to bring the entire structure down. He dodged the demon's arm which shot at him, but there was little else he could do. Both the demon and Inuyasha were suspended by the ceiling, far from his reach. He paused as he heard footsteps approaching.

Nazuna burst in, wielding a shovel. Her eyes widened as she took in the scene before her. "Master! I- I don't understand…"

Miroku really wished that there was an easier way to break it to her, but Inuyasha's eyes were glazed over and he hung limply from the strands of the master's web. "He deceived you and poisoned Inuyasha." He turned to the hanyou in question. "Hold on. I'm coming!"

He ran for the web, switching tactics. He paused only to put up a quick barrier to block the wall of silk that shot at him. A small cheer came from his shoulder, and he was mildly surprised to see Myoga giving him an encouraging look. If the flea thought he was safe enough to stick around, they might actually have a shot.

The demon cackled as he poked at Inuyasha. "Better hurry, monk. Your hanyou's innards will already be starting to liquefy."

"Master!" Nazuna cried out. "How can you do this?"

Miroku ran to the base of the web and started to climb, hauling himself up the vertical support strands and avoiding the sticky horizontal ones as much as possible. He heard a mumble and looked up to see Inuyasha staring at him, wide-eyed.

"Miroku…" he gasped out. "…run…save yourself…"

"Nope."

"I'm serious," Inuyasha moaned. "It's too late for me."

Miroku grimaced and launched himself off the web, slamming into Inuyasha's prone form. Some of the strands snapped on impact, and he blindly swung above them with his staff, severing the rest. They landed on the ground, hard. Miroku was instantly on his feet, hauling Inuyasha over his shoulder. He staggered slightly under the hanyou's heavy frame, but kept his feet. The doorway was blocked with gathering Spider Heads, and the master was already reaching for them. He turned to Nazuna, struggling to keep his voice level.

"We need to go – not outside."

She nodded, gripping her shovel tighter. "There's a room at the end of the hall. Quickly!"

"You cannot flee!" the master shrieked, scurrying down the web towards them.

Miroku tossed his staff at Nazuna and grabbed a sutra from his robes. He threw it at the demon, hitting him square in the face. They ran down the hall to a small supply room, Nazuna sliding the wooden door shut behind them. Miroku unceremoniously dumped Inuyasha onto the floor before spinning around and slamming another sutra onto the door.

"See what a real sutra does, you demon!" he shouted.

A heavy thud reverberated through the door as the master slammed into it, quickly followed by his pounding fists. "You wretches!"

After a heartbeat to ensure that the door would indeed hold, Miroku dropped to his knees by Inuyasha's side. Underneath the robes of the Fire Rat, two small nicks marked the demon's bite. So small for such a powerful injury. He took the hanyou's hand, alarmed to find it cold and clammy. Inuyasha always ran hot in the past, a source of warmth by Miroku's side in cold nights. Was it the venom? Or was it just part of his mortal transformation?

"Inuyasha, stay with me," he pleaded, wrapping both his hands around the hanyou's. "Please, hold on. Can you hear me?"

There was no response. Miroku watched the laboured rise and fall of his chest, the hint of red at the corners of his pale mouth. The cold claws of horror dug into his heart at the thought that Inuyasha might not be able to survive such strong toxins in his human form. He had no idea of the limits of this mortal body. And all this because he had insisted on them staying at the temple – had misread the signs which he now knew were Inuyasha desperately trying to hide this vulnerable state. Miroku held back a sob. It was all his fault.

The demon continued his vicious assault on the door, the constant banging only heightening Miroku's sense of dread. Nazuna was huddled in the corner, the shovel clutched in her hands and Miroku's staff leaning against the wall. She stared at him with wide, frightened eyes. He forcefully blinked back tears and watched as Myoga jumped down onto Inuyasha's chest.

"I shall draw the poison from his blood."

The flea dug into Inuyasha's neck and immediately swelled in size, gulping down mouthful after mouthful of hanyou blood. Only once he reached the size of a human toddler did he roll away from Inuyasha, sweat beading along his brow.

"Master Inuyasha's survival will depend on his own strength from this point."

Miroku nodded gratefully, clasping Inuyasha's hand tighter in his own. Beneath the sounds of banging on the door, Miroku focused in on the hanyou's rapid breathing. He took in the paleness of his skin, the sweat on his forehead, the pinched and pained expression. It was all his fault. He reached out tentatively and brushed the hair from Inuyasha's eyes. Those same eyes opened slowly, blinking in confusion.

"I'm sorry," Miroku breathed, fearful of speaking too loudly. "I didn't mean to wake you."

"No…" Inuyasha gasped, eyes slowly sliding over to him before he shuddered and looked away. "Miroku…"

"Yes?"

Inuyasha groaned, his hand tightening around Miroku's. "Why- why are you crying?"

Miroku blinked in surprise before registering the wetness on his cheeks. Huh. "I was frightened. I thought I might lose you."

He carefully didn't mention that he still might, that the fear was choking his throat and heart and he could barely breathe because of it.

"Miroku," Inuyasha gasped out again, an odd note of urgency in his faint voice. "May I lie on your lap?"

While it was a surprising request, Miroku wasted no time in pulling Inuyasha towards him, nestling his head in his lap. The hanyou sighed softly, turning his head to bury his nose in Miroku's stomach. Without thinking, Miroku reached out and ran a hand through Inuyasha's hair. When the hanyou visibly sagged against him, he did it again. Slowly, Inuyasha's breathing evened out into something approaching sleep. Miroku knelt there as time slipped away. He didn't move, even as his legs began to cramp and his back ached from sitting hunched over.

Nazuna and Myoga were asleep, the flea slowly shrinking back to normal size. The constant pounding on the door remained as the demon continually tried to break through the wood. Every so often, the sutra on the door would wear out under the constant attack, and Miroku would throw another to take its place. That's how he continued throughout the night. As the sky began to lighten with the upcoming dawn, Miroku reached into his robes to find that no more sutras remained.

He sighed lightly and wove his fingers into Inuyasha's hair once more. So that's how it was to be. The reprieve had already lasted longer than he could've hoped. When the master, or any of the other Spider Heads broke through the door, he would be ready. He glanced down at Inuyasha's face, knowing that at any moment he would need to spring into action. Somehow, he knew that Inuyasha was awake, though his eyes remained closed.

"How do you feel?" he murmured, stroking across the hanyou's brow with his thumb.

"Fine," Inuyasha whispered back, turning his face into Miroku's robes once more. "You smell nice."

A wry smile tugged at his lips. "Oh? I thought you said I smelled terrible."

Inuyasha shook his head, winding his arms around Miroku's waist. "I was lying."

Miroku felt the lump in his throat, the pounding of his heart in his chest, but he pushed those feelings aside. Inuyasha sounded so painfully sincere – he wondered how conscious he was, how aware of the words which spilled from his lips. Surely he wouldn't be so forthcoming if he wasn't so weakened by venom and mortality. Miroku pursed his lips, determined not to pry. Inuyasha would tell him everything in his own time – he just had to be patient. It didn't matter what his own traitorous heart had decided.

A slight cracking sound came from the door, and Miroku glanced over to see the last of his sutras give out. The door shuddered and split. Cracks formed along the ceiling as well, and Miroku saw dozens of Spider Heads gathering outside the small room. Myoga woke with a start, instantly assessing the situation.

"The demons will break through. Get the Master out of here!"

"We'll have to carry him," Miroku said, wincing as he stood and his whole body protested.

The wall next to him exploded inward, revealing a dozen Spider Heads. A heartbeat later, the master burst through the door, already reaching for Miroku. The demon's hand wrapped around his right forearm and dragged him outside. He swung Miroku into the air, another clawed hand ripping into his robes to where the rest of the Jewel shards were tucked away. Miroku tried to fight back, but his staff lay in the rubble next to Nazuna. The master swallowed the rest of the Jewels, cloth bag and all, and almost lazily dropped Miroku to the ground.

The master cackled as dark, hairy spider's skin burst through the last remnants of his human form. He had already grown more than four times his original size, and eight long limbs held him aloft. Miroku ran back to Inuyasha's side, crouching over the hanyou's unconscious form. He grabbed his staff just as the Spider Heads swarmed them. He sucked in the first wave with his wind tunnel, but they were pouring in from all sides and he couldn't keep up. He heard a cackle and glanced over just in time to see Nazuna swinging her shovel at the master, hacking into one of his legs in the process.

"How dare you possess the body of my dear master!" she cried out, wielding the shovel like a sword.

"Your master never existed," the demon laughed cruelly. "It was all a trap to lure the hanyou and his Jewel shards to me."

"It was you!" Nazuna gasped. "You slaughtered my parents and the other villagers?"

"You served me well, gullible fool." The master reached out and snatched Nazuna from the ground. "Your fears are over – once I consume you, you'll become one of us!"

Miroku glanced desperately between Nazuna and the other Spider Heads. She was moments from being eaten, but he knew as soon as he stepped away, Inuyasha would be dead. The Spider Heads pressed ever closer, reaching with skeletal limbs and grasping hands. He grimaced and swept his hand across the demons, sucking enough into the wind tunnel that the rest scurried back. He grabbed his staff and ran, but instantly one of them jumped on his back, tackling him to the ground. He rolled and stabbed it through the chest with his staff, but it was too late, he'd never reach Nazuna in time-

Inuyasha sprang into action, pulling Tessaiga from its sheath as he ran for the master. Several hands shot for him, stopping him in his tracks, but the hanyou only smirked. Miroku tugged his staff from the Spider Head's body, only for another to ram into his side. He shot a wild-eyed glance at the hanyou, watching with growing dread as the rest of the Spider Heads began running towards him. "_Inuyasha!_"

A wave of light broke over the temple walls. The master dropped Nazuna and lifted Inuyasha high into the air, hands clasped all over his body. "You're a fine human specimen."

Inuyasha smirked as the lingering pain and weakness began to flow out of him in a rush of youkai power. "Don't be so sure about that."

The master's eyes widened, and the first scent that hit Inuyasha's newly heightened sense was the sour smell of fear. He drew Inuyasha towards his mouth, jaws opening wide. Inuyasha smirked.

"If there's one thing I can't stand, it's an arrogant spider who doesn't know when to keep his hands off!"

He swung Tessaiga, transforming it as he did so, and the master's four arms dropped to the ground. He shot upwards using his youki and held the sword above his head. He watched Miroku dive on top of Nazuna, a barrier shimmering to life around the humans a heartbeat before Tessaiga sliced through the air in a powerful strike. A golden wave of pure power flowed from the blade, sweeping up the master, the rest of the Spider Heads, and a good chunk of the temple in its wake.

Inuyasha landed on the ground and instantly made out the hammering of two human heartbeats – plus whatever the hell Myoga's heart was doing. He led out a slightly shaky breath – Tessaiga had never unleashed anything so powerful before, and he was worried that Miroku might not have been able to hold up a barrier against the attack. But no, the monk was there, staring at him with shining eyes. He let out another breath, one he hadn't even known he'd been holding, and stumbled towards the humans. He stopped when his foot hit something which sent a jolt of power up his leg. A hunk of pink stood out amongst the demon grime. He picked it up and examined it. It was the beginnings of a sphere, but barely more than a crescent moon in the stages of completion.

"It must have fused inside the demon's body," Miroku observed, coming to stand beside him.

"Is that really all we have so far?" Inuyasha sighed, passing it over to the monk. "I thought we had a lot more!"

"Still enough to impress me," Miroku shrugged, and Inuyasha was taken aback by the open honesty of his smile.

He shouldn't've been so surprised when Miroku grabbed him into a hug. He should've minded a lot more than he did. Instead he wound his arms around the monk and held him close, inhaling the familiar scent. It had been too close, this time. Too fucking close.

They burned and buried the bones of the master and the other Spider Heads, and Miroku said a quick prayer over their graves. Nazuna insisted that she would be alright in the village where she was raised, despite having no family left there. All three of them travelled back to the cliffs where they first met, pleased to find the boat still safely on the shore. They made their way downriver, until Nazuna told them to stop.

"This is far enough. The village is close by."

"Take care of yourself," Miroku said, helping her out of the boat.

Nazuna took a few steps away before turning. "Oh, and Inuyasha? I appreciate your help. I'll try to remember that some demons aren't all bad – not many, but some."

Inuyasha huffed. "Don't kid yourself, Nazuna. All demons are bad – it's that simple."

"I won't forget you!" she called after them as the boat drifted further downstream. "You'll always be in my prayers, Inuyasha!"

The hanyou scoffed and looked away. "Heh, whatever."

He sat down in the boat, arms folded neatly and poised. Miroku smiled as he pondered Inuyasha's back. He seemed remarkably recovered, not showing any signs of trouble from the master's venom. He also hadn't said anything about the words that passed between them that night, but he supposed he wasn't likely to with Nazuna there. Miroku pressed a hand against his chest, feeling the Jewel shard safe and heavy under his tattered robes. They had a job to do, and while it was beneficial for them to be more comfortable and trusting around each other, he couldn't afford any distractions.

"Are you gonna keep staring at me?" Inuyasha asked, eyeing Miroku over his shoulder. "Or are you finally gonna say what you wanna say?"

Miroku smiled to himself and shook his head. "I was merely thinking that perhaps we should have stayed with Nazuna for a few more days. She seemed to be growing fond of you."

Inuyasha snorted and turned back to the front of the boat. "You pervert! We don't have time for that right now."

"Still," Miroku sighed, his voice losing its playful edge. "I'm glad that she saw you for who you truly are, not what others fear you to be. I'm sorry that I forced you into that situation, though."

"Feh, it's fine," Inuyasha shrugged, though Miroku could see his shoulders hunch. "You were gonna find out sooner or later. Besides, now I know I can trust you." He shot a smile at the monk. "You're my friend, after all."

* * *

Note that while they refer to the master as a priest in the English dub, it's a Buddhist temple, and therefore he would be a monk, rather than a Shinto priest. I also know that the master transformed his body into the web instead of making it with silk, but nope.

Notes on the moon: the animators seem to throw around phases of the moon willy-nilly, so unless it directly factors into the plot (or it's a new moon, for obvious reasons), I'm just gonna throw their suggested phase out the window and do my own thing. Fitting everything up to this point into less than a month's time in-universe has been tricky, but from now on things are gonna be a bit more loosy-goosy (no, I don't know what's going on with my vocabulary right now). Both the manga and anime take place over a period of less than one year (probably closer to nine months, or one school-year for Kagome). That ain't happening. I wanna make this the slowest burn imaginable. Time is going at my own pace. So in conclusion, if you're rewatching the anime along with this fic, just ignore everything the moon does and prepare for more seasonal changes and longer time-skips.


	14. Chapter 14: s1e14

Warnings for this chapter: canonical character death, kinda-zombies-maybe?, references to past trauma and heartbreak, more negative self-talk from Inuyasha and references to an abusive relationship. Stay safe, everyone.

* * *

He was running through the forest, making barely a sound as the wind rushed past his face. A voice called out his name, angry and hateful. He spun around just in time to see the twisting glare of spiritual power, which curled through the air and struck his chest with a jolt of pure agony. He stumbled back, back against a tree, the arrow pinning him there and sealing his fate. The figure stood across the clearing, obscured by the fog descending over his vision. Familiar scent, priestess robes… Kikyo. Her eyes burned into his, full of love and hatred and an emotion he couldn't identify. He tried to call out to her, but the pain in his chest blossomed into something inescapable, tearing the air from his lungs and causing every muscle in his body to scream.

Inuyasha woke with a gasp, almost falling off the branch he was perched on. He braced himself for a moment as the phantom pain dissipated, though the sour fear lingered on. A dream… It was only a dream. Brought back ugly memories, though. He pressed a hand against his chest, against the patch of skin where the arrow had struck. There wasn't so much as a mark left by Kikyo's arrow, probably something to do with the spiritual powers or the fifty years it'd had to heal. He should be happy about that – one less reminder, after all. Instead it itched under his skin, turned the whole experience into some wordless, intangible fear without proof of it ever existing. He shuddered and jumped down to sit by the fire.

Once staring moodily into the flames got boring, he chanced a look over at Miroku. The monk slept sitting upright with his back against a tree. The usual serene look on his face was replaced by something a little softer, making him look younger. He supposed he was pretty young, even for a human. How did a monk learn so much about fighting and demons? How did he gain the habit of sleeping upright, with his back covered and his weapon in his hands? Miroku was a surprising human – interesting, too. Inuyasha felt his lips quirk into something approaching a smile. A good friend, too.

A pang came from his chest and the smile dropped from his face. He'd thought the same of another human, once, too, and look how that turned out. Icy fingers ran up his spine and he shivered, hunching into himself and moving closer to the fire. It was nice that he could trust Miroku in battle and all, and yeah, having someone else know about the new moon would probably come in handy, but that was it. They were working together for their mission, and that was the extent of it.

He glanced at Miroku and saw the monk's brows furrow slightly before violet eyes were looking back at him. Inuyasha blinked, watching the gaze change rapidly from sleepy to alert, then recognition, then concern.

"Inuyasha?" the monk asked, voice quiet and rough with sleep. "Is everything alright?"

Inuyasha huffed and looked back at the fire, grumbling "Don't worry about it."

To his utter consternation, that seemed to have the opposite of the desired effect. Miroku stretched slightly then shuffled over to sit beside him. "Did something happen?"

"Leave it alone," Inuyasha muttered, the beginnings of a warning growl in his voice.

"Your ears are droopy," Miroku observed sleepily, blinking slowly and repeatedly.

Inuyasha didn't know why he snapped, but he did. He shot to his feet, hands curled and claws ready. "Back off, will you? Just drop it!"

To his credit, Miroku didn't so much as flinch. He just nodded with that stupidly calm look on his face and stood to go back to his tree. But then the wind picked up, and both Miroku and Inuyasha's eyes snapped to the sky. Something was travelling through the air far above them, a black dot against the crescent moon.

"What is that?" Miroku asked, straining his senses. "A demon?"

Inuyasha frowned as the faint smell of fresh blood carried on the breeze, mixed with demon stink. It smelled like human blood. _Wait-_ His heart froze. He recognized that scent. He turned and grabbed Miroku's wrist, kicking dirt over the fire until it was more or less out and then pulled the monk along after him. Miroku had the good sense not to question, just followed along after him through the forest. They kept up a steady pace until they reached the treeline, at which point Inuyasha crouched town and tugged Miroku towards his back. Miroku climbed on instantly, but not without giving the hanyou a quizzical look. Once Inuyasha was launching them forward in giant leaps, Miroku finally had to ask.

"Mind sharing what's going on?"

Inuyasha huffed and ignored him. Miroku contented himself with hanging on tightly and keeping his senses open to any danger. They kept close to the river that they'd been following for the past few days, shooting past the boat they'd left, Nazuna's village, and the path to the temple. As Inuyasha altered their path slightly, Miroku realized that they were heading back to Kaede's village. He hoped nothing had happened. It was already fairly close to dawn when they set off, and the sun was shining by the time the familiar huts came into view. Miroku caught sight of Kaede just as they approached the old miko's hut, and he called out a greeting.

"You're back!" she exclaimed, and there was something haunted in her expression.

"What happened?" Miroku asked, taking in the bandages around her head and the sling on her arm.

"What, you still alive?" Inuyasha drawled as Miroku climbed off his back. "Trust a stubborn old goat like you to refuse to give injuries time to heal."

"Inuyasha! Miroku!" a familiar voice cried out as a ginger blur burst from Kaede's hut.

"Good to see you, too, Shippo," Miroku chuckled, hugging the fox which clung to his face.

"Oh it was awful!" the kit wailed without prompting. "You guys were gone _forever_, and even though granny was taking care of me, I was _so bored_. But then last night this demon came and it was so scary- I mean, I wasn't scared, but many of the villagers were, and granny Kaede was attacked, and-"

The rest of Shippo's story was lost somewhere in Miroku's shoulder as he hugged him tight, while the monk shared a knowing look with Kaede. She gestured to the shrine, and Miroku and Inuyasha followed her lead. Shippo was directed to stay in the hut for now. The monk helped her up the stairs to the tori which marked the gate to the village shrine. Inuyasha followed behind, close enough to catch Kaede if she fell but far enough behind to maintain the illusion of aloofness.

"It is a serious matter, indeed," Kaede murmured. "And one which we must address with utmost haste."

"Swallow your pride and take it easy," Inuyasha grumbled, eyeing the old woman.

Miroku smiled, suddenly realizing why they had come back to the village so quickly. He caught Kaede's pleased look and knew she understood. Once they mounted the stairs and saw the gaping hole in the ground, though, Miroku's mood instantly grew sombre. He took in the cracked earth which reached out in all directions and burrowed under the shrine. "What happened here?"

"The specter, Urasue," Kaede muttered. "She desecrated my sister Kikyo's gravesite. I was virtually powerless to stop the assault." She shook her head. "My sister had unusually strong power, even for a priestess. Who knows to what end her powers will be exploited by the demon."

They both glanced over as Inuyasha turned and walked purposefully away.

"Inuyasha?" Kaede asked.

"You're on your own!" the hanyou growled, standing at the top of the stairs with his back to them. "Apparently you've forgotten that Kikyo betrayed me. I am not so lucky."

Kaede sighed and looked away. "Forgive me."

Miroku glanced between them in confusion. He tried to think back on everything he'd learned about Kikyo – the powerful High Priestess who bound Inuyasha to a tree and sealed away the Shikon Jewel for fifty years as her dying act. The priestess who Inuyasha claimed not to care about, yet who caused him to run off when he learned of her death. He had no clear image of her character, and doubted that either Inuyasha or Kaede would have an unbiased opinion. As Inuyasha stalked away, Miroku watched him go with growing unease. Kaede's reaction told him just as much as Inuyasha's. The old miko wasn't one to back down over nothing. It wasn't just something they had to address for Kaede's sake – for Inuyasha, the whatever took place with Kikyo was utterly unresolved. They needed to address it.

Inuyasha sunk down against the tree, legs shaking too much to even jump to the safety of the branches. He tried to stop the pounding of his heart, the breaths which ripped from his chest like he'd been running for his life. Kikyo. Wave after wave of emotion hit him, feeling he'd been trying to avoid since he awoke. That day… That day he had been so sure, so utterly convinced of what he wanted- And she ripped that away from him. She'd never loved him, only manipulated him. And he fell for it, like the stupid, worthless fool he was. And he lashed out. And she killed him, in effect if not in practice. And now her body was stolen, her remains to be used in some demon's evil scheme.

He couldn't.

That demon – Urasue, Kaede had called her – was carrying more than the scent of miko blood. He'd caught scent of Kikyo's ashes, but also fresh soil. Soil from the gravesite. He didn't know what she was planning, but the little he knew about youkai plots involving human remains were never good. He couldn't let Kikyo's body be disrespected like that, he couldn't-

But why should he care?

He'd meant nothing to her, even if the opposite wasn't true. He didn't owe her anything. It didn't concern him.

He didn't care.

Right on cue, the jingling of a staff signalled his impending caring. Miroku was probably going to come up with some grand speech on how they couldn't let an innocent woman – though Kikyo had been nothing of the kind – fall into the evil clutches of a demon. How Kaede had been injured and they needed to avenge her. How Urasue was a threat that needed to be dealt with. Inuyasha drew his legs up to his chest and wrapped his arms around them, feeling his ears lie flat against his head. He waited for the monk to approach with a growing sense of dread. He'd already noticed that he couldn't seem to say no to Miroku. It scared him. He didn't want Miroku's soft voice and charming smile to convince him to do this. He couldn't.

Miroku took in the flattened ears, the curled posture, and the wide eyes which peered up at him through silver hair. He sighed and took a seat next to the hanyou. "What do you need?"

Inuyasha stared at him in utter bewilderment and, when no further explanation seemed to be forthcoming, croaked out a "What?"

"You're hurting, and I want to help," Miroku said quietly, eyes passing over the village, utterly undemanding. "Just tell me what I can do."

Inuyasha eyed him warily. "You're not going to tell me we have to go after Urasue?"

Miroku sighed. "While I admit the thought had crossed my mind, I'm not going to ask that you fight a demon for the sake of your enemy. That being said, I can't allow Urasue to complete whatever she has planned. I shall go after her alone."

"Like hell!" Inuyasha growled. "You can't manage to stay in one piece even when I'm there to protect you! You really think I'm going to let you go off and-"

"Inuyasha," Miroku interrupted gently. "It's alright. For Kaede, everything occurred fifty years ago and she still doesn't want to force you to do this. I can't imagine what you must be feeling right now."

Inuyasha stared hard at the ground, soundly ignoring the burning in his eyes. "It wasn't fifty years ago – not for me. I just…" He growled in frustration, passing a hand over his eyes. "I can't deal with this right now."

Miroku very carefully pressed their arms upper arms together. He felt Inuyasha lean into him in response and let out a breath. He watched Kaede approach, sure that Inuyasha could hear her as well, but greeted her nevertheless.

"I have reconsidered," the old miko sighed, leading her saddled horse over to them. "I shall recover my sister's ashes with my own strength. Inuyasha, do me the kindness of telling me in which direction Urasue was las travelling?"

"You two are unbelievable," Inuyasha sighed, pushing to his feet. "You tryin' to get yourself killed?"

"I'm going," Kaede said decisively. "I shall deal with the consequences when I arrive."

"I'm afraid I must agree with Inuyasha," Miroku piped in. "You're in no condition to travel. I shall go."

"You're wasting your breath tryin' to stop her," Inuyasha drawled, crossing his arms. "She's as stubborn as an ox – you'll never talk her out of it." He brushed past both of them and took the horse's reins. "Come on, _granny._ We'll lay Kikyo's remains to rest again."

"Inuyasha…" Kaede seemed at a loss for words, discarding several before landing on "Thank you."

"We need to tell Shippo that he needs to stay here," Miroku murmured as he and Kaede followed Inuyasha and the horse. "And there's someone I want to call before we get too far."

Shippo, as it turned out, was not keen on the idea of Miroku, Inuyasha, Myoga, and Kaede all leaving on a dazzling rescue mission without him. Inuyasha tried to block most of it from his memory as soon as it happened, but there was a fair amount of yelling, and maybe a little crying, too. The justification that he was a child was apparently not an acceptable one. Bribes didn't work. Threats, once Inuyasha had enough of the shouting, didn't work either. In the end, Miroku spent far too long kneeling in front of Shippo and telling him gently but frankly that none of them could fight properly if they were worried about him getting killed. It was for everyone's safety that he stay behind. After exacting a promise that they'd return unharmed – for which Miroku exchanged a promise that Shippo would stay in the village and not follow them – they finally set out from the village.

"You know you can't really promise that, right?" Inuyasha asked from where he sat on the back of Kaede's horse, facing the monk who trailed after them. "You can't promise that we won't get hurt – we get hurt all the time!"

Miroku shrugged. "A promise means I'll do whatever I can to make it true. If the promise breaks, then we have bigger things to worry about."

Inuyasha wrinkled his nose at the slight guilt oozing from the monk and rolled his eyes. Stupid humans and their weird morals. As they made their way towards the edge of town, Inuyasha stiffened at the youki presence which came from above. He reached for his sword, glancing around nervously. Miroku instantly held up a hand to stop him.

"Don't worry," he smiled. "It's a friend."

Inuyasha shot him an incredulous look. "That's why you didn't want to bring a horse for yourself? You're bringing a _demon?_"

Kaede glanced over her shoulder. "What's this, now?"

A shadow fell over them and Miroku rushed to steady Kaede's nervous horse. "Everyone," he announced dramatically, "Meet Hachiemon." The giant, yellow log of a demon transformed as he dropped, revealing a stout raccoon dog. "Hachi!" Miroku greeted. "Good to see you again, old friend!"

"This better not be for anything dangerous," the tanuki grumbled, crossing his arms and eyeing Inuyasha suspiciously. "I don't want to get involved in anything."

"Nothing overly dangerous," Miroku assured, even as Inuyasha shot him an incredulous look. "I just need you to get me to and from our destination. I won't require you to fight."

They made quick introductions, and Kaede gave Miroku a long glare in response to yet another demon being added to their entourage. Miroku shrugged – Myoga wasn't his fault, and Kaede couldn't claim not to have fallen for Shippo. Hachi would be fine, so long as he didn't eat anything he wasn't supposed to or back out at the first sign of danger. The tanuki transformed back into his travelling form and Miroku climbed onto his back. With his new ride, they made much faster progress away from the village.

For most of the afternoon, as they covered the ground that he and Inuyasha had travelled that morning, Inuyasha sat on the back of Kaede's horse. As the sun began to disappear into the horizon and they entered cliff-lined ravines, Inuyasha jumped up to Hachi's back.

"So what's with the badger?"

"Tanuki," Miroku corrected easily. "He's essentially my servant, just as Myoga is yours."

"I object to the comparison," the flea muttered from Miroku's shoulder before promptly going back to sleep.

"How the hell did you convince a demon to help you?" Inuyasha asked.

"Nothing too exciting," Miroku shrugged. "I saved his life once, he saved mine many times after that."

By the time the sun had set, it was obvious to everyone that Kaede could go no further. Inuyasha had to help her from her horse and Miroku forced her to rest while he built a fire from branches scavenged by Hachi. Inuyasha came back with six fish which they roasted over the fire. They were just preparing to dig in when Inuyasha's eyes snapped up to the cliffs above him. First he bristled. Then he blanched. Then he got really, really angry. Miroku barely had time to jump to his feet before the hanyou leapt up the rocky incline and landed back down, holding a squirming Shippo by the tail.

"I can't believe you!" Inuyasha growled, dumping the kit by the fire and plopping back into his seat with a huff.

"Shippo!" Miroku chided sternly. "You promised to stay in the village!"

"It is very rude to break a promise to your elders," Kaede chimed in, giving the kit her best dour glare.

"But I was worried!" Shippo wailed, curling a hand around Miroku's sleeve. "The demon last night was so scary, and I knew you idiots – not you, granny – wouldn't be able to handle it alone, and- Why is there a tanuki?"

"This is Hachi," Miroku sighed, rubbing his eyes with his fingers. "He's going to take you back to the village."

"What?" Shippo squawked indignantly.

"And how do you expect me to keep him there?" Hachi asked blandly, subtly reaching for a fish.

"I'll just come back!" Shippo growled in what was probably supposed to be an intimidating way. "Whatever you do to keep me there, I'll find some way to come back, and then I'll be out here all alone!"

"Just let him stay," Inuyasha sighed, not bothering to open his eyes. "We can stick him on Hachi if there's any real danger."

Miroku wanted to object, mostly on principle that if they let him have this one thing, they'd lose the small amount of authority they still had over Shippo. In the end, though, he had to concede that it was the best solution. Shippo beamed when he and Kaede agreed, and the little fox instantly started chattering away to Hachi. The tanuki didn't seem to know what to do with the kit's energy, and largely ignored him in favour of inhaling two of the fish. Miroku and Kaede shared a glance as they ate. This certainly complicated matters.

Once Kaede was asleep in her blankets and Shippo and Hachi were curled up by the fire, Miroku turned to Inuyasha. "You alright?"

"Get some sleep," Inuyasha muttered. "We've got a big battle tomorrow."

"So soon?"

"I can smell the remains. They're not far off."

Miroku regarded the hanyou carefully. Was he there solely because he wanted to protect the humans he considered too fragile to handle Urasue on their own? Was it loyalty, or something else that was forcing him forward when he clearly didn't want to be there? Whatever his relationship with Kikyo had been, it was clearly more than hatred. There was so much hurt in his eyes, too much to mean anything other than betrayal. And that's what Inuyasha had said as well – that Kikyo betrayed him. Miroku lay down, but he doubted that much sleep would find him that night.

The next morning, all of them were quiet. They drank quickly from a small stream of water running down the cliffs, and Miroku forced Kaede to change her bandages before they set off. He and Shippo rode on Hachi, but Inuyasha resumed his protective stance on the back of Kaede's horse.

"We must retrieve Kikyo's remains quickly," the miko muttered, almost to herself. "Lest Urasue use them to some evil end. I fear that trouble lies in the path ahead."

"Oh, _good_ – that's just what we need," Inuyasha drawled. "Why the hell didn't you just scatter her ashes in the river, if you knew something like this might happen?"

"Have ye no regard for the gravesites of humans?" Kaede chided. "Even after her demise, Kikyo's spirit continues to encourage the villagers to overcome their obstacles and have the strength to carry on. Her grave was a place of reassurance, a haven to encourage the villagers to brace themselves against the storms of life."

Miroku watched the conversation from above. Inuyasha's posture was closed off, but his eyes were far away. He had been in love with Kikyo, that much was increasingly obvious by the soft expression which lingered around the hurt – an expression that Miroku had never seen before on Inuyasha's face. Kikyo held a place in the hanyou's heart that no one – not himself or Kaede or Shippo – could touch. And yet Kikyo shot and bound him to a tree. Did she not return his feelings? Was it something that simple?

"And what're you gawking at?" Inuyasha grumbled, shooting a glare at Miroku, who quickly retreated to hide on Hachi's back.

They made their way through the cliffs as the day slipped by. Inuyasha's nose picked up the smell of smoke early in the afternoon, an odd scent mixed with herbs and remains. He urged Kaede to move the horse faster. They moved through a small patch of forest, nearing the mountain where Inuyasha knew Urasue was hiding. Odd clay figures began littering the forest floor, just a few at first, but then more and more. Hachi broke through the treeline and Miroku jumped off his back as the tanuki transformed.

"You felt it, too?" Inuyasha asked, jumping off Kaede's horse to walk beside the monk.

"There's something not right here," Miroku agreed, gripping his staff tighter and fingering his mala beads.

"What are they?" Shippo asked from his perch on Kaede's shoulder. "Mummies? Clay statues? How creepy."

They broke through the treeline to find a long swinging wooden bridge suspended over a deep ravine. On the other side, more cliffs and ravines wound around the mountain, from which a wisp of smoke travelled through the air.

"Something tells me that's the place," Inuyasha quipped, taking a deep sniff of the air.

"Oh great," Shippo grumbled. "We gotta cross this rickety old bridge?"

"You don't," Miroku said decidedly. "You and Hachi are going to stay here and look after Kaede's horse."

"Good plan, master!" Hachi agreed instantly, already plonking himself down next to the horse.

Miroku took it as a sign of how nervous Shippo was that he agreed to stay back with little further persuasion. As Kaede gathered her items from the horse, Miroku took the opportunity to threaten Hachi a little, just to ensure that he'd look after Shippo.

"If anything happens to us," he warned. "Or if we're not back by nightfall, take him and Myoga and get out of here."

"I thought the flea was going with you?" Hachi asked.

"Trust me," Miroku sighed. "If there's danger, he'll find you."

They made it halfway across the bridge before they noticed the clay figures. Inuyasha stopped first, blinking in confusion and wondering how the hell they manage to sneak up on him. Miroku, busy glancing back at Shippo and Hachi, walked right into him. The clay figures cracked and burst, revealing the empty eyes of earthen clay soldiers.

"Must be Urasue's soldiers," Inuyasha muttered, drawing Tessaiga.

A shout from behind made them all spin around. Shippo and Hachi ran for them across the bridge, several more soldiers marching haltingly after them.

"Savemesavemesaveme-" Hachi spewed out, pushing past Kaede and taking shelter behind Miroku's legs.

"I got these ones!" Miroku called to Inuyasha, moving to stand in front of Kaede. "You focus on those!"

Inuyasha nodded and ran at the soldiers, easily shattering them apart with his claws as he shouted "Iron Reaver, Soul Stealer!" He heard the wind tunnel flare into life and the bridge swayed dangerously with the force of it. He reached the end of the bridge and spun around. Kaede shattered the soldiers with her bow, catching the few he'd simply knocked to the ground in his haste. Miroku had easily cleaned up most of the soldiers from behind, though he was being careful not to suck in the bridge as well. Inuyasha smirked as another wave appeared at both ends of the bridge. Yeah, there were lots of them, but they were hardly a real threat. He wished all his enemies were that weak!

"Inuyasha, look out!" Miroku warned as a few of the soldiers began reaching for their bows and arrows.

He closed his wind tunnel, satisfied that the few soldiers remaining on his side could easily be taken with his staff. There was an uncomfortable feeling that always came when he sucked in too much, a kind of stretched fullness that was somehow hollow at the same time. He hated it, but thankfully it would be gone by the end of the day. He smashed the closest soldiers with his staff and glanced back at Shippo and Hachi, who had taken cover behind Kaede. Instead, something caught his eye up in the air. An old woman youkai, hovering above the bridge with a scythe leaning across her shoulders. His heart sank. He opened his mouth to warn the others as she dove, but the cry was stuck in his throat.

Urasue slammed down on the bridge right in front of Inuyasha, cutting it cleanly in two with her scythe. The hanyou jumped back, already feeling the bridge begin to fall. He spun around, reaching out to grab the tattered ends of the rope but his fingers met nothing but air. His eyes widened and he gasped, panic blanking out everything else from his mind for an instant before his instincts kicked in. He used his youki to slow the fall as much as possible, but even then he wasn't sure if it would be enough. Even if it was, what about the others…?

Miroku clung to the bridge, reaching out to catch Shippo. Instead a wrinkled hand grabbed his arm and dragged him into the air. He cried out wordlessly as all of his companions fell into the ravine, a pit so deep that clouds obscured the bottom.

"Focus on your own death, monk," Urasue cackled in his ear, wrapping an arm around his waist as she flew them to the mountain. "After all my hard work- I have plans in store for you. For you and that delicious young soul of yours."

* * *

Don't worry, I'll get to the whole "reincarnated soul" bit in the next chapter. For now, enjoy the unnecessary Hachi.


	15. Chapter 15: s1e15

Warnings for this chapter: similar themes to the previous one, with character death, emotional abuse and manipulation, and a whole lotta angst. There's something akin to dissociation and way more genuine emotions than it has any right to have.

* * *

Inuyasha landed hard against the sloping edge of the ravine. He couldn't grab hold of the rocks which flew past him, but he dug his heels into the solid ground and tried to slow his fall. A few of the clay soldiers fell around him, shattering into pieces in a grim remind of what awaited him if he couldn't pull out of his fall. He bounced off the rocks which jutted from the cliff face, keeping a delicate balance between slowing his descent and fracturing the bones in his legs. He landed at the bottom of the ravine with enough force to drive the air from his lungs, but at least nothing was broken. Besides, he had more pressing things to worry about. Like _where were the others?_

A whistling sound from above answered most of his question. Shippo glided down on a giant leaf, careening wildly out of control. Inuyasha snorted and leapt at the kit, plucking him from the leaf before he could crash into the ground. He tried to ignore the way his heart clenched as Shippo clung to him with tiny firsts. They landed easily, but the worst was far from over. Inuyasha barely had time to wrap his body around Shippo before the gargantuan form of Hachi slammed down on top of them, only barely slowed by the tanuki's efforts. Inuyasha growled, thumping a fist into Hachi's belly and causing the tanuki to transform.

"Ah, so there you are!" Kaede greeted warmly from Hachi's arms, which trembled as he held the old miko aloft.

"Granny!" Shippo cried out, abandoning Inuyasha in favour of Kaede's embrace. Hachi dropped them with a groan.

"Where's Miroku?" Inuyasha asked, but there was movement from the rubble lining the bottom of the cliff.

A few soldiers, miraculously unbroken, climbed from the shattered bodies of their companions. Inuyasha rolled his eyes, completely not in the mood. "Haven't you had your fill of me, yet?" He took them all out with a few well-placed blows. He ignored the deep scars left in the cliff face from the attack and turned to Kaede.

"Urasue has taken Miroku," she supplied evenly. "She took him from the bridge."

"At least he didn't fall to his death!" Shippo chirped, but Inuyasha wasn't having it.

Orbs of white light began to lift from the soldiers' bodies. Kaede hummed and watched them rise up from the abyss. "Their souls are ascending. Urasue must have imprisoned human souls to animate the clay. Human bones are likely baked into the clay."

Inuyasha's nose wrinkled as he took a deep sniff to confirm it. "Yeah, those're bones alright, and a lot of 'em."

"Urasue's magic is fiendish," Kaede continued, leaning hard against her bow. "Using the bones and souls of the dead- and now she possesses my sister's remains, and holds Miroku captive-"

Inuyasha rushed forward as her legs gave out, catching her easily. "You're wounded old woman. Take Hachi and Shippo and get out of here. I'll get Miroku and Kikyo's remains back."

"I worry that time is not on our side," Kaede said, pushing herself insistently away from Inuyasha's supporting arms. "We may shortly find ourselves face-to-face with my sister."

Inuyasha's blood ran cold. "But Kikyo's dead."

Kaede shook her head. "Urasue has all she needs to revive her. If she succeeds, we shall face a formidable foe. You will need me to have a chance at stopping her."

Inuyasha ground his teeth and shoved Hachi towards the old woman. The tanuki took the hint and transformed, and they all climbed on his back. Inuyasha didn't like it, but she had a point – she was the only one who knew what was going on with Urasue, and he wasn't about to risk Miroku's life on whatever Urasue was planning for him. And he couldn't let that witch demon revive Kikyo, not in some bastardized half-life creation. He couldn't allow that.

He couldn't.

Miroku glowered at Urasue from the stone pool she'd dumped him in. "Do you mind?"

Urasue cackled and continued pouring noxious-smelling liquid from clay jugs into the pool. She moved with surprising ease for her old appearance, and her eyes were sharp. Miroku's lip curled into a snarl, reminiscent of Inuyasha's, but unfortunately it was all he could do. Whatever magics or youki surrounded him, it was incredibly strong. He could barely speak, barely keep enough strength in his spine to avoid slipping under the foul liquid in the pool. He summoned all his strength, put all his focus into a single movement, and tried to flip himself out of the pool. He was met with a harsh whack on the head from the handle of Urasue's scythe.

"You are an insolent one, aren't you?" she observed, an unnerving gleam in her eye.

Miroku grimaced. "If you're trying to make a soup out of me, I suggest reconsidering the spices. They stink."

His attention was drawn from the frankly putrid waters as a young woman emerged from a cave in the mountain's face. She walked haltingly, as though she didn't truly belong in her body. She wore the clothes of a miko, the same as Kaede, but Miroku was distracted from that fact as _beautiful woman_ flooded his mind. And she truly was. She was _gorgeous!_ She was- She was Kikyo, wasn't she? Miroku shook his head firmly. He was not allowed to lust after Inuyasha's old love interest, or Kaede's sister, or a dead priestess. Many levels of _not allowed_ right there. But… Damn.

"So you're dressed," Urasue observed. "I have done well to reshape your body." She turned to smile chillingly at Miroku. "Now all that you require is a human soul, one young and virile and full of spiritual power."

That was the pull that Miroku needed to get his mind back in order. Kikyo was alive – or whatever this was – reanimated by a demon. Said demon was going to take his soul. Not good. His struggles renewed, splashing the liquid over the stone sides of the pool as he thrashed, but he was even weaker than before. Panic began grasping his chest as he glanced between Urasue's grin and Kikyo's vacant eyes.

"Don't worry," Urasue hushed in faux concern. "Your soul will soon be sucked from your body. Then Kiyko will be all better, and you will be a fine specimen of the living dead."

_Not good._

Miroku could feel his strength draining with every beat of his heart. His chest tightened as the fumes from the liquid filled his lungs, making it almost impossible to breathe. His vision began to fade and his mind was foggy. A tingling sensation was spreading across his entire body, like when a limb woke up or a million ants running across his skin. He felt oddly disjointed, as though his mind were no longer in his body. He heard Urasue muttering to herself, something about fainting and light. Miroku opened his eyes to see a white light forming around his body. He didn't know how, but he knew it was his soul.

He glanced over at Kikyo, only vaguely surprised to see the same light surrounding her. A thin, ethereal glow stretched between the two of them. When Miroku concentrated on it, sparks of energy and emotion flashed in his mind. Love. Anger. Hatred. Someone else's emotions, not his own. And he could feel her, in a strange way. He could feel Kikyo's spirit reaching out to him. What- Then something happened, something which he couldn't see but felt with every fiber of his being. _Inuyasha._ Inuyasha was here? The thought resonated in his – Kikyo's? – head. Then pain erupted along his body.

There was a pink light emanating from his chest, where the Jewel shard sat under his hastily patched robes. It glowed ever brighter, joining in the increasingly frantic movements of his soul which shifted around him. Miroku closed his eyes tight, focusing everything on keeping hold of himself- But it _hurt!_ And he couldn't breathe- Consciousness was slipping away from him – Kikyo's grasp on his soul was unrelenting, and she was drawing on the powers of the Jewel – and _hate anger love betrayal revenge!_ Miroku could feel her getting stronger, could feel her rage. It was an integral part of her, something deeply ingrained in her bones.

Suddenly, he understood. Whatever thin sliver of himself remained, he saw what had happened as though it happened to him. She never recovered. The last few moments of her life had been a frantic blur of fear and pain and _anger-_ Betrayed by love- Her soul so full of hate – she must have known that with nothing to stop her, she would wander the world as an angry spirit. So she cursed herself. She couldn't move on, not after what Inuyasha had done to her, but she couldn't let herself harm others, either. She died and her essence reduced to the barest aspects of herself, baked forever into her bones. Love. Anger. Hurt. Betrayal. _Revenge._

Inuyasha ran forward blindly, uncaring that the others had fallen behind. He could smell Miroku, smell his distress, but- Something else. Something horribly, achingly familiar. He stumbled to a halt when he saw her, and every other thought fled from his mind.

Kikyo.

She sat, leaning against the wall of the mountain, dressed the same as she was the last time he saw her- And she was looking at him with wide eyes. She was looking at him. She was alive.

Kikyo was alive.

"You survived the fall?" Urasue asked, her voice barely breaking through the wall of Inuyasha's mind.

Kikyo was alive.

Miroku gasped, his own emotions clashing with Kikyo's. Everything was becoming jumbled together, mixing and weaving and tainting. He could hear a voice clearly in his mind, begging _"Do not call out for me. Do not call out my name!"_

Inuyasha blinked, his lips moved, and the softest word hung in the air. "Kikyo."

Miroku screamed, though it never left his mind. He was dragged out by a thousand clawing hands, pulled from his body and slammed into Kikyo's. She was there, she was in control, and he couldn't stop screaming.

"Miroku!" Inuyasha shouted as the brilliant white light surrounding the monk vanished into Kikyo's body.

Miroku slumped against the walls of the pool, eyes wide and lifeless. Kiyko rose into the air with the force of it. Slowly, the light faded from around her. She touched her face gingerly, eyes closed and expression blank.

"The transferral is complete!" Urasue laughed. "The soul has been accepted by its new host."

"Miroku!" Shippo shouted, running forward before Kaede or Hachi could stop him. He came to a stop in front of the pool, as close as he dared. "Don't leave us! Wake up, Miroku! _Wake up!_"

Inuyasha's eyes darted between Miroku and Kikyo, utterly torn between the two. He could hear Miroku's heartbeat, sluggish and weak but still there. He could hear Kikyo's breathing, soft and quietly distressed. Their scents mingled and overwhelmed him. He was rooted to the ground, utterly unable to move.

"You waste your time talking to a soulless lump of flesh," Urasue muttered, roughly jabbing at Shippo with the handle of her scythe. "Don't worry, his flesh will not go to waste. I'll eat it later, once we're done here."

"How dare ye!" Kaede hissed, notching an arrow on her bow and aiming it at the demon. "How _dare_ ye use my sister thus?"

"My creation is wondrous, is it not?" Urasue cackled. "Simple ash and soil turned into breathing, living flesh and blood. I am her creator- nay, her birth mother! And her allegiance is only to me."

Kikyo began walking towards Urasue, swaying slightly with eyes still closed. She grasped on to Urasue's shoulders, bracing herself for a moment. The a shot of pink lightning crackled through Urasue's body, travelling up Kikyo's arms and disappearing into her flesh. Urasue fell to the ground, lifeless.

"Inuyasha," Kikyo said at last, eyes staring at the ground. "Why are you still alive? I bound you to a tree with a sacred arrow."

_Confusion- hurt- anger- disbelief- Was this even real?_

"Yeah, you did," Inuyasha agreed, torn between jumping back, rushing forward, rushing to _Miroku_\- "And I stayed there for fifty years. But now I'm alive and ready to take you on again."

"You vile beast!" Kikyo gasped, finally lifting her eyes to pin Inuyasha with a tearful gaze. "I despise you, you loathsome half-man!"

The insult barely landed – and it _hurt_, she knew his fears and his weaknesses – when she suddenly cried out in pain. Red light erupted from her shoulder and Inuyasha watched in horror as the crimson spread down her robes.

_Claws, tearing and searing, the utter shock bleeding into disbelief- Should've known- Betrayer- Doesn't hurt as badly as the pain inside-_

"What's the matter?" Inuyasha asked, trying to keep the earnest sincerity from his voice.

She took her hand away from her shoulder and it was covered in red. "Why did you betray me, Inuyasha?"

"What's going on? Where's all that blood coming from?"

The air was thick with it and it choked him. Kikyo's blood…

"Look closer, Inuyasha," Kaede advised. "Is that not the fatal wound ye inflicted on Kikyo?"

"_I_ inflicted? What're you _saying?_" Since when- What- How- Kaede thought that _he_ killed Kikyo? Did_ Kikyo_ think that?

"Yes!" Inuyasha stumbled back a step at Kaede's words. "It was your wounds that sealed her fate, and ensured her demise."

"There must be some mistake!" His heart pounded in his throat, panic rising in his chest. "I didn't kill her! I don't even remember wounding her!" He would never- Surely they knew he would never-

"Truly? These wounds didn't come from your hand?" Kaede's gaze darted between him and Kikyo. "If not you, then who slew my sister?"

"You are even more vile than I thought," Kikyo spat. "Inventing such feeble excuses. It is most unflattering, Inuyasha. Stop it!" She sagged where she stood, pain overcoming her. "Do you not remember when you told me that you wished to become human?"

_Hope, for the first time- hope for an escape- so close to being free-_

"Impossible," Kaede scoffed. "He wishes to become a demon!"

"I believed you," Kikyo continued, undeterred. "That day, I carried the Shikon Jewel to you. And you betrayed me. You laughed in my face and killed me, and took the Jewel for your own purposes."

"But Kikyo," Kaede protested. "I can't believe that Inuyasha could have committed such a heinous crime!"

"How could I have betrayed you?" Inuyasha pleaded. "I never would have hurt you – and you say I took the Shikon Jewel, but I stole it from the shrine later that day after _you_ betrayed _me!_"

"Lies!" Kikyo cried. "That is why I summoned the last vestiges of my strength and bound you to the tree. Inuyasha…"

She moved to him, coming to a stop just before him. He couldn't help but be memorized by her, by the beauty and grace she possessed still. "Kikyo…"

"You and I were fated never to meet again. I bound my soul to prevent this…"

She sighed, grabbing hold of his sleeves. She tightened her grip, and a jolt of pure spiritual power shot through him like a hundred bolts of lightning. He flew back from the force of it, landing hard on the ground.

"Stop this assault, Kikyo!" Kaede cried out, rushing to her.

"Who are you?"

"I am Kaede. My looks have altered because fifty years have passed since your demise."

"Then explain why you would speak on Inuyasha's behalf." She grabbed at Kaede's bow. "Give me this!"

She snatched an arrow and easily notched it, sending it straight at Inuyasha's heart. He barely managed to jump out of the way, the earth shattering under the force of her spiritual power. Inuyasha landed safely off to the side and his gaze shot around frantically for an escape. Kaede grabbed at Kikyo, trying to stop her. Shippo and Hachi had dragged Miroku from the pool, but the monk was still limp and lifeless.

_Finally a chance- a purpose again- freedom only after his death-_

"You must stop this madness!" Kaede insisted as Kikyo tried to claim another arrow. "Inuyasha is not your enemy!"

"Open your eyes," Kikyo hissed. "You, too, have been taken in by this deceitful monster!"

"You are mistaken!"

"Hand me your arrows."

"I will do no such thing!"

"Kaede!" Kikyo snapped. "Show some loyalty to your flesh and blood, not some devious, lying half-breed!" She tore the quiver from Kaede's back, pushing her aside and turning to Inuyasha once more. "You told me that you wished to become human. You told me that you wished to be with me!"

She aimed another arrow right at him. Inuyasha held his ground, knowing that any movement on his part would lead to her firing. "Wait, Kikyo!" he said instead. "I meant every word!"

"Liar!" Kikyo cried, and he could smell her pain, could feel it as if it was his own. "I was a fool beyond compare for believing your far-fetched tales. My spirit will not forget the hatred you instilled in me. So long as you live, my spirit cannot be freed!"

"Inuyasha," Kaede's voice was alarmingly calm as she knelt by Miroku's side. "You must destroy my sister's body at once. This rebirth is nothing but a deceit of magic. Release the souls within, both Kikyo's and Miroku's."

"It's futile," Kikyo insisted. "I shall not be released until I have carried out my revenge!"

She loosed her arrow at the same moment that Inuyasha unsheathed the Tessaiga. The arrow struck the blade, pushing it back and transforming it back into rusty metal. Inuyasha blinked, taking a step back under the force as the arrow continued to dig into the blade. He distantly heard Kaede's voice screeching "Run, Inuyasha!" The arrow pushed past his sword and began digging into his chest, held oddly suspended by the force of the power within. As it pierced his flesh, agony ripped through his entire being. He screamed.

Miroku's eyes flew open. He gathered the remnants of himself and lunged at Kikyo from within, forcing her back. She fought with a vicious passion that he couldn't match, striking at him with ethereal tooth and claw. He held her back just long enough to gather his soul in his arms and fly from her body. She lunged after him, dragging him back with a thousand hands. He reached out desperately for his body, somehow knowing that if he could just manage to gain purchase in his true form then he could hold out against her. She screamed at him. _"No! Not yet! My revenge!"_ He ground his teeth and pulled harder against her. White hot pain ripped through him as the connection formed between them began to tear apart. Then it snapped. Miroku vaulted back into his own body, and the world went dark.

The arrow disappeared as though it was never there. Inuyasha coughed and groggily sat up from the ground. What- _Miroku!_ The monk's body pulsed with white light, light which seemed to be flowing from Kikyo. The ethereal thread connecting them suddenly severed, dissipating into the air. Kiyko stumbled back, a hand clutched to her chest. Then she ran. Inuyasha stumbled to his feet and ran after her. He vaguely heard Kaede calling after him. He ignored it. He was numb, the world was blurry, but all he knew was that Kikyo was leaving again and she still had some of Miroku's soul trapped inside her.

He watched her move towards the edge of a nearby cliff. She wasn't- She stumbled. She began to fall. He leapt forward and snatched her wrist, digging the claws of his other hand into the dirt and bringing them both to a jarring stop. She looked up at him in shock, something flickering across her eyes. "Inuyasha?"

"Kikyo!" he pleaded, blinking back the tears in his eyes. "You can't go on like this any longer. You must give Miroku back his soul! You must give up this hatred which binds you to this world!"

Kikyo gave him a soft, sad smile. "You are saying you wish me to die, is that it? You wish that I should cease to exist forever?" His heart froze. No. Her expression shifted to one of hatred. "I refuse to die!" She reached up and grabbed onto his wrist with her other hand, sending another jolt of spiritual power through him. "My spirit cannot rest until I see you dead!"

"Don't do this!" he begged through the pain. His grip loosened on the rock of the cliff and they both slid forward. He barely managed to catch them on the edge. "Kikyo!"

They jerked to a stop. He felt her hand slipping. He tightened his grasp, desperately clinging but-

She slipped away.

He watched her fall.

Her scream echoed through the empty chasm of the ravine.

She disappeared from view.

His hand reached out after her, grasping at nothing. Cold, painful numbness spread through him, seeping into his very soul. Not again. He only just got her back… Not again.

Why? Why did it have to come to this? How did it go so _wrong? _It wasn't supposed to be like this! _Damnit!_ Kikyo! It wasn't supposed to be this way!

Inuyasha drew himself back over the edge of the cliff. He stumbled a few steps away and collapsed. Nothing mattered anymore. The blazing heat of the summer sun, the hard earth beneath him, the scents on the breeze, nothing even registered. He was totally and utterly numb. Only the lingering pain of her spiritual energy pinned him to this world. Without it, he would have easily floated away. Disappeared into nothingness. Simply ceased to exist. He gazed up at the sky, black spots dancing in front of his vision. A bird flew above, far above in the sky. He watched it lazily, for lack of anything better to do.

Then he remembered Miroku.

He was up and running before his mind had time to process it. Everything else was pushed aside, his entire existence sharpening down to one, singular thought. He rushed back to the ledge of the mountain. He saw the tub with its stinking liquid. He saw Kaede, Shippo, and Hachi all clustered in a group. And he saw Miroku, miraculously awake, carefully sitting up with Kaede's help and blinking lost, wide eyes. Inuyasha landed on his knees in front of him.

"_What?_" he gasped, reaching out a hand to touch the monk before stopping himself. "I thought your soul-"

"It seems that only the remnants of my sister's soul remains in her body now," Kaede interrupted gently. "Miroku's spirit has returned to his own form."

Inuyasha blinked a few times, his eyes scanning the monk for every trace of discomfort, every twinge of a muscle or hint of pain. "You okay?"

Miroku tried to smile with a jaunty "Never better" but it was a feeble attempt. He was pale and weak, his forehead shone with sweat, and he couldn't hide the grimace that formed every time he so much as breathed. It didn't help that under the putrid smell of herbs, the scent of pain rolled off him in waves. Inuyasha set his jaw and tentatively reached out, brushing away the hair that was stuck to his brow. Miroku blinked at him wanly. He sighed and shuffled closer, wrapping his arms under the monk's back and legs and lifting him easily into the air. Miroku murmured something unintelligible and wrapped his fist into the front of Inuyasha's robes.

Hachi transformed and they all climbed onto his back. Inuyasha settled Miroku onto his lap and curled protectively around the monk. Kaede sat down beside him, not meeting his gaze.

"Kikyo?" she asked, barely more than a whisper.

"She ran," he answered hoarsely. "She got to the edge of the cliff and- I tried to grab her, I really did, Kaede. You have to believe me, but- She fell. I couldn't- I didn't-"

Kaede nodded and stared out into the setting sun. "Perhaps it is for the best. She would never have truly been of this world. It is a disrespect to my sister's memory that Urasue would even have attempted to bring her back."

They landed on the other side of the ruined bridge just long enough for Inuyasha and Shippo to wrangle Kaede's horse onto Hachi's back. Shippo had to tie the poor creature down for the rest of the way back to the village, but at least it was better than Hachi's suggestion of eating it. A blanket of shocked silence hung over them all the way back to the village. Thoughts, emotions, sounds, and smells all swirled around Inuyasha without him fully registering any of them.

Kikyo was dead.

After only just getting her back – and not fully, at that – she was ripped away from him again. He didn't get to say goodbye. And she hated him. He knew that, of course – she hated him when they both died before – but somehow, it hadn't registered once she was back. Because it didn't matter. She was back, and all he wanted was to feel her in his arms again. And he would never get that chance. Her body would rot at the bottom of the ravine. And he would be left to mourn her all over again. A deep pang of guilt hit as he realized that he would've been happy to be with her, that he was _so_ close to falling for her again even though she had stolen Miroku's very soul. He couldn't let that happen.

He turned his gaze to the monk in his lap, the alarmingly pale face streaked with sweat. His fingers tangled deeper into the damp hair, the hair tie slipped away to leave the locks unbound. It was his fault, what happened to Miroku. All his fault. And he's almost lost the monk. The thought burned in his mind and constricted around his chest. It wasn't a new feeling, not with all the danger they'd already faced together, but it was different. Because it was his fault. Because it was to the woman he'd loved. Because Miroku's beautiful soul had almost been lost forever. And he truly, honestly didn't know what he would've done if that had happened.

The villagers helped them with a dozen hands – taking Kaede's horse, helping them down from Hachi's back, and ushering them into Kaede's hut. Shippo and Hachi gathered together blankets and sleeping mats as the villagers fetched bandages and water. It was all a bit of a blur to Inuyasha. He lay Miroku down on one of the mats and knelt down beside him. His ears were trained on every breath, every heartbeat, and his eyes never left the pale face.

"I'm alright," Miroku murmured, blinking slowly up at him.

Inuyasha didn't respond, merely curled his body around the monk's and closed his eyes. The heartbeat. The scent, marred by slowly fading pain. The fingers which brushed lightly over his ears before retreating. It was late, or so he thought. It had been growing steadily darker as Hachi had flown them back. They could sleep, and maybe – just maybe – things would be better in the morning.

They weren't.

With his nose shoved deeply into Miroku's shoulder, the nightmares were surprisingly few. Not once did he jolt awake with a searing pain in his chest. Instead it was more intangible, the whisper of a voice or a flash of red, white, and black in the corner of his eye. He woke up frequently, taking a moment each time to track everyone's heartbeat and sniff out Miroku and Kaede's pain before hunkering down and trying to rest again. At one point he caught Miroku in a nightmare. He woke from his doze to the monk's heart hammering in his chest, and the sour tinge of fear creeping into his scent. There was no thrashing about or screaming, just furrowed brows and a slight catch in his throat. Still half-asleep, Inuyasha half-climbed onto the monk's chest and buried his fingers in his hair. Slowly, Miroku's breathing slowed and he relaxed. Inuyasha stayed there until the first tinges of dawn painted the lightening sky.

It wasn't better. There was a deep ache in his chest, a rolling nausea and a tightness in his throat which refused to leave. Guilt and grief slammed into him in waves and it just. Wouldn't. Stop. He stood carefully, taking one final look at all his companions before making his way to the entrance of the hut. That's when he felt eyes on him.

"Where are you going?"

Inuyasha spun around to see hazy violet eyes blinking up at him. "Nowhere. Just out for some fresh air." Miroku shifted and started to push himself up. "No, you stay in bed. You're not recovered."

Miroku gave him a small smile, offered like a sacrifice. "I'd love to join you or a walk."

Inuyasha's eyes darted to Shippo, who woke with a soft trill and blinked back at him sleepily before burrowing deeper into Kaede's side. Hachi was still asleep by the fire, Myoga lying comfortably on the tanuki's belly. No one was watching him, no one was judging. Some of the lingering tension fell from his shoulders and he moved to help Miroku gingerly to his feet.

"If you pass out on me, I'm never trusting you again," Inuyasha warned, receiving a warm chuckle in return.

He did indeed seem better. He seemed stiff and still a little sore, but he remained a solid presence as they walked through the village. The first chorus of bird calls sounded lightly in the air and the summer heat had yet to hit. It was remarkably peaceful. Inuyasha led them to a tree close to the hut, since Miroku was still a little shaky. They settled down easily together, upper arms pressed together and knees touching as they looked out across the rice paddies to the forest beyond.

"Inuyasha, tell me something," Miroku murmured into the still morning air. "Kikyo…you loved her, didn't you?"

Inuyasha's hackles immediately raised, the defensive retort at the tip of his tongue before he had time to question it. But somehow it stayed there, unspoken against the warmth and understanding he saw in Miroku's eyes. He blew out a deep breath, slow and shaky. "Yeah. Yeah, I did."

Miroku nodded, looking away again – giving him privacy even as he pushed. "How did you two meet?"

"She was the High Priestess, the one in charge of protecting the Shikon Jewel," he started slowly, but as he continued the words became easier and easier, spilling from his lips unbidden. "I was just another creature who came after it. But every time I tried, she caught me. She would drive me away or pin me to a tree, but she never even tried to kill me. I only wanted the Jewel for myself – I had no intention of killing her, and it became clear that she had no intention of killing me, either." His voice softened, his eyes glazed over, lost in the memory. "I could see that she was in pain, that she was lonely and longed for a different life than the one she had been assigned. I felt bad for her – guilty, even, that I was one of the reasons why she needed to devote herself to the Jewel. We started talking more and more, and eventually she suggested that I become a full human. It would purify the Jewel and maybe even use all of its power, making it disappear. She would be free from her duty and we could make a new life together."

Miroku watched the tears form in his eyes, the small smile that graced his lips and the mixture of love and anguish on his face that was masked by the haze of memory. "I wanted it. I wanted to live with her." A dark cloud passed over her expression. "But that day, she turned on me. She fired at me, swore to kill me. She betrayed me – as soon as I let my guard down, she tried to kill me! And then she had the gall to say that _I_ attacked _her?_ I managed to dodge the arrows and went to the shrine to steal the Jewel." Inuyasha's gaze fell to the ground and a tear slipped down his cheek. "That's when she bound me to the tree."

Miroku closed his eyes as flashes crossed his mind – glimpsing a red-clad figure from the corner of his eye, a field, a boat, strong arms, a promise, a gentle kiss, a sudden blow from behind-

"I could sense her emotions," he stated, before he could lose his nerves. Inuyasha had the right to know. "When I was in her body. I could feel her there, too."

Inuyasha's eyes snapped to his. "What? You were conscious during that?"

"Mm. I had no control, but I was watching through her eyes, and I could feel what she felt. I could even see some of her memories." He took a deep breath. "Inuyasha, she truly believes that you betrayed her."

Miroku thought of the hatred which sucked his soul from his body, the rage which fueled them. He thought of the moment he saw Kikyo's arrow begin to pierce Inuyasha's chest, of the instant and visceral reaction which pushed his soul back to his body.

"But how?" Inuyasha asked, breaking him from his thoughts. "I was waiting for her when she attacked me. The first time I saw her that day was when she shot at me!"

Miroku shook his head. "I saw it differently in her memories. You attacked her and told her that you had no desire to become human, that you would slaughter the entire village once you had the Jewel."

"No!" Inuyasha leapt to his feet. "No, that's not what happened! I would never!" He turned frantic eyes to the monk. "Miroku, you don't-"

"I could see your expression," Miroku assured. "Both when she bound you to the tree and today, when Kaede told you that you killed her. I have also gotten to know you in our time together. I don't believe that you would ever do something so cruel or needlessly destructive."

Inuyasha growled, his claws curling into fists. "But how does any of this make any sense?"

Miroku sighed and leaned back against the tree, unable to look at the hanyou for the moment. "I have a theory which might explain it. I didn't make the connection until the other day." Inuyasha crouched down beside him, amber eyes burning into his. "Inuyasha, the reason I came to Kaede's village in the first place, that day we first met, was because I was searching for a demon named Naraku."

Inuyasha's nose wrinkled at the name, his ears twitching. "You told me about him before. He's the one who cursed your family with the wind tunnel."

"Yes. I also told you of his shapeshifting abilities. My father told me that Naraku has always sought power, and that once, he almost succeeded in taking the Jewel fifty years ago. In doing so, he killed the priestess who protected it."

Inuyasha's eyes widened. "What? He killed a _priestess?_ You don't think-"

"It's the only explanation," Miroku sighed. "I heard that the Jewel disappeared right after his attack. I had no idea that Kikyo was the priestess that he killed, but she must have been. Inuyasha, I think that Naraku tricked you and Kikyo into believing that you had betrayed each other so that he could take the Shikon Jewel."

Inuyasha snarled viciously, exposing his teeth. "Where is this Naraku? I'll rip him apart with my bare hands!"

"I don't know," Miroku pinched the bridge of his nose. "I don't know what form he's in now or where he might be. However, I'm sure that Naraku will be collecting the shards of the Shikon Jewel. All we can do is hope that we'll encounter him sooner or later."

Inuyasha stared at the ground, his eyes wide and unseeing. His fingers clutched compulsively at the ground, grasping for something that wasn't really there. Miroku curled his legs up and rested his chin on his knees, watching the hanyou and knowing there was nothing he could do to calm his distress. Nothing made sense. Why did Naraku trick Inuyasha and Kikyo? If he successfully manipulated both of them into essentially killing each other, then why hadn't he made off with the Jewel? And the shrine… Miroku frowned and closed his eyes, trying to trace Kikyo's memory with what Kaede and Inuyasha had described. Inuyasha said that he went to the shrine to steal the Jewel, but Kikyo had it with her when she went to meet him that morning. If the Inuyasha that attacked her was Naraku in disguise, then why bother bringing the Jewel back to the shrine for the real Inuyasha to steal later? Though it was the same detail that convinced him of Inuyasha's innocence in the matter, it was the most puzzling aspect of the whole thing.

He thought back to everything his father and Mushin had told him of Naraku, of the little he had found out from his own research. His eyes were drawn to the cloth-covered palm of his hand despite himself. As a child, he'd had similar questions of Naraku's other tactics. Why bother giving your enemies an intergenerational curse when you could just kill them? Why risk giving them a powerful weapon in the process, one which could be used against you? He sighed and closed his eyes again. Nothing made sense.

When Miroku returned to Kaede's hut without Inuyasha, the old miko didn't seem too surprised. She ushered Shippo and Hachi out to gather some supplies for their meal but thankfully didn't push for information while she was alone with him. When Inuyasha slunk back some time later, he was greeted with a bowl of rice and fish and nothing more. When he stated that they would be leaving the next morning to resume their hunt for the Jewel, Kaede merely gathered some supplies for them and wished them well. An uneasy silence had fallen over the group, even if most of them didn't understand its cause. Miroku sat in the corner for most of the day, watching the others go about their business as he made new sutras. It wasn't just about Jewel shards anymore – there was something much larger at foot. And he wanted to be ready for it. He needed to be ready. No matter what it took.

No matter what the cost.

* * *

So a bit of justification for whatever the hell I'm doing here. Introducing Naraku as Inuyasha's new target is a huge shift in the plot of the anime series, so I wanted to postpone it until now. (It's revealed in the next episode of the anime anyway when Miroku's introduced.) A bigger shift is obviously Miroku and Inuyasha's relationship with Kikyo. As complex as that relationship is in the anime, the fact that Naraku tricked them is quickly accepted by Inuyasha and isn't really an issue on his end after that. Because of that, I didn't feel that giving a character access to Kikyo's thoughts and memories would really impact the story at all, other than to make her a bit more of a sympathetic character than I felt she came across as in the anime. And forming a connection between Kikyo and Miroku will allow for a bit of the same dynamic as she and Kagome had. If you have any thoughts on my choices here, please let me know! I'd love to discuss!


	16. Chapter 16: s1e16

Warnings for this chapter: this one's a bit of a tonal shift from both previous chapters and the original episode. It kinda ran away from me and I'm not sure where we ended up. References to theft and threats of violence and death. I also think my anxiety's creeping in here a bit despite my best efforts.

* * *

Miroku cupped his hands in the cool spring water and brought it carefully to his lips, taking a grateful sip. The sun blazed down on them and he was grateful for the rest. He splashed some water on his face and staunchly ignored the two pairs of eyes following his every move. This was the first day they'd even let him walk – the previous two, he'd been relegated to Hachi's back as they flew over the countryside.

"You sure you're alright?" Shippo asked for the tenth time that day.

Miroku smiled. "I appreciate your worry, Shippo, but there's no need for it. While I'm not keen to repeat the experience, I feel perfectly fine now."

He glanced over his shoulder at Inuyasha despite himself. The hanyou stood a little ways away, staring off into the distance as he'd been doing ever since they left Kaede's village. Miroku didn't know what to make of it. On one hand, Inuyasha had been more attentive than ever over the past few days. He was constantly watching him, Shippo, and Hachi, constantly by their sides. His ears were pricked for danger and he slept sitting next to Miroku rather than up a tree. Yet he barely spoke, and when he did it was in quiet, subdued tones. It set Miroku on edge, and he could sense Shippo getting antsy.

Inuyasha sighed, giving up all pretenses of scanning the sky for danger. What did it matter? He couldn't seem to focus on anything. The past few days had been a blur, navigated on instinct and emotion alone. He'd seen the glances, caught the scent of worry rolling off the monk, but he didn't care. He didn't know what he was doing anymore. Find the Jewel shards, yeah, fine. But then what? Turning full-youkai wouldn't change anything, not really. It might allow him to defeat this _Naraku_ easier, but it wasn't like they knew where to find him!

He'd heard Miroku, the night before they left Kaede's village, speaking quietly with Myoga. The old flea didn't seem to know anything about the demon, but promised that he'd look around. The next morning, Myoga announced that he would be leaving them for the time being. He didn't say why, and thankfully Miroku had mentioned nothing to the others about Naraku. Inuyasha wasn't ready to deal with that conversation yet.

He was startled out of his thoughts by needle-sharp teeth clamping onto his upper arm. Inuyasha glanced down in muted shock at the kit dangling from his sleeve. "Oh, you'd better have a good reason for this!"

"Quit moping!" Shippo countered instantly, hopping back to a safe distance. "We're supposed to be looking for the Jewel shards."

"I am _not _moping!" Inuyasha snarled, curling his hands into fists and throwing himself after the fox.

Shippo squealed and darted away, a feral grin painting its way across both their faces. Miroku and Hachi watched contentedly and slowly started following them as they disappeared into the surrounding trees. Eventually, Shippo re-emerged and darted up Miroku's robes to claim sanctuary on his shoulder. Inuyasha huffed and gently flicked the kit's ear before taking the lead down the forest path. He still held himself stiffly, but some of the life had returned to his eyes. As they approached the nearby village, they passed more and more people going about their business. Some gave them curious looks, but most simply kept their distance.

Inuyasha found himself eyeing most of the humans, but he slowly relaxed when none of them made a fuss. Shippo bounced along happily, stopping at every pretty flower or oddly-shaped rock, but quickly scurrying to catch up again. They came to a split in the path and he looked over both before turning to Miroku with a shrug. They didn't exactly have a set direction to go. The monk stepped forward and placed his staff on the ground just before the split. He held it steady then let it go. It hovered for a moment before falling to the right. Inuyasha, Shippo, and Hachi all began in that direction.

"Have you heard about the new woman working at the rest house up ahead?" a man asked his companion as they walked past the group, walking down the path to the left.

"They say her she does have fair complexion and beautiful eyes are unparalleled," his friend grinned. "And I understand she's unattached."

"I could use a bite to eat," the first man laughed.

"Just what I was thinking."

Miroku turned to his companions with a dazzling smile. "Friends, I believe this other path may be better suited after all."

Inuyasha levelled him with a glare that could boil steel. "Why does that not surprise me?"

"They said there's a rest house?" Shippo asked, pulling on Inuyasha's sleeve. "Will there be food there? I'm hungry."

"I'm hungry, too!" Hachi chimed in immediately.

"You're all morons," Inuyasha huffed as he stepped over to the other path.

"What's up with him?" Shippo asked, clambering onto Miroku's shoulder.

Because he valued his life, Miroku didn't respond other than to give the fox a reassuring smile. They followed the two men closely and soon came upon a small tavern at the side of the path. A few people milled about, chatting, catching up, or conducting business. Inuyasha, Shippo, and Hachi all sat on a fallen log across the path while Miroku bought some sweets from the woman. Miroku kept a polite smile fixed on his face as he spoke with her. He could feel Inuyasha's eyes on his back as he handed over a small coin. He received a plate piled high with sets of three dango on sticks. The woman offered them with a kind smile and sweet voice, and Miroku's lips tugged upward of their own accord. "Thanks."

He brought the sweets over to the others. Shippo and Hachi immediately grabbed for the dango and began shoving them into their mouths. Meanwhile, Inuyasha shot him a toothy grin. "Not exactly the beauty you were expecting, huh?"

"To be fair," Miroku countered instantly. "She does have fair skin and beautiful eyes."

Inuyasha crossed his arms and grumbled "We should've stuck with the right."

"I'd say the dango is worth it," Miroku observed, biting down on another sweet dumpling. "She really is an excellent cook."

"Can we get more, Miroku?" Shippo asked earnestly, popping the last one in his mouth.

"Alright, but that's it. I'm running low on money."

"You're gonna spoil him if you keep on like that," Inuyasha muttered under his breath.

Miroku gave the hanyou his most winning smile and started back towards the rest house. He slowed down when he heard hushed voices.

"Just between us," one of the men from before was saying. "I understand the daughter of the lord in this region has been possessed by some sort of evil spirit and has taken to her bed."

"They'll require the aid of a skilled priest," his companion nodded solemnly.

Miroku spun around and walked back to Inuyasha.

"Oh, no you don't."

"Inuyasha, a young woman is in trouble! A young, rich woman of high status who needs our help!"

"You ought to be arrested."

"Look," Miroku sighed, running a hand through his hair. "We've been walking around aimlessly for two days now and we can't turn our backs on those in need. There's no harm in at least going to investigate the situation."

The others trailed behind him as Miroku poked around the front entrance of the lord's house that the travellers had pointed them towards. It wasn't difficult to convince Inuyasha that there was something worth investigating – they all sensed that something was there. It was a little more difficult for Miroku to convince him to let him go in alone.

"If I need you, you'll know," the monk insisted, gesturing at the nenju beads sitting around his neck.

Inuyasha glowered but let him go. He, Shippo, and Hachi sat against the outer wall of the lord's property, out of sight but close by in case of trouble. Inuyasha closed his eyes and trained his ears on Miroku, taking in every breath, step, and word. The monk approached the lord's guards with soft and reassuring words, adjusting to cocky as they became skeptical.

"Are you certain this monk is virtuous and trustworthy?" the lord muttered to one of his attendants when they relayed Miroku's message.

"If one is to believe is claims, then aye, my lord," the man responded quietly.

Inuyasha snorted and whispered to Shippo "Both those are debatable. I hope they _do_ have a demon problem, or else he'll be neither."

"Monk," the lord addressed Miroku curtly. "You must drive away the evil spirits possessing my child, or you will receive nothing."

Inuyasha huffed, his ear flicking. "He doesn't have to be so rude about it."

"My, living in opulence in such turbulent times as these," Miroku's dulcet tones observed innocently. "Surely your vassals must resent your wealth."

"Impudence!" the lord cried.

"What an ass," Shippo muttered.

Miroku followed the lord to his daughter's chambers, keeping his senses open for danger. It didn't take long to find the youki presence in the room. Not strong, but very present. There was something else there, too. Something he couldn't quite place.

"Tell me about that statue of Buddha," Miroku urged the lord, kneeling down beside the princess' side.

"I received it from an impoverished nobleman. They say it is a blessed idol."

"I am prepared to begin," Miroku said levelly, putting a veil of confidence over his voice. "Leave the princess here with me and take everyone else on the grounds outside the residence gates. And my lord, mark my words – no matter how alarming the sounds from within, you must not peer inside."

The lord looked nervous and left quickly. Miroku swept a hand through the air above the princess, feeling for the energies in the room, then turned to the large gold statue. "Come out at once. Surrender, and I shall show you mercy."

Nothing happened. He reached out and poked the statue with the tip of his staff. A slight rumbling filled the air and the statue began to shake. Slowly, the Buddha's face morphed into a leering grin full of sharp teeth. He should've known it wouldn't be so easy. Concentrating hard, Miroku summoned up a wave of spiritual power and channelled it through his staff into the statue. Instantly, a weasel demon shot up from the statue, hissing and surrounded by blue fire.

Inuyasha leapt to his feet, Tessaiga drawn in his hand, and was about to jump over the wall when he heard Miroku say "Don't worry, I got this" quietly from inside. The hanyou huffed and crouched down, but didn't sheathe his sword.

The weasel lunged at him, swiping with a paw that he easily dodged. Now that it had emerged, though, Miroku could easily sense the Jewel shard in its forehead. Moving like a snake, the weasel slithered around the room, rearing back before striking. Miroku jumped in the air to avoid the snapping jaws. The weasel crashed into the walls of the chamber, splitting several panels apart. Miroku slammed his staff down on the demon's head, directly on the Jewel shard. It was over almost comically quickly after that.

Inuyasha kept one ear on the conversation between the lord and his attendants, and the other on the increasingly loud banging and clanging coming from the monk. Miroku's breathing was laboured but his heartrate was slow and steady. Whatever was going on, the monk had it covered. It was some time before he felt the lightest tug on the nenju beads, barely more than a touch. "Inuyasha, head around to the back gate."

Inuyasha stood with a groan, stretching out his stiff back and eyeing the sleepy Shippo and Hachi. "Oh, what now?"

They found the gate easily, but there was no one in sight. Inuyasha huffed and began pacing. It was another long while before Miroku appeared, sitting on a wagon pulled by three horses. The wagon was full to the brim with valuables of all shapes and sizes, tied down expertly with rope.

"The hell is this?" Inuyasha spluttered.

"Payment for the exorcism, of course."

"Payment?" Inuyasha repeated incredulously. "You _stole _this junk! I can hear the lord and his vassals out front right now, waiting for your word!"

"Well, they'll find out soon enough," Miroku shrugged, helping Hachi onto the wagon. "Besides, this is no junk. It will keep us in food and lodgings for a few weeks, at least. In case you haven't noticed, hunting for Jewel shards doesn't pay well. Speaking of which…" The monk held up a small fragment of the Jewel. "Now we just need to find a good place to pawn these off."

"I can't believe it," Inuyasha shook his head, jumping onto the back of the wagon. "A month and you had me forgetting that you're a lying thief!"

Miroku shrugged and urged the horses to move on. At the monk's advice, they rode to the next village over to sell the goods and horses. He seemed to think that it was safer to put a bit of distance between the goods and their place of origin. He said it in such a nonchalant way that Inuyasha found himself wondering exactly how often Miroku had done something like this. When they travelled together, they ate the food that Inuyasha caught for them and slept under the stars. Was it new behaviour, or just that Miroku hadn't had the opportunity to steal in a while? Certainly Shippo and Hachi weren't helping in that regard – they both ate obscene amounts of food, and Inuyasha had quickly found out that Miroku had an utter inability to say "no" to Shippo's pleading. It wasn't that he minded having the fox and tanuki around – he really didn't – but it make everything a lot more complicated than when it was just him and Miroku travelling alone.

He, Shippo, and Hachi sat outside as the sun dipped below the horizon, waiting for Miroku to finish haggling with the shop owners. He insisted on getting a price for each individual item rather than the goods as a whole, and it. Was. Taking. Forever. Shippo and Hachi began discussing all the things they wanted to buy, mostly consisting of food and sweets. Inuyasha had gone from reluctantly impressed to amused to seething and back about three times by the time Miroku finally emerged again, a heavy sack of coins in his hand.

"Took you long enough."

"Unfortunately, we gained only a small sum, but enough for a few weeks. Hachi," he held out a few small coins to the tanuki. "For services rendered. Many thanks for your help, my friend. You may be off, now."

Hachi took the coins and waved a cheery goodbye to Shippo before scurrying off into the forest. Inuyasha watched him go with a frown. "What, that's it? You pay him and he's off?"

Miroku looked confused. "Of course – why wouldn't it be so? He comes when I need him to do a job, and I can see no reason why we'll need him in the immediate future."

"I guess," Inuyasha muttered noncommittally.

He didn't know why, but watching the tanuki leave had left him feeling off-kilter, somehow. Maybe it was because Miroku knew him already, but Hachi had fitted perfectly into their group dynamic. It felt almost odd having him go.

"I can't wait to sleep in a nice, warm house tonight!" Shippo chirped, bouncing along with a hand grasping Miroku's robes. "Do you think they'll still serve us food, even though it's night?"

Miroku smiled a little ruefully. "Sorry, Shippo, but it's best to lay low for a few days, at least until we're out of the area. The forest will have to do for tonight."

To get the kit to stop sulking, Inuyasha sniffed out a nearby hot spring where they could make camp. Shippo shrieked delightedly upon seeing it, stripping off his clothes and abandoning them on the ground as he ran for the hot waters. Miroku and Inuyasha followed a little more sedately, fond grins creeping onto their faces. They gathered Shippo's discarded clothing and piled it together with their own on the rocks beside the pool. As he did whenever the monk bathed, Inuyasha found his eyes wandering over Miroku's exposed skin. There were only a few small bruises, nothing compared to what had been there before.

The evidence of their past encounters still remained, though – light flecks of scarring on his side from the centipede, small white lines along his arms from Yura's hair, two rows of punctures from the Noh mask's teeth. Older, faded scars also ran along his body, dozens of stories written on his skin. Miroku was lean, a little on the skinny side for Inuyasha's liking. The urge to protect coiled in his gut but he pushed it down. Stupid instincts.

The hot water got him to relax, some. He and Miroku sat along a natural ledge, the water lapping at their collar bones. Inuyasha's eyes wandered to the tekkou and mala which never left Miroku's arm, not in all the time they'd been together. The Jewel shard had joined them as a constant companion, hanging from a woven thread around Miroku's neck. They had been pleasantly surprised to find that ever since the shards fused in the Spider Head's stomach, any new shards stuck together. It made carrying the Jewel much easier, and safer. It also made Miroku more of a target.

Inuyasha shook his head. There was no reason for all these gloomy thoughts. He turned his focus onto Shippo, watching as the kit swam, splashed and, when that got boring, chased the monkeys that gathered around the pool. Miroku laughed quietly at the fox's antics and Inuyasha found himself joining in. They lounged in the hot water until they were lightheaded, washing the grime from their skin and simply relaxing. It was far too late to build a fire by the time they were done. Inuyasha didn't want the others getting cold, and that's what he kept telling himself as he pressed the length of his side up against Miroku's. The monk didn't complain, didn't even give him a questioning look as they leaned back against a tree together, Shippo sprawled across their laps. Inuyasha forced himself to focus on the positives. They had gained a Jewel shard with almost no effort and no injuries. They had more money. They were safe. Taking deep breaths filled with summer air and familiar scents, Inuyasha closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.

The next morning brought another beautiful day. Shippo was babbling and bouncing along, Miroku was humming quietly, and the pit in Inuyasha's stomach began to lessen. They followed a path through the forest with no real destination in mind. It soon changed into a road along a cliff face, with a wall of rock on one side and a long drop on the other. They were forced to walk single-file, but thankfully no one else was around.

Inuyasha groaned when he heard the distant sound of horses' hooves. They'd have to press into the rocks to let them pass. As the horses approached from behind, Inuyasha glanced over his shoulder to see how many they'd have to deal with. His heart sank. Three samurai were riding towards them in full armour, swords drawn.

"You there, thief!" one shouted and pointed at Miroku with his blade.

Inuyasha swore and snatched Shippo off the ground, jumping off the side of the path to a rock just below.

"Hey, what about me?" Miroku asked mildly, turning to face the samurai as he did so.

"You're the one they're after, idiot," Inuyasha drawled, rolling his eyes. "You got yourself into this mess, so you can sort it out."

Miroku held out his hands as the samurai came to a stop before him. The first remained on his horse while the other two dismounted, gearing up for a fight. "Now, gentlemen, I'm sure we can come to an agreement."

"This should be good," Inuyasha grinned to Shippo, settling in for the ride.

"It may be difficult to retrieve the _exact_ same goods," Miroku continued. "But I can offer many services to your master for compensation."

Inuyasha thought it was somewhat hilarious that this, of all things, came back to bite them. It stopped being hilarious rather suddenly when one of the samurai pulled out a bow and arrow, aiming at Miroku. "Damn!" Inuyasha jumped before had time to process the situation, instinctively blocking the arrow with Tessaiga. "_Back off!_ You're not killing him!"

The samurai leered at him, urging their horses forward. Inuyasha squared off with his swords – if these idiots were looking for a fight, he'd be happy to oblige. One of them shot another arrow, which Inuyasha just as easily knocked away. He wanted to hurl himself at these idiots and rip them a new one, but there was no way he was leaving Miroku unprotected. There wasn't room to fight properly on the cliff, either. Both sides waited, poised, neither wanting to make the first move. A shriek drew their attention from the cliffs above them, and suddenly a giant demon was careening towards them. The horses panicked, the path too narrow for them to properly turn, and Inuyasha shoved Miroku back and out of danger. The samurai fled, their horses out of control and the men spooked by the demon. Inuyasha pinned Miroku to the cliff face with one hand, held Tessaiga before them with the other. Then he burst out laughing.

"Hachi, excellent timing!" Miroku called as the tanuki slid past them down the cliff. "And my thanks, Inuyasha."

"You idiot!" Inuyasha rounded on him, his good humour disappearing in a flash of genuine anger. "This is why you should've left well enough alone! I can't turn my back on you humans for a second!"

"Yes, my apologies," Miroku murmured, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. "Anyway, we should probably get going. I wouldn't be surprised if the lord sent more than one team of samurai out to get me, with the amount I stole."

"_What?_"

Inuyasha didn't stop glaring at Miroku all the way to the next village. When Shippo announced he was hungry and Miroku suggested they stop at a tea house, Inuyasha glared even harder. He couldn't believe it. Right after being attacked for theft, Miroku bought an extravagant meal and a show from geishas. They had a room mostly to themselves, with only a couple other men sipping tea and chatting amongst themselves. Shippo and Hachi focused on the food, of course, but Inuyasha's hackles raised more with each woman that Miroku ogled. They sang and danced, giggling. It was almost a relief when the samurai burst through the doors.

"You!" one of them shouted, pointing at Miroku.

"Indeed," Miroku said, instantly standing and placing himself between the samurai and the patrons of the tea house. "My apologies for earlier – it seems that our discussions were ended rather abruptly. Would you like to speak outside?"

"You filthy thief, cavorting with demons!" one of the Samurai hissed, advancing on him.

"Time to go," Miroku muttered, shoving Shippo and Hachi over the railing at the open-air side of the tea house.

He held his ground as Inuyasha brushed past him and joined the others, wanting to make sure that the samurai wouldn't attack anyone else. Then he ran. He leapt over the railing and sped past the others, the samurai in quick pursuit.

"A little help?" he asked as he passed the hanyou.

Inuyasha glared at him, arms crossed. "I wish you the best of luck."

Miroku ran through town, the samurai right on his heels. He could hear them jeering at him, throwing out taunts and insults. "Come back and fight like a man!" Well, this was getting him nowhere. He was fast running out of town and the samurai showed no sign of slowing. Taking a breath, Miroku whirled around and met the nearest samurai head-on. The man seemed startled at the sudden change, enough for Miroku to lunge at him. His staff connected with the man's sword broadside, sending it flying from his grip. Miroku kicked the man in the chest, sending him stumbling back, just as the other two samurai caught up.

"You're no monk!" one growled. "You're nothing but a sleazy robber!"

"People can be more than one thing, you know," Miroku chided, holding his staff tight.

"Give the lord back all that you stole from him!"

"Uh…" Miroku glanced between the samurai incredulously. "I sold it. I thought that was obvious from the lack of cargo that I'm visibly not lugging around."

While the one samurai ran to retrieve his sword, the other two attacked. Miroku dodged and parried, deflecting one strike only to be met by another. He called upon some of his spiritual power, infusing it into the staff. Each time a blade hit, sparks flew and sizzled down the staff. Miroku's breathing grew laboured as the beginnings of fear began to grip him. He wasn't used to fighting against humans, let alone two at once. The blows kept on coming, not giving him a chance to run or strike back. He was losing ground slowly but surely, and it was only a matter of time before their companion dug his sword out and rejoined them. Despite everything, Miroku held his own – until his foot slipped on a piece of loose wood. He went crashing to the ground, his staff flew from his hands, and the samurai moved in for the kill.

Inuyasha rolled his eyes and knocked out the samurai in two quick blows before rounding on a smiling Miroku.

"You're a sight for sore eyes!"

"I'll give you sore eyes, you idiot!"

The third samurai ran at them, and Inuyasha stepped neatly out of the way. Miroku flashed him a frown and sprang backwards to his feet in a flip. He turned and ran, abandoning his staff for the time being as an arrow whizzed past his shoulder. He passed through the edge of the village before stopping to face his assailant. The man stopped as well, throwing his bow to the side and drawing his sword.

Miroku's eyes were hard as he lifted his right hand. "This may come as a surprise, but I'm a very sore loser."

The samurai ignored him and moved ever closer. "End of the line."

Miroku reached for his mala, his fingers curling around the beads for a long moment. The samurai paused, eyes darting from his face to his hand in obvious confusion. Miroku sighed, ground his teeth, and launched himself at the man in a flying tackle. The samurai was so surprised that Miroku was able to wrestle him off his feet and knocked him out with a solid punch.

"The _hell?_" Inuyasha growled, landing beside him. "Why the fuck didn't you just suck that guy in? He was about to kill you."

"I'm not going to kill humans, even those who would wish me dead."

"I can't believe you," Inuyasha snarled, eyes flashing.

Shippo and Hachi caught up with them, the latter carrying Miroku's staff. Inuyasha, though, was far from finished.

"I don't get it. I don't get _you!_ Why steal when you know how much danger it puts you in? Why waste it on food and women? Why don't you _care?_"

Miroku blinked, something twisting in his expression before he sighed. "I move around constantly so I'm hard to track. I have nothing more than the clothes on my back and the goods in my pockets. Even before we set off on our search for the Jewel shards, I never stayed in one place for long. In such turbulent times, a hot meal and a bed is never guaranteed for a travelling monk."

"But it is!" Inuyasha shouted, loud enough to cause Miroku to flinch. "Okay, maybe not a bed, and we have to catch the food ourselves, but it's safe. I can give you all that without you having to put your life in danger over something so stupid and reckless and unnecessary! Why steal? Why bother?"

Miroku blinked at the sheer ferocity in Inuyasha's words. "It's how I survived until now. Most of the time there aren't such immediate consequences."

"Well now is different! It's not just your own life you're ruining, and you're not the only one looking out for you anymore."

Miroku paused, trying to decipher that last comment when Inuyasha drew his sword.

"You wanna die so badly? I might as well just kill you myself!"

Miroku barely had time to process what was going on before he dodged Tessaiga's strike. Confusion clouded his mind and he grabbed his staff from Hachi just in time to block another blow. The strikes were slow, sloppy, and lacked any real punch, but Miroku was more concerned with the cold fury growing in Inuyasha's eyes.

"Fucking defend yourself!" Inuyasha growled, hacking away at him. "Fight back, you coward!"

Tears were growing in the hanyou's eyes and Miroku suddenly understood. He immediately stopped, lowering his staff. Inuyasha gasped in surprise, changing the course of Tessaiga mid-swing and just barely missed hitting the monk. "The hell?"

"Inuyasha, I apologize," Miroku said, holding up his hands in a gesture of peace. "You're absolutely right. It was reckless of me to steal from the lord and I shouldn't have done it. I let my old habits rule me when there was no need. I'm sorry."

Inuyasha growled and shoved Tessaiga back in its sheath, pushing Miroku's shoulder hard with the flat of his hand. "I don't understand!" He gasped and steadied himself against Miroku's chest, fingers desperately clutching the fabric of his robes. "I can barely protect you from demons. I couldn't even protect you from Kik-" His voice died on the name. "Why would you put yourself in even more danger when I _can't keep you safe?_"

"I'm sorry," Miroku repeated, wrapping one arm around Inuyasha's shoulders in a loose embrace. "Before I met you, this is how I had to survive. For seven years I've been wandering around aimlessly looking for Naraku. I had no direction, no idea where I was supposed to be or if I was even ready to face him. Stealing was a necessity. Nice food and pretty women were the only thing I could think to do with the money. Before this, we had more direction with finding the Jewel shards. When we started wandering…"

He shook his head and shrugged. Inuyasha clutched him tighter and he sighed.

"I want to keep you safe," the hanyou growled into his chest.

"You have been," Miroku assured. "You have been."

He glanced over Inuyasha's head to where Shippo and Hachi were watching them in mild shock. Past them, a crowd of villagers were gathering. Any moment now, the samurai would be waking and Miroku suspected that they should be long gone by then. In a moment, they would leave. Miroku closed his eyes and wrapped his arms tighter around Inuyasha.

In just a moment.


	17. Chapter 17: s1e17

Warnings for this chapter: blood, depictions of death and dead bodies, debates about murder, and self-harm by a minor character indirectly resulting in death

* * *

"Eugh, I don't think I've ever seen so many bodies," Shippo shuddered on Miroku's shoulder. "Must've been some battle."

Miroku nodded absently, taking in the hundreds of corpses littering the ground in front of them. The men were curled in horrific positions, their faces twisted and gaping. Crows were already settling amongst their bodies. He bowed his head and started on another prayer.

"This was no battle," Inuyasha murmured, eyes flashing across the field. "Something's not right- Blood! I can't pick up the scent of blood."

"It must be the work of a powerful demon to have brought such destruction," Miroku sighed. "Likely in possession of a shard of the Jewel."

Inuyasha huffed. "Look, just because it's powerful doesn't mean there's a Jewel shard involved."

Miroku shook his head, eyes still closed as he continued his prayer. "That's not the important factor. A demon this powerful poses a great threat to nearby villages. It's our duty to help…" he opened his eyes to look at Inuyasha, but the hanyou was nowhere in sight. "…and he's gone."

A cry of "Help, a demon!" came from over the crest of a nearby hill. Miroku's heart sank and he ran towards the sound, Shippo scampering ahead of him. The sight they stumbled upon was not quite what Miroku had been imagining. Inuyasha knelt on the ground, holding a flailing messenger up by the front of his robes, his nose buried in the scroll the man had been carrying. He was sniffing intently, ignoring the man's ramblings.

"Please, return that letter at once! I must deliver it before the sun goes down. If not, I'm going to be in great danger!"

Miroku closed his eyes for a breath. "Inuyasha, drop the human!"

He tugged on the nenju beads for emphasis, just hard enough to pull the hanyou to the side. Inuyasha's eyes snapped to his as the messenger snatched the scroll and made his escape. "Whatcha do that for?"

"You were terrifying the poor man," Miroku chided gently. "I doubt he's our culprit."

"He was giving off the same smell of ink as the battlefield," Inuyasha huffed. "If I can track down the source, it'll probably lead us to the demon!"

"The demon, or anyone who happens to have a letter on hand," Shippo added.

"Do you want to come up with a better plan," Inuyasha snapped. "Or should we use mine and find the demon before it kills another hundred or so people?"

"Point taken," Miroku murmured. "We should check on the house of the local lord. He's probably the one who hired the dead soldiers and might know something about all of this."

Miroku was just familiar enough with the region to have a vague inkling of the direction, so they wandered along and kept their senses heightened for any signs of danger. Miroku was keenly aware of Shippo on his shoulder. Despite the fox's loud and repeated insistence that he join them in their wanderings, Miroku still had massive reservations about bringing him with them. If they were going to face off against a powerful demon, then he would sooner call up Hachi had have the tanuki fly Shippo back to Kaede's village.

Inuyasha was utterly distracted, eyeing every person they passed on the road and sniffing them up and down in a less-than-discreet way. Every so often, he grabbed a passer-by and accused them of having some part in the massacre. Each time Miroku told him to let them go. They were both getting frustrated but there was nothing else that could be done. They had no real idea of what they were even looking for!

It was getting dark and the lord's house was still nowhere to be seen. They followed a meandering river upstream for a time, looking for a good place to make camp for the night. Summer was hitting with full force, and Shippo had been asking for a bath all day. Miroku was eyeing a nice area across the river when Inuyasha suddenly stiffened, sniffed, and took off down the path. Miroku sighed and grabbed Shippo off the ground to pursue.

"Aye, and I shall marry a princess! There is nothing I cannot achieve!"

Inuyasha frowned and snagged the back of the man's robes, stopping him in his tracks. He wasn't much to look at – short and scrawny and dripping wet – but he reeked of ink. Up close, the scent was joined by the smell of greed and anger. It twisted Inuyasha's guts and his lip curled despite himself. Still, he tried to keep his voice calm.

"Excuse me, mind answering a few questions?"

"What?" the man asked, fear rolling off him in waves.

Inuyasha's ear twitched as Miroku approached from behind. "Inuyasha, we talked about this! Humans don't generally enjoy being hoisted off their feet by strangers!"

"That's the sixth one," Shippo murmured unhelpfully.

"Who are you?" the man asked before his tone darkened. "I warn you, I-" He suddenly stiffened then curled into himself. "I mean, I'm nothing more than a mere second-rate artist."

Inuyasha sneered, unease coiling in his gut. "An artist? Then answer me this, little man – why is it you reek of ink and fresh human blood?"

It was true – under the smell of ink was a thick coating of blood. A hand grasped his suikan as Miroku began pulling him back. "Inuyasha, let him- human blood?"

The man shrieked and struggled in Inuyasha's grip. "Release me, fiend, at once!"

Miroku frowned. "Admittedly, that is suspicious."

The man slipped from Inuyasha's arms and stumbled forward a few steps. Meanwhile, Miroku and Inuyasha exchanged a look. They couldn't exactly fight the man, not the way they usually would, but he was odd enough that he warranted questioning. Inuyasha was about to fetch him when the man spun around, pulling a scroll from inside his robes and unravelling it in a long banner. A painting of a demon was slowly revealed on the parchment. Suddenly, colour flooded the black lines of the art and the demon sprung from the page, tripling in size.

Miroku blinked. "Oh, that's not good."

Inuyasha grabbed Miroku by the waist and pulled him out of the way of one of the demon's giant reaching arms. The demon's hand slammed into the ground where they'd been standing a heartbeat earlier.

"Hey, you!" Inuyasha called after the fleeing artist. "Come back here!"

The man had scrambled down an incline to the river, where a boat lay tied to the shore. He quickly hopped in and began pushing away from the bank. Inuyasha frowned, eyes darting to the artist before returning to the creature in front of him. Despite the overwhelming smell of ink, there was no trace of youki coming from either the man or the demon. It seemed Miroku was following a similar line of thought.

"It must be some kind of illusion," the monk muttered, readying his staff. "That's no youkai."

The demon roared and swung down its weapon, a giant monk's spade, at Inuyasha's head. The hanyou easily stepped out of the way of the clumsy attack then launched himself at the creature, dodging another attack in the air and unsheathing the Tessaiga. He brought the sword down in a powerful swing and, to his surprise, cut cleanly through the demon. He landed back in front of Miroku just in time to see the creature split in half.

Beside him, Miroku slowly lowered his right hand. "Huh…well done, Inuyasha."

Then the demon exploded. A mixture of ink and blood burst from its body, showering them all in the sticky black mixture. Inuyasa ducked, dragging Miroku down with him. He heard the monk shift and suddenly most of the mixture was gone, sucked up in the wind tunnel. Inuyasha let out a breath. Then he made the mistake of breathing in again.

Miroku shouted in horror as Inuyasha suddenly tipped over, utterly limp in his arms. The hanyou let out a low, whining moan. Shippo jumped on his shoulder, looking at him with a skeptical eye. "His nose is so sensitive, the smell of ink and blood got to him."

Miroku gripped the hanyou under the arms and dragged him away from the mess, casting a regretful look over his shoulder at the direction the artist had fled. "Inuyasha, can you hear me? Come on, say something!" He shook his head as there was no response. "Are you doing alright, Shippo?"

The fox grimaced and took a few steps back. "Yeah, I'm alright, but the smell makes me feel sick."

"I guess that man is long gone." Miroku ran a rand through his hair before hoisting Inuyasha over his shoulder. He grunted at the hanyou's dense frame. "Come on, we should get him someplace to lie down."

They decided to keep upriver in the hopes that the lord's house wasn't too far away. It seemed safer to take refuge there than risk another attack from the artist. Shippo transformed into his pink sphere and carried Inuyasha for a little while, but he soon tired. Inuyasha groaned as he was deposited back in Miroku's arms, but thankfully took some of his own weight. Miroku slung the hanyou's arm over his shoulders and supported him the rest of the way. As they finally approached the lord's house, he propped Inuyasha up against the wall and told Shippo to keep an eye on him.

Miroku put on a stern expression, straightening his filthy robes and hoping the guards wouldn't kill him on sight. He marched up to the gate and made his speech.

"An exorcism?" one of the guards eyed him suspiciously.

"Yes." Miroku kept his bravado firmly in place. "I sense an evil shadow hanging over this mansion. I could drive out the demons in a single night."

It wasn't strictly-speaking, totally a lie, in the absolute sense of the word. There were bad things hanging around. Probably.

"Some claim!" The other guard scoffed. "This mansion is blessed each year by a priest of status which you'll never attain!"

"Leave this place at once!" the first continued, jabbing at him with his bo staff. "The only curse we have is being plagued with visits from rogues like you!"

They pointedly turned their backs on him and began shutting the gate. Miroku sighed and made his way back to the others. "There you have it. No luck, Shippo. We'll have to sleep in the woods tonight. How's Inuyasha?"

Amber eyes glinted at him from the wall as the hanyou glared at him. "Still better than you! Besides, what made you think those humans would let Shippo 'n' me in if they turned their noses up at a monk?"

Miroku shrugged. "Well, it's true that my reputation…" He trailed off, glancing up at the darkening sky. "Run!" he shouted at the guards as Inuyasha darted to his side. "It's here!"

Inuyasha grabbed him by the robes and dragged him back, placing himself between the monk and the building black cloud speckled with glowing pink orbs. Miroku shuddered beside him, tugging at the mala beads on his arm and muttering "Bad prediction, bad prediction-"

"Will you shut it?" Inuyasha growled, drawing Tessaiga.

Dozens of figures emerged from within the shadows of the cloud, demons of all shapes and sizes. Some of them were already spilling over the walls surrounding the lord's mansion. Miroku heard the guards shouting in fear before their screams suddenly stopped. The demons continued to emerge from the cloud, twisting visages that were oddly familiar.

"A bull demon and a horse demon!" Miroku shouted to Inuyasha. "I've only seen those in paintings of hell!"

Inuyasha spared him a confused look before launching himself at the first of the demons. "Welcome to hell, then!"

"Help!" a yell came from within the mansion walls. "Someone rescue the princess!"

Miroku gripped his staff and took off running. "Coming!"

He could just make out Inuyasha's shout thrown after him. "You're unbelievable, you know that?!"

He dashed through the interior layers of the princess's chambers, following Shippo's directions from his shoulder as the kit listened in for human heartbeats. A rumbling sound gathered around them and Miroku doubled his pace. He burst into the princess's room and skidded to a stop in front of her just before the black cloud burst through the wall opposite them. Two giant demons reached for them, more already on their heels. Miroku held his staff out and reached for his mala beads. Then the demons suddenly froze, stuttered, and disappeared into black smoke.

A heartbeat later, Inuyasha burst into the room, Tessaiga held out before him. "You alright in there, Miroku?"

"Fine!" Miroku called back. "Though I have to wonder what caused those demons to disappear. Do you suppose they were another of that artist's creations?"

Inuyasha's ears twitched and he stepped to the side. A moment later, a set of guards ran into the room. One pointed his weapon and Inuyasha, but the hanyou just glared at them as Miroku easily talked them down. Once the princess joined in, insisting that all was well, the guards insisted on bringing the lord to them.

"I am indebted to you for saving my daughter," the lord said as he strode into the room. "Monk, I hope you will find it in your heart to forgive my men their earlier rudeness. Please, be my guest this evening and stay for a while."

"You need not thank me," Miroku replied easily. "And I bear no grudges towards your men, but I was not alone. My good friend Inuyasha here – and Shippo too – helped guard the gate while I searched for the princess."

The lord eyed them both suspiciously, but then bowed deeply to them. "Thank you for your help."

"However," Miroku continued. "I fear the danger has yet to pass. The demons will surely attack again." He paused for a moment, letting the words sink in, then adopted a lighter tone. "Come to think of it, the princess will undoubtedly be safer if she were to stay here with me, here in the same room."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes and whispered loudly to Shippo "He's at it again." He levelled a dour glare at the monk. "And I suppose you'll need to search her robes while you're at it, too, you pervert!"

Miroku smiled sweetly at the lord. "He jests, of course."

The lord looked skeptical, but again with the princess's support, they were escorted to their own room for a lavish meal. Shippo was delighted, digging in to the fish and meat dishes with abandon. Inuyasha also downed an entire fish with no problem. Miroku picked at his edamame and frowned. "So, how do we stop an artist who has the power to bring these demons to life?"

"What I don't get is how he can do all that in the first place," Inuyasha growled, popping a piece of sushi in his mouth.

"He's using a shard of the Jewel. I could just sense it before he ran."

Inuyasha frowned. "Humans using the Jewel shards? That's no good."

"I don't see why not," Shippo chirped, nibbling on a peach. "Demons use it all the time! I say we use our own shards to fight him. We have way more than him, anyway. We would be unstoppable!"

Miroku exchanged a frown with Inuyasha. "True, but the shards are not to be used lightly. I can only imagine what their power would do to the body and mind of those who would use them. All the demons we've seen who have used the shards have been utterly corrupted by evil. I fear that this human who uses one is headed down the same path."

"Still, imagine how powerful you could be with our own shards!" Shippo insisted, climbing onto Inuyasha's lap with an armful of dumplings. "I would be such a powerful demon! And Miroku, I bet your wind tunnel would be even stronger! We have some, so we might as well use it, right?"

Miroku opened his mouth, calling upon his inner Kaede to try and explain it to the fox, when he noticed Inuyasha's expression shift. The hanyou's ears twitched and his eyes narrowed at a section of the wall. "I don't know about the artist, but regular old humans will be giving us trouble tonight."

"How do you mean?"

Inuyasha hummed for a moment, ears straining. "Right now the guards from outside this room are telling the lord about our Jewel shards and planning to steal them from us."

Shippo gasped. "How rude!"

Miroku frowned. "Are you sure? I'd hate to think that the lord would act so lowly."

Inuyasha shrugged. "So don't think it, but we'd better be on our guard tonight."

The attendants were very firm in their presentation of their sleeping chambers for the night, one for Miroku and a separate one for "his demons." Miroku folded some pillows and cloth into his bedding to mimic a human form, and Shippo used his fox magic to make the pot nestled in his pillow resemble Miroku's head. The monk himself sat behind a screen in the room, coiled and waiting for what may come. Inuyasha took Shippo to wait just outside. He said it was in case of another ink-demon attack – which was true – but in honestly, the room they'd been given down the hall was just too far away from Miroku's.

It had been dark long before they reached the lord's house, so Miroku figured it was nearing the middle of the night as he sat and waited. It had been a long day, and would likely be a _very _long night. He closed his eyes and opened his senses to the world, falling into a light meditation. Though he was aware of every footstep and creak of wood around him, time slipped away like sand through his fingers. He came back to himself at the quiet footfalls approaching his room, the whisper of the door sliding open, and the muffled thud as sword tips struck the floor. Miroku simply pushed the screen over, levelling a glare at the two guards.

"You tricked us!" one accused hotly.

Really? That was what they were going with? Miroku highly doubted that they had the right to act betrayed in this situation. "What is this about? I remember doing nothing to warrant this violent and traitorous attack!" Well, not yet, anyway.

"Listen, monk," the other guard sighed wearily. "Hand over the Jewel shards."

They rushed at him, swords in the air, and he blocked both their blades with the length of his staff. He sighed as the swords bit into the metal of his staff – one of these days it would break. He pulled it back and slammed the base into one guard's face, knocking him out. Swinging in the opposite direction, he caught the other guard's face with the flat side of the staff's head. The men fell, stunned, and Miroku quickly kept them down.

"Miroku!" Inuyasha barked, jumping into the room through the open door. "You alright?"

Miroku hummed as he held the length of his staff tighter against the guards' necks, pressing their backs to his chest. "Now, what were you saying about a Jewel shard? Who wants to go first?"

"It isn't our fault!" one of the guards spat. "Our lord demanded that we seize your Sacred Jewel shards!"

Miroku rolled his eyes at Inuyasha, acknowledging at he was right. The hanyou shot him a humourless grin full of teeth, hard eyes not leaving the two men.

"The master himself went to take the shard from the artist!" the other guard added.

Inuyasha froze. Miroku paled. A lot of people were about to die. Miroku shoved the guards away and ran for Inuyasha, who caught him and swung the monk onto his back. He grabbed Shippo by the tail and took off following the scent of horses leading from the gate.

"Smells like he's got a small army," Inuyasha hissed, pushing himself faster.

Bright pink lights blazed across the sky, followed shortly after by human screams. Inuyasha skidded to a stop at the edge of the battlefield. Miroku used his forward momentum to fling himself off the hanyou's back, rolling to his feet.

"If you slay them, the scent will overcome you again!" Shippo whined, tugging urgently on his hair.

"Just watch!" Inuyasha growled, unsheathing the Tessaiga and lobbing a row of demons in half in one fluid motion. He landed easily in front of the lord and his skittish horse.

"You save me, young man!" the lord exclaimed. "You shall be compensated."

As the mixture of ink and blood sprayed from the demons' bodies, the lord's horse spooked and ran off. Inuyasha clutched his head, the wave of smells almost knocking him off his feet. His vision flashed white before growing dark and he sank to his knees. He was vaguely aware of Shippo tugging sharply on one of his ears and calling his name.

A horse demon dove at them from the air. Shippo shrieked and cowered under Inuyasha's arm, but Miroku's staff cut it cleanly in two. The added spiritual power dispersed the ink into a fine mist. He planted himself in front of Inuyasha and Shippo, momentarily blocking out the dying shouts of the lord's men. "Stay behind me," he instructed in a quiet voice.

Inuyasha blinked at him, his vision slowly clearing. There was an eerie calm hovering around the monk as he planted his staff firmly in the soft ground and reached for his mala beads. Inuyasha had seen him use the wind tunnel before – of course he had – but never like this. Miroku held his hand out, his entire body bracing against the wind which swirled into his palm like a vortex. Demons were picked up off the ground and sucked down from the air, more and more as the wind tunnel grew ever stronger. Dozens disappeared, shrieking, into the palm of his hand. It was remarkable. But even as he watched, Miroku's scent changed. All of a sudden, he smelled like sweat and stress and pain.

"Miroku?" he asked, concerned.

The monk groaned, low and harsh, and broke off the vortex. He sank to his knees and held his arm to his chest even after the mala beads were back in place, clutching his forearm with his left hand. "I've never drawn in so many at once before. If I might just rest a bit…"

Inuyasha's eyes flickered over the field, nearly devoid of demons save for a few stragglers. A rumbling in the air cut off his assurances. A three-headed dragon burst from the hut in the middle of the field, towering high into the sky. Its body coiled seemingly endlessly from the ground, spreading ever outwards. Inuyasha sprang at Miroku, knocking him out of the way of the writhing demon. Miroku snatched Shippo off the ground as they flew past.

"He must've made another demon!" Shippo exclaimed.

"I'll get 'im," Inuyasha stated firmly, putting a hand on Miroku's shoulder and pushing down hard to keep him from rising. "Can you tell me where the fragment is?"

It was harder than usual to concentrate on the shard, and Miroku had to cast out his focus to find it. "There, in the bamboo ink pot on his waist."

"Got it!" Inuyasha grinned, leaping onto the dragon's back.

He ran up the length of the dragon, focusing in on the artist riding the middle of its three heads. As he approached the artist suddenly turned and spotted him, beady eyes flashing. He reached into his robes and pulled out another scroll. Inuyasha's heart sank. The artist threw it open, revealing dozens of paintings. "Behold, the demons of death!"

They sprang from the parchment and dove at him.

"Inuyasha!" he heard Miroku cry out. "I can't use the wind tunnel with you so close to them!"

"Don't worry, I got this!" Inuyasha shouted back.

Just because he couldn't cut the demons open without passing out didn't mean he couldn't fight them. Inuyasha ran at the hoard with an outstretched fist. A thrill pumped through his veins and something inside him sang. Tessaiga was great, of course, but nothing beat pounding your enemies to a pulp with your own two hands. He knocked some unconscious, simply threw the rest off of the dragon and clawed his way up to the artist.

"Alright, you had your fun," he called. "Now hand over the Jewel shard before I lose it!"

"You underestimate me!" the artist shouted back. The two outer heads of the dragon turned around to face him, searing flames dripping from their mouths. "The flames of my Hellfire shall burn you to the bone!"

Inuyasha barely had time to pull his sleeves over his arms as the Fire Rat robes took the brunt of the attack. Still, it was _hot_, hotter than any flames he'd felt before. He crouched down, winding up before hurling himself at the artist.

"This is it! Take your last chance to surrender." He ran, trailing fire behind him. "Maybe one day I'll die at the hands of someone stronger than me, but they won't be human!"

With Tessaiga in hand, he reached the dragon's head.

"Stay back!" the artist shrieked. "You cannot have the Jewel! It is my last chance at happiness!"

The man threw himself off the dragon, sailing through the air at an alarming pace. The Tessaiga arced toward him in an unstoppable blow, cutting cleanly through the bamboo ink pot. Ink burst from the small container and the dragon, along with the few others scattered around the field, disappeared into mist. Inuyasha used his youki to slow his fall but the artist had no such luxury. He hit the ground hard and rolled down the incline, coming to a stop as he slammed into a tree. Inuyasha winced as he heard several bones crack.

"My ink!" the man shouted, crazed. "My ink is all but spilled!" He reached for an abandoned sword from one of the lord's men, barely pausing before jabbing the tip into his forearm. "Hear me, ink – I give you my blood! Drink well, and fill yourself. Come to life! Feast on my lifeblood!"

Panic thrummed through Inuyasha as the ink hovering in the air condensed and rushed past him in a wave, careening towards the artist. The fool! Oh, the utter _fool!_

"You are mine," the artist cackled as the ink whirled around him. "I shall never let anyone else take hold of you!" The man's heartrate spiked and his scent soured with fear. "My blood…" Inuyasha heard footsteps and automatically reached out to grab Miroku, stopping him from running to the man. "The ink did not fuse with my blood…" Miroku shoved against his shoulder mutely, eyes wide with horror as the artist began to wither away before them. "It devoured it!" The artist screamed in unearthly terror. "Help me!"

Tessaiga was abandoned on the ground. One of Inuyasha's arms was around Miroku's waste, holding him back. The other was reached out toward the artist in a futile gesture. Miroku's hands clutched at his robes in an aborted attempt to free himself. They could only watch as the artist slowly mummified before them, his blood seeping away into the ink before his body joined suit. In the end, there was only a pool of blood and ink on the ground.

"The fool!" Inuyasha snarled, tearing his eyes off the scene. "Stupid fool."

"What a terrible way to end," Shippo muttered faintly, still staring in horror though he was buried in Miroku's shoulder.

"The artist's ambitions must've turned the ink into a parasite," Inuyasha sighed, crouching down next to the black pool on the ground. "Imagine – he'd rather have his blood sucked dry than part with the Jewel shard."

"The shard has been tainted. Don't touch it," Miroku warned, stepping forward to fish the offending item from the pool with the base of his staff. He grabbed a spare piece of cloth from inside his robes and used it to pick up the Jewel shard, which glowed angrily with a dulled, darkened light. He wrapped it up tightly and placed it securely in his robes. "I'll have to purify this later."

He looked up to see Inuyasha staring into the ink. "You alright?"

Inuyasha shook his head distractedly. "It was like the shard was completely controlling his mind. He didn't even know what he was doing in the end. I should've tried harder to save the idiot."

"You did all that you could," Miroku assured. "He was trying to kill you, after all."

Inuyasha turned a lightly teasing grin on the monk. "I'm not gonna kill humans, even those who would wish me dead."

Miroku smiled and wrapped an arm around Inuyasha's shoulder, squeezing lightly before turning them both in the direction of the lord's house. Together, they headed off into the night.

* * *

I don't know why this chapter was so much easier than the last. Sorry it's a bit late again – I'm trying to get out the last of my assignments for this semester and things are a little hectic. I should be back to my regular uploads next week, and I look forward to some of the future chapters! I hope you're all keeping safe and well.


	18. Chapter 18: s1e18

Warnings for blood, mutilation, and pissy demons

* * *

"This is so much better than sleeping in the forest," Shippo sighed, glancing at the rice in his bowl before obviously deciding he could manage a few more bites. "A hot meal, a nice bath, and a warm bed!"

Inuyasha glared at him over his tea. "Well excuse me for making you sleep in the wilds all the time. Honestly, what kind of demon are you?"

Shippo sniffed delicately and licked his fingers. "Are you mad because coming here was Miroku's idea?"

"I'm not mad and it wasn't even his idea – you're the one who was whining about not wanting to sleep outside tonight!"

At Shippo's sheepish grin, Inuyasha turned back to his food. He wasn't overly chagrined at staying indoors, he just didn't see the point. It was early summer and sleeping under the stars was far from a hardship. He'd understand it more during the winter, but even then. Shippo had taken to human luxuries alarmingly quickly. He worried for the fox's development if he carried on insisting on fancy meals and bedding every few days. It didn't help that Miroku bent like a twig to the kit's every whim. But he supposed that so long as it didn't happen too often, and Miroku wasn't wasting their money on such extravagances, he couldn't begrudge them a few nice meals.

"There, that should suffice," Miroku said, placing another sutra on a wooden pillar outside the innkeeper's house. "With the last seal in place, the ominous black clouds that hover over your tavern should disappear."

The old man beamed up at him. "I am forever in your debt, good monk. My, when you told me of such evils, I almost jumped out of my skin in fear! But now I can sleep easy."

"All in a day's work for a simple monk," Miroku assured, keeping his smile firmly fixed in place. "I thank you greatly for your hospitality."

The sweet old man insisted that it was nothing, and Miroku felt guilt churning in his stomach. The sutras would work to ward of any demons or malevolent spirits – he'd made extra sure of that – but the initial lie lay heavy in his heart. Ever since Shippo began travelling with them, he'd fallen further and further back into his old habits. He only wanted to keep the little fox happy and healthy. It was bad enough that he was orphaned, without a home, and facing down danger at every turn with them. Miroku was determined to give him as much of a childhood as possible. Even if that meant bending the truth from time to time.

Shippo's dazzling smile as he rejoined him and Inuyasha in their room made it almost worthwhile. "Such bliss! I can't eat another bite." He waved onigiri at Miroku as he sat down. "How'd the exorcism go?"

"Uneventful," Miroku reported dutifully. "Now I'm ready for some relaxation."

"Hold up there, Miroku," Inuyasha drawled suspiciously. "There's something I haven't been able to figure out recently."

"Mm?" Miroku asked, taking a sip of tea and avoiding eye-contact.

"Why is it that whenever we're looking for a place to bed down, you suddenly detect an ominous cloud hanging over some tavern or mansion?"

"Ah," Miroku sighed. "Well, they say a falsehood is sometimes the expedient path. And it's not as though there's nothing ominous around – youkai of all forms are practically everywhere. The service I provide is real, regardless of how immediately it is needed."

"I can't believe it!" Inuyasha exclaimed. "I can't believe I'm travelling with a con-man. At least in that other town, you actually performed an exorcism for that lord before stealing his stuff!"

Miroku forced a glowing smile. "Partake in my share of the spoils and you opinion of me will soften."

Shippo snatched the offered basket from his hands. "Sweet, dumplings!"

"Miroku," Inuyasha growled. "You're setting a bad example for the child."

A rumbling came from high in the sky. Tremors ran along the ground and small pieces of debris began raining from the ceiling. They shot to their feet but stayed low to the ground, keeping their balance as the floor shook. Shippo jumped into Miroku's arms. "What _is_ that?"

"Whatever it is, it's big," Inuyasha murmured, placing a hand on the hilt of Tessaiga.

"Yes, let's run," Miroku said.

Inuyasha's gaze snapped to the monk. "What? No way! You can't just eat and run!"

"We're no match for it here," Miroku argued calmly. "We need to lure it away from the tavern and the other guests here." He paused, frowning at the middle distance. "There's a Jewel shard nearby, and it's approaching very quickly."

"Huh, that's a change," Inuyasha grinned. "We've never had them bring _us_ the Jewels before."

Miroku levelled an unamused expression at the hanyou. "And you think that's a good thing, do you?"

They ran outside, just in time to see a giant hand reaching over the crest of a hill at the edge of the town. It slammed into the ground with tremendous force, nearly knocking several of the gathered humans off their feet. Shouts of alarm came from all those who left their homes to see what was going on. The gigantic demon hauled itself up into the night, standing tall enough to block out the moon. The pale light glistened off its red skin and teeth the size of boulders. Red eyes glowed as the demon surveyed the town. It took a step toward the tavern, crushing a small store house under its foot.

Inuyasha skidded to a stop, Miroku right behind him. The demon took a few more lumbering steps toward them before stilling, turning its piercing glare onto them. It stood across a flat, rocky clearing, standing tall above the trees. Miroku could just make out a figure standing on the giant's shoulder. Inuyasha's eyes widened in disbelief as the familiar scent on the breeze confirmed what he didn't want to believe.

"Sesshomaru!"

The figure rose and jumped easily from the giant demon's shoulder, floating towards them. He raised a hand, a pale green light emanating from his palm. He landed just before them and plunged his claws into the earth, sending wisps of poison spiraling out in all directions. Miroku saw the warning signs and ran with Shippo, while Inuyasha launched himself high into the air to escape the noxious fumes. He touched down a moment later, eyes and nose stinging.

"As usual, you're slow to take action, little brother," Sesshomaru mocked coolly.

Inuyasha coughed hard, clearing the foul air from his lungs before turning a glower on his brother. "Sesshomaru! To what honour do we owe this visit?"

"Spare me the feigned innocence," Sesshomaru sniffed. "I'm here for the Tessaiga, of course."

Miroku narrowed his eyes from his position behind some boulders. He was still after the sword, but why? Why seek a sword he couldn't wield? What had changed? Beside him, Shippo was tugging on his sleeve, asking who the newcomer was. He explained quickly in hushed tones.

"You're still on that nonsense?" Inuyasha asked, unconsciously placing a hand on the hilt.

"Draw your sword, Inuyasha," Sesshomaru demanded. "Or will you surrender it now without the need for a battle?"

"No chance!" Inuyasha growled. "This time I'll take off much more than just one of your arms!"

He leapt into the air, bringing the sword down in a swing which Sesshomaru easily dodged. He danced out of the way of the next two strikes, an expression of cold disinterest on his face.

"Such a pity," he murmured. "I see that you have yet to unleash the full power of the Tessaiga."

"Oh yeah? Let's see about that!"

He charged with a shout, only for Sesshomaru to grab him by the wrist, holding tight. The skin immediately began to burn, the poison eating into his skin.

"Such pitiful swordsmanship," Sesshomaru mocked. "You can't handle a large sword."

Green light began emanating from Sesshomaru's clenched hand, escaping in wisps from Inuyasha's hand. Tessaiga shook as his grasp wavered. The skin began to peel back in stinging open wounds.

"Your wrist, or the sword?" Sesshomaru asked. "Which will be the first to drop?"

"Well it ain't gonna be the sword," Inuyasha growled, reaching up to grab the hilt with his left hand. He twisted the sword, breaking Sesshomaru's grip on his wrist and pushed forward driving his brother back. "I'll slit you in half, you sad excuse for a demon!"

"You should've surrendered," Sesshomaru hissed, leaping out of the way and into the air.

His light-whip snapped down like lightning, wrapping around the blade of the Tessaiga. It struck again, then snapped the sword out of his hands, sending it flying away across the clearing. It landed tip-first in the ground, transforming back as it did so. Sesshomaru landed lightly beside it. Inuyasha watched in shocked horror as his brother reached out and purposefully wrapped a hand around the hilt of the sword. How? It should've been impossible- Wait, when did Sesshomaru regrow his arm? Was that a new trick?

The Tessaiga transformed instantly, glowing with bright golden light. Sesshomaru easily pulled it from the ground, using the motion to spin the blade around his body then strike. A wave of blazing energy shot from the blade and rampaged toward him. Inuyasha leapt out of the way, but his mind was reeling. Sesshomaru shouldn't be able to touch the sword, let alone wield it like that!

"I'm the Tessaiga's true owner," Sesshomaru said. "Stand back as I demonstrate its true power." He tilted his head toward the giant demon behind him. "Jaken!"

"Yes, my lord!" the imp's voice sounded from somewhere around the demon's shoulder.

The giant shifted to the right, turning to face the large mountain in the distance. With the command of "Go forth!" from Jaken, the giant slammed its hand into the ground hard enough to make the earth shake. A pulse of energy emerged from the ground in waves before dozens of spheres rose from the trees. They soared into the sky before turning into wormlike demons. More streamed from the forest. The unearthly shriek of a hundred demons filled the air as the hoard began travelling as a pack, all heading toward the nearby town. Inuyasha tore his eyes from the oncoming wave of demons to stare at Sesshomaru. What was that bastard _doing?_

"Witness this," Sesshomaru commanded. "And learn from your master, Inuyasha. With one stroke, I shall slaughter one hundred demons!"

He swung the Tessaiga with a snap of his wrist, sending three lines of blazing light hurtling at the hoard. The powerful strike flew across the demons, instantly dissolving them into nothing but ash. Inuyasha froze, every muscle tensed to the breaking point. It couldn't be. How was Tessaiga so powerful? How could Sesshomaru _do_ something like that? As the light faded, a deep scar was revealed in the earth, travelling from Sesshomaru's feet to the new ravine dug along the mountain's face, glowing with molten rock.

Miroku took an involuntary step back. He had been keeping his distance, trying to let Inuyasha deal with his brother alone. However, this was getting out of hand. Tessaiga was ten times more dangerous in Sesshomaru's hands, and Inuyasha was left unarmed. He had to figure out some way to help that didn't involve sucking in the Tessaiga or killing the brother of his friend.

"Now do you see?" Sesshomaru asked, turning back to Inuyasha. "Father's sword reigns supreme. Unfortunately, Tessaiga is incapable of choosing its owner. But perhaps now you, a mere hanyou, realize that you can never truly master it."

Miroku nudged Shippo further back behind the rocks, muttering for him to stay hidden. He crept forward, trying to get as close as possible while Sesshomaru remained focused on Inuyasha.

"Your blood shall stain this sword," Sesshomaru continued. "Truly, a fitting end for you, is it not?"

"Never!" Inuyasha spat.

Miroku stepped out beside Inuyasha, throwing his arm bearing the staff out in front of the hanyou, partially shielding him with his body. He levelled an even look at the dog demon. "Hello, Sesshomaru. How have you been?"

"You impetuous monk!" Sesshomaru snarled.

"I'm flattered that you remember me," Miroku grinned. "However, I'm afraid I can stay quiet no longer. Enough of this foolish sibling rivalry."

Inuyasha let out a low warning growl behind him. "Butt out and stay back, Miroku. I can handle this!"

"Not on your own, you can't."

Inuyasha elbowed his way roughly in front of the monk. "Shaddup and get behind me!"

"Don't be so stubborn!" Miroku chided, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Very funny, coming from you!" Inuyasha shot back, before his eyes snapped to Jaken.

"My lord!" the imp was screeching. "Allow _me_ to finish off the monk! No sense in wasting your energy on such a feeble opponent."

From behind Inuyasha, Miroku snorted. "Oh, finish me off, huh? Like you did last time, Jaken?"

"As you wish," Sesshomaru said. "I will observe."

"Onward!" Jaken commanded, urging the giant demon forward. "Crush them all!"

Miroku shoved Inuyasha back with a firm hand on his chest. He planted his feet and grasped the mala beads. "Get back!" he shouted over his shoulder before opening the wind tunnel. He saw Sesshomaru's eyes widen as he jumped back, digging Tessaiga into the earth and clinging on. Miroku kept an eye on him even as he aimed his hand at the giant demon. He knew that Sesshomaru was the biggest threat there, but he wouldn't suck in Inuyasha's brother if he could avoid it. The giant demon was another matter entirely. The uncomfortable stretch he'd felt from the wind tunnel after the ink-demons a few days prior had faded, but his hand was still a little tender. And he'd never attempted to draw in anything nearly as large as the behemoth before him. The total weight of the demon wouldn't be so much of a problem, but the thought of his hand tearing filled him with icy dread.

The giant demon's hand, once reaching for the pair, was now being sucked into the wind tunnel. The demon was fighting to stand his ground, pulling back with its considerable strength, but slowly it was being drawn in. Miroku grimaced, feeling the icy burn creeping up his arm as more and more air rushed into the vortex of his palm. It was already longer than he usually kept the wind tunnel open, and he could feel his muscles clenching in response.

"You show him, Miroku!" Shippo's voice cheered from far behind him.

"You got this," Inuyasha encouraged, just loud enough for him to hear.

He could hear Jaken screeching as he fled to the demon's back for safety. The giant was on its knees, its right hand already gone into Miroku's. Inuyasha kept his gaze fixed firmly on Sesshomaru, waiting to see what his brother would do next. His nose and ears were kept on Miroku, though, tracing the hammering heart and increasingly stressed scent. Sesshomaru reached into his robes and pulled out a rough brown sphere, patchy and layered, almost like the hive of some insect. He stared at it for a moment before tossing it into the air. As Inuyasha watched, dozens of insects burst from the sphere. They looked like giant hornets but more than ten times the size. Soon they were caught up in Miroku's wind tunnel, disappearing into his hand. Inuyasha tried to decipher why his instincts were screaming at him that this was _bad_.

Miroku pulled back slightly but didn't close the wind tunnel. Whatever Sesshomaru had been planning, it didn't appear to be working too well. A jolt ran through him as he realized that the insects weren't being sucked in – they were flying at him. Panic began seeping into the corners of his mind as he fought over what to do. He couldn't close the wind tunnel, not with the giant demon half-way inside of it, but something was off- Wrong! What _were_ they? What-

Pain.

Searing, excruciating pain slammed into him, lacing up his arm, setting the skin alight and instantly bringing him to his knees. The air was punched from his lungs, a scream frozen in his throat. The overfull hollowness that came from overusing his wind tunnel crashed into him, almost knocking him off his feet. Black spots danced in his vision and his head swam. He knew with an overwhelming urgency that he needed the wind tunnel to be closed _now_. His movements were jerky and uncoordinated with raw panic as he pulled his hand away, retrieving something from his wind tunnel for the first time in his life. The moment giant demon's head and arm re-emerged – though the demon was long dead, and slumped to the ground – Miroku wrapped the mala around his hand and fell back. He collided with Inuyasha's chest and strong arms wrapped around him, clinging to him as much as steadying him.

"Inuyasha," he gasped out. "You'll have to take over."

"Miroku?" Inuyasha's voice was sharp with fear. "What'd they _do_ to you?"

More of the insects were buzzing towards them. Inuyasha swore quietly, laid Miroku on the ground and rushed forward, claws bared. "Iron Reaver, Soul Stealer!"

He was surprised at how easily they were destroyed with a single swipe of his claws. Then again, he wasn't their intended target.

"Miroku!" Shippo cried, darting to his side. "Are you gonna be alright?"

"The venom…" Miroku gasped, another wave of pain washing over him.

A cluster of the insects flew at them. Shippo squeaked, grasping on tighter to Miroku's staff with one hand and jumping into the air. "Foxfire!"

"Careful!" Miroku warned, though the insects flew away from the heat.

"Don't worry," the fox assured. "I can handle them!"

He then let out a shriek as a few more flew at him. He turned and ran, dragging the staff behind him.

"Shippo!" Miroku cried out.

He tried to get to his feet, or even just pull out some sutras, but he couldn't seem to let go of his arm. It was as though by clamping down hard on his forearm, he could somehow stem the flow of venom creeping into his body. Rationally, he knew it was far too late. Whatever part of him was connected to what he sucked up through the wind tunnel, it was on fire with the insects' poison.

Inuyasha landed between Miroku and Sesshomaru, another dozen insects dead at his feet. After sparing a glance at his brother, just making sure he was keeping his distance, he turned back to the monk. He did not look good. He was pale and sweaty, tremors racking through his body and agony in his scent. "Miroku?"

"Sorry, Inuyasha," he smiled a little ruefully. "The venom's gotten to me."

The mask slipped for a heartbeat as pain flashed across his face. The pale-grey of his skin made Inuyasha suck in a strong breath. As much as the pain, the fear creeping into Miroku's scent terrified him. He heard Sesshomaru moving and didn't bother to look before digging his claws into his wrist for "Blades of Blood!"

Sesshomaru lifted the Tessaiga and easily blocked the attack. That was alright – Inuyasha only needed it as a distraction, anyway. He hoisted Miroku's arm over his shoulder and set off around the fallen demon, looking for some shred of cover. His breathing hitched as he realized that Miroku was barely taking any of his own weight. The monk was almost limp in his arms, and the tremors from before were interspersed with violent shudders.

"You owe me big time for this one, Miroku!" he snapped, but his ears were trained on the rapid heartbeat and rasping breaths which grew increasingly laboured. Miroku was going to be okay, wasn't he? His gut curled at the pained expression which no longer held even the pretense of a smile. Panic started to well up inside him.

Shippo let out a gasp and scampered to his side, still clutching Miroku's staff. "He's coming!"

Inuyasha's eyes darted around for a way out of this mess. He ground his teeth as sweat dripped from his brow. Now what? They were trapped on this side of the demon with no way to escape without Sesshomaru finding them. One swing of the Tessaiga would do them all in.

"This is the end for you," Sesshomaru's voice sounded from the other side of the demon's head. "Die."

Miroku's eyes snapped open and he threw his weight onto Inuyasha, knocking the surprised hanyou over. He grabbed his staff from Shippo and held it out, forming a weak barrier just before the blast from Tessaiga washed over them. The barrier dissolved almost instantly and they were showered with bits of demon. Inuyasha grabbed Shippo and tossed him to the side to keep the kit from being buried, then hooked his hands under Miroku's arms and dragged him from the carnage. The monk's face was even paler than before.

Inuyasha clambered back over the pile of demon parts to face Sesshomaru, ears pinned to his head and snarling viciously. His brother chuckled, unfazed. "You stupidity knows no bounds. Run and hide while you can. That, and only that, is the only choice left to you." He smirked slightly. "Then again, perhaps you should stand and face your death. At least you would die with honour."

"Blah, blah, blah," Inuyasha drawled. "Suddenly you're a preacher. Let me give you a piece of advice now that I have your attention – if you're gonna kill someone, do it right the first time! 'Cause otherwise they have a nasty way of coming back to make you regret it." He threw himself toward Sesshomaru, claws bared. "Like this!"

His claws glanced off Tessaiga's blade, sending sparks flying through the air. A small frown tugged at Sesshomaru's lips as he flew into the air, lifting Tessaiga far above his head. "Silence!" he hissed. "I have heard enough!"

Inuyasha barely had time to pull the Tessaiga's sheath from his side to block the blow. Pink energy crackled along the wood. His teeth bared in a feral grin at the confused anger on Sesshomaru's face. He was starting to crack.

Every breath was an effort. Miroku had to concentrate hard to keep from falling over. The pain was fading slightly – or maybe he was just getting used to it – but his body felt weaker with every heartbeat that spread the venom through him. He was startled from his reverie by the frantic mutterings of Sesshomaru's imp.

"Lord Sesshomaru nearly killed me!" he was saying as he emerged from the pile of debris. "His servant! With his own blow! My future may not be in good hands."

Well, that was true. Miroku clamped his hand over the imp's head, pinning him there as he dragged his body closer. Jaken paled as he turned to look on his attacker. "You! You're still alive?"

"Imp!" Miroku wheezed. "How is it that you blocked my wind tunnel?"

"We did?" Jaken asked innocently. "Oh, yes. Well…err…"

"Look out!"

Shippo's warning cry was all that saved him from a face full of flames. Jaken's Human Head Staff spat enough fire to send Miroku tumbling down the pile of demon parts. He landed hard, unable to catch his breath. Shippo darted to his side, glaring back at the imp with blazing eyes. Jaken laughed.

"A weak monk and a puny fox-child. I am powerful enough to take you both on at once!"

"Our history says otherwise!" Miroku shot back, leaning on bravado and nothing else. He tried his best to disguise the fact that, now lying on the ground, he couldn't get up again.

Shippo sprang into the air, throwing all his knickknacks and tricks at Jaken. The imp batted them away easily with his staff, fighting back with shrill taunts. Shippo hurled the giant spinning top at him, but Jaken knocked it out of the air. Shippo landed back next to Miroku, nonplussed more than scared. "I don't get it. That one always works!"

"Save yourself, Shippo," Miroku gasped, barely bracing himself with his forearms against the ground. "Don't worry about me!"

"I'm staying!" Shippo retorted firmly, but Miroku could see the fear in his eyes. They both knew that this was a bad situation. A wall of fire cascaded down the mount of demon flesh from Jaken's staff. Miroku moved without thinking, rolling to his feet and following Shippo as he ran. As they moved out from behind the pile, Miroku caught sight of Inuyasha, desperately trying to keep Sesshomaru at bay.

"Please," Sesshomaru sneered, pressing the sword harder against Inuyasha's grasp. "Trying to resist my Tessaiga with a sheath?"

"This is no ordinary sheath!" Inuyasha growled. "You'll change your mind soon enough, when I use it to crack open that head of yours."

"That will kill me?" Sesshomaru asked, amused. "Let's see you prove it."

He shoved Inuyasha away and swung Tessaiga, barely missing him. Inuyasha leapt back, barely landing before Sesshomaru was hurtling after him. He blocked the first strike on instinct, just catching it with the sheath before the next attack. The sheath went flying from his hand, landing on the ground with a light clatter.

"One strike," Sesshomaru commented dryly. "One more strike and it's over."

Miroku's eyes widened, seeing the cold death in Sesshomaru's eyes. He ripped a sutra from his robes, slapped it onto the head of his staff and threw it at Tessaiga. The metal head collided with the blade with an awful screech, sending sparks flying, but the sword transformed back. Miroku almost smirked to himself. What a shot! Instead he stumbled to his feet, a firm gaze on Sesshomaru as he lifted his right hand, grasping the mala beads with his left.

"Drop the sword," he said, slowly and evenly. "Unless you want to be sucked in!"

Sesshomaru's eyes were hard and calculating. Inuyasha's widened. "Miroku, what're you doing?"

"Inuyasha, make your escape!" Miroku commanded, pulling the beads slowly from his hand. "Hurry!"

They stood there, frozen in time, no one willing to move. Inuyasha's eyes shifted from his brother to Miroku, trying to assess the situation. Sesshomaru was pissed and cocky, but he'd seen what the wind tunnel could do. Miroku's bluff might just be enough to get him to back down. But was it even a bluff? The insects still lurked around, waiting for the moment the wind tunnel opened again. Inuyasha knew that Miroku couldn't handle any more venom. He could smell the strain the monk's body was under even now. But Miroku was desperate. He may even believe he was done for. There was a distinct possibility that Miroku was planning on going out and taking Sesshomaru with him.

And there was no way Inuyasha was going to let that happen.

* * *

I was looking through my plans for future episodes and realized that if I continue with my one-a-week upload schedule, this will only take three and a half years to complete! …So from now on, expect the occasional extra uploads. I'll stick to one a week minimum, but I'm going to try to get out two or more from time to time, particularly if it's two-parters like this one.


	19. Chapter 19: s1e19

Warnings for this chapter: references to death and suicide, blood, and an extra helping of angst.

* * *

Miroku kept his gaze levelled at Sesshomaru, keeping the dog demon pinned. He didn't dare move, sensing that the slightest shift would end the eerie calm that had fallen over the group. If Sesshomaru broke first and attacked, he had absolutely no way of defending himself. Not with the Jewel shard he could barely sense embedded in the demon's flesh. He just needed to keep Sesshomaru there for a few more moments. Out of the corner of his eye, he watched Shippo scamper around to where his staff had fallen. He moved painfully slowly, reaching out a hand. The staff came flying at him from Shippo's powerful throw, and he snatched it from the air before aiming it at Sesshomaru.

"Drop the sword," he warned. "Or I'll cut your left arm off!"

Inuyasha glanced between Miroku and Sesshomaru, now thoroughly confused. Why his arm? What was going on? He saw the muscles in Miroku's jaw shift a heartbeat before the monk charged forward, but Sesshomaru easily jumped away from the swinging blow. Sesshomaru sneered and dove for the human, claws poised to tear flesh. _No!_ Inuyasha flung himself forward, connecting bodily with Sesshomaru and intercepting his path.

"I'm the one you want!" he reminded his brother, slicing his claws through the air.

He connected with something, though he didn't know what, and Sesshomaru changed course. Inuyasha landed in front of Miroku, claws ready and teeth bared. Miroku leaned heavily on his staff behind him, barely keeping his feet.

"Most amusing," Sesshomaru drawled. "You seem so anxious for his safety."

"There's a shard in his left arm," Miroku said urgently. "I'm sure if I can just hit it-"

"Forget it!" Inuyasha snapped, not taking his eyes off his brother. "Sesshomaru's never been the kind of opponent that's easy to strike down, and you can barely stand. Get out of here while you can still move!" He paused for a breath, softening his voice. "And Miroku, thanks for your help. Now I can defeat him."

Miroku narrowed his eyes suspiciously, the hint of a smile in his voice. "You're thanking me? That can't be good."

Inuyasha huffed, worry leaving no room for humour. "Miroku, go!"

Sure enough, Miroku turned and clambered back around the pile of demon parts. He wouldn't leave – he couldn't, in more ways than one – but he could stay out of the way and let Inuyasha get the Tessaiga back. Hopefully he would still be able to help if it came to it. Inuyasha launched forward, trying to provoke Sesshomaru into dropping the Tessaiga. Miroku debated trying to grab it while the demon was distracted, but it was becoming increasingly difficult to move. He doubted he could get there in time. As he came to a stop, he caught sight of Jaken peering over a chunk of demon liver. With a growl eerily similar to one of Inuyasha's he caught a hold of the imp and lifted him up by the head.

"You looked nicer before," Jaken commented, eyeing him up and down.

Miroku was not amused. "I'm having a bad day, imp, so I'll give you one last chance to leave."

"How very generous…" Jaken said, reaching for the Human Head Staff. Shippo darted forward and grabbed it from his hand.

"Confess, you nasty little beast," Miroku pressed. "Where did you get those venomous insects?"

"They were given to us by a demon," Jaken spilled instantly. "I did not see his face for he wore the hide of a baboon to conceal himself."

"And what was his name?"

"His name?" Jaken paused, eyes widening slightly. "He said it was Naraku."

Miroku's blood ran cold. Across the battlefield, Inuyasha froze mid-strike. Naraku?

"Where is he?" Miroku asked with deadly calm. "Where can I find him? Tell me now!"

"I know not where he is!" Jaken insisted before a menacing smile spread across his face. "And even if you were to find him, it would do you no good. Your fate has been sealed! You won't make it until dawn."

Miroku groaned, a tremor ripping through his body forcing him to drop the imp. Shippo clutched at his sleeve with anxious hands. "Are you in pain, Miroku?"

"Pain is nothing. It is death that concerns me."

He couldn't die. Not yet. Not when he finally, _finally_ had a hint of Naraku's presence.

"Don't look to me for sympathy!" Jaken taunted.

Miroku took the imp by the front of his robes and threw him over his shoulder. Another shudder passed through him and he gasped, landing on his hands and knees. The energy brought on by panic that had been keeping him going thus far was quickly draining away. He couldn't carry on much longer.

"Miroku!" Shippo cried, though his voice sounded distorted to his ears.

"I'm fine," Miroku assured anyway. "I just need to rest."

The imp must have been right about the venom. The tightness in his chest was growing stronger, talons of pain squeezing his lungs until he could barely draw breath. Every movement was an effort, and sent red-hot flames through his shaking muscles. He took in Shippo's anxious face, the fear in his eyes. He had to hang on. He knew that the little fox had grown to care for him, and he didn't want him to have to witness the death of another loved one.

"Listen, Shippo," he gasped out, trying to sound reassuring. "Can you help me get up this hill? Inuyasha needs out help."

Inuyasha glared at Sesshomaru, determined to keep his brother away from Miroku. He eyed his left arm, noticing the slightly different skin tone and the faint smell of human. Now that Miroku had pointed it out, he could vaguely sense where Jewel shard emanated, connecting the arm to his body.

"I've figured you out, Sesshomaru," he muttered, just loud enough for his brother to hear. "Disgusting! Didn't think you would lower yourself to human parts."

Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed. "As though you can talk. You're dragging around an entire human!"

"I'm gonna rip off your arm and beat you to death with it."

"I guarantee it will be harder than me taking away your human toy."

Inuyasha launched himself forward with a roar, claws poised to dig into Sesshomaru's flesh. Sesshomaru rushed at him in turn, slicing across his shoulder with his poisoned claws. The light-whip snapped across the ground at his feet, forcing him to jump back. They danced forward and back, each dodging the strike of the other until Inuyasha growled and pushed forward. He blocked the whip's strike with his sleeve but another attack flung him back. He jumped, twisting over Sesshomaru's head. He landed on a boulder and pushed himself off, straight at his brother with a shout of "Iron Reaver, Soul Stealer!"

He must have been getting to Sesshomaru, because his brother's fist connected with his face. He went flying, gouging a scar into the earth with his body until he slid to a stop. Sesshomaru was smiling menacingly, emotion starting to crack through his iron control. Blood dripped down his cheek from an earlier attack and his eyes flashed. He took a step forward before something crashed into his left shoulder, shattering the armor there with a pulse of spiritual power.

Sesshomaru froze, stunned, before both he and Inuyasha looked to where Miroku was lowering Shippo's slingshot. The fox handed him another rock and he quickly wrapped a sutra around it, bringing it to the ready.

"Miroku!" Inuyasha shouted, half relieved that the monk was still upright, half terrified of what he had just done.

"Inuyasha," Sesshomaru said, low and dangerous. "Make him stop. Even as a hanyou, there is youkai within you. Be proud of that. Do not accept human aid, even in death."

Miroku shouted back "Maybe you shouldn't accept aid from people wearing dead monkey skins on their heads!"

Inuyasha shot him an incredulous look, wondering if his friend had finally lost his mind. For some reason, the words seemed to strike a chord with Sesshomaru, though, who looked utterly pissed.

"Don't try anything, Miroku," he warned. "Sesshomaru is ruthless!"

Miroku pulled back the slingshot and sent another rock flying at Sesshomaru. The demon easily snatched it from the air. His hand glowed green and the rock melted.

"You've had your warning," Sessomaru said, raising the Tessaiga as it partially transformed and glowed golden. "Now I shall put an end to your interference!"

Sesshomaru planted his stance and swept a golden blast of energy flying at Miroku. Shippo screeched and darted out of the way. Miroku grimaced and leaned harder on his staff. His body was no longer responding to his orders. He couldn't move out of the way. Inuyasha swore and jumped, wrapping Miroku in his arms a heartbeat before the blast reached them. The wave hit them and sent them off their feet. Inuyasha cried out as the energy tore at him, barely blocked by the robes of the Fire Rat. They landed hard on the ground, Inuyasha taking the brunt of the impact on his forearms to avoid shattering Miroku's bones with his body.

He could hear Shippo calling after them, but it sounded far away and distorted. His vision blurred as he sat up and his head pounded, but that didn't matter right now. He grabbed Miroku's shoulder, waiting for an earthshattering moment before his ears picked up the heartbeat again. But the monk wasn't moving. Was barely breathing.

"Miroku?" he pleaded, shaking his shoulder. "Miroku!"

He reached forward, cradling the human's cheek with his hand. Miroku's brows furrowed but he didn't wake. Sesshomaru raised his sword again and Inuyasha instinctively shielded the monk more with his body. "How dare you?" he snarled, baring his teeth. "He doesn't deserve it!"

He didn't. Miroku didn't deserve to die, not like this. Not as the product of an attack on someone else. Not in some barren field in the night. Not before he could fulfill his mission, complete the Jewel and save himself from the wind tunnel. Not yet.

"Shippo," Inuyasha called quietly, bringing the fox to him. "Get Miroku out of here, fast. Get as far away as you can."

"You sure?" Shippo asked, eyes darting to Sesshomaru.

"Get Miroku out of here!" Inuyasha insisted. "Please, don't let him die."

The kit stared at him with wide eyes before an expression of determination shifted across his face. He transformed into his pink sphere and Inuyasha carefully lifted Miroku onto his back. He brushed his fingers through the monk's hair one last time before pushing Shippo away, sending them floating away from the battlefield. Sesshomaru raised the Tessaiga again, golden energy swirling around it as it struggled to transform.

"You will never escape me," he called to Inuyasha. "I shall destroy you all with a single stroke!"

Inuyasha ran for him, a shout of rage ripping from his throat. Sesshomaru swung the Tessaiga, another blast of energy leaving the blade and tearing towards him. Inuyasha ran through the impact, feeling the energy flying through him in waves of pain. The impact caught Shippo and Miroku, sending the monk off of the fox's back. He awoke with a gasp as he hit the ground. Bits of rock and dust settled around them as the blast subsided. He glanced back just in time to see Inuyasha pushing back the pulsing blade. Miroku gasped out "Inuyasha!"

The hanyou's head snapped around to stare at him with wide eyes. "What're you waiting for? _Run!_"

"Very touching," Sesshomaru drawled, raising his right hand with poison on his claws. "Trying to buy time?"

Inuyasha pushed harder against his human arm, trying to rip it off or grab the Tessaiga. Sesshomaru shifted his other arm around, claws poised, and rammed his hand through Inuyasha's back. The fingers emerged through his chest. Inuyasha screamed.

"Inuyasha!" Miroku clambered to his hands and knees.

Sesshomaru removed his hand and it was covered in blood. He smirked, eyes meeting Miroku's over Inuyasha's head. There was a cold victory there than sent shivers down Miroku's spine. _No!_ Sesshomaru returned his gaze to Inuyasha as the hanyou gasped, trying to cope with the overwhelming pain. "Any last words before your tragic demise?"

"Your ignorance surprises me," Inuyasha gasped out weakly, the ghost of a smile on his lips. "I _really_ thought you would've realized it by now."

Sesshomaru's eyes widened. Inuyasha tightened his grip on Sesshomaru's arm, just below the elbow, and twisted hard. Cartilage and tendons snapped as the arm separated at the joint. Inuyasha continued the rolling motion until the arm pulled cleanly from Sesshomaru's body, the Tessaiga still in hand. He grabbed the handle and swung the sword up, transforming it as he did so. The human arm dropped to the ground. Inuyasha levelled the blade at Sesshomaru's chest, trying to disguise his trembling as blood spilled down his front. Sesshomaru's eyes pinned him there, cold and calculating. Sesshomaru could no longer touch the sword. Inuyasha was moments away from dropping it. They were at an impasse, and they both knew it.

Inuyasha was the first to break, dropping to his knees as the weight of the Tessaiga grew too much. The tip of the sword dug into the earth and he leaned heavily against it. His vision was going in and out, barely clinging to consciousness.

Miroku watched Sesshomaru assess the situation. Jaken scrambled to his master's side and took a step toward Inuyasha. The hanyou's hands tightened on the hilt, sending a small burst of power travelling after the imp, chasing him away.

"Do not approach any closer," Sesshomaru warned. It was very subtle, but Miroku could almost make out the lines of defeat in the tension in his shoulders. "We shall leave, Jaken. There is no sense in staying."

He turned, his gaze meeting Miroku's again. The slightest hint of a smile tugged at Sesshomaru's lips. Miroku's eyes narrowed and he pointedly grasped his mala beads. Something shifted in Sesshomaru's gaze, defeat and cold fury mingling with something approaching respect. He lifted into the air, yellow-green strands of youki swirling around him. He eyed Miroku as he left, one final glance as he rose into the night sky.

Miroku waited until he was certain Sesshomaru was gone before dropping his hands. He crawled to Inuyasha's side, dragging himself when his body stopped cooperating. Inuyasha's eyes were vacant as he approached, but one of his ears twitched. Slowly, he lifted his gaze, hazy but recognizable.

It was the monk's scent that brought him back, warm and familiar. The purple blob before him slowly took form. _Miroku?_ His mind struggled to grasp what was going on through the warring feelings of relief, worry, and pain. _He was alright!_ The Tessaiga transformed back and Inuyasha slipped forward, unable to support his weight. The world went black.

Miroku didn't so much as catch him as use his own body as a landing mat. The ground was slippery with Inuyasha's blood. He had no idea how to treat a gaping hole in someone's chest, one that went right through his torso, but he had to try. He stripped off Inuyasha's suikan and hadagi, his heart sinking as the wound was laid bare. Miroku didn't know the limits of hanyou strength. He wasn't even sure if Inuyasha was still alive. Instead, with Shippo propping him up, he wrapped his kesa around Inuyasha's chest several times, pulling it as tightly as he could. Inuyasha groaned as he finished, his eyes flickering open.

"Home," he breathed, voice barely there. "Miroku, take me home."

Miroku summoned Hachi. He was pretty sure that home meant Kaede's village. He was pretty sure that Kaede would be able to heal Inuyasha's wound. He was also pretty sure that he would be unconscious long before they reached their destination, and Kaede's village was the only place that would treat a hanyou without him there to talk them into it. Besides, Kaede might even know how to treat demon insect venom. It was a faint hope.

Hachi landed beside them and Shippo instantly darted to his side, explaining what had happened and where they needed to go. Miroku needed Shippo's help to get Inuyasha onto Hachi's back, and then the fox had to drag him up as well, his strength utterly spent. He sat cross-legged on the tanuki, Inuyasha's head on his lap and Shippo hovering anxiously nearby. Though the pain was still present, the panicked urgency that came with the venom had diminished, leaving him cold and calm and resigned. He suspected that it wasn't a good development, but he was too tired to care. He tangled his fingers in Inuyasha's hair to try and stop their violent shaking. He could feel the blood leaking from Inuyasha's back through his kesa.

"Hachi," Miroku breathed. "We've known each other for a long time…"

"Take cheer, my friend," Hachi interrupted smoothly. "You can cut out that sentimental talk. We don't need any deathbed sentimentality today."

Miroku smiled to himself. He suspected he didn't even need to ask. If he died before they reached Kaede's village, Shippo and Hachi would see to it that Inuyasha was safe. Slowly his body sagged, his brow coming to rest against Inuyasha's. Consciousness was slipping away, his strength utterly spent, and thoughts came unbidden to his mind.

He thought about Naraku, who was out there, somewhere. Naraku, who must somehow know that they were travelling together. Who had sent Inuyasha's brother after them with insects designed to block his wind tunnel. It made sense that Naraku would want Miroku dead, but was he after Inuyasha as well? Or was that simply a way of manipulating Sesshomaru into doing his dirty work for him? Either way, he wouldn't tell Inuyasha about Naraku until he was healed. That was, assuming he was around to tell anyone anything.

He could vaguely hear Shippo talking to him, his voice high and shrill, but he couldn't make out the words. He was so tired. So cold. He couldn't seem to keep his eyes open. If he could just rest a bit, just for a moment…

Miroku woke to Shippo's teeth sunk lightly into his shoulder. He shifted his head to blink questioningly at the fox. "Just hang on!" the kit was saying. "We're almost home!"

Hachi opted to crash-land outside Kaede's hut. The shaking of the earth alerted any villagers who hadn't been summoned by Shippo's frantic cries for help. Miroku wrapped uncooperative arms around Inuyasha and slid them both off of Hachi's back, landing in a pile on the ground. Villagers were by their side, hands reaching, voices asking questions that Miroku's mind couldn't comprehend. Then Kaede was in front of him, asking what had happened with hard eyes.

"He's injured," Miroku gasped, clinging to Inuyasha. "Please…"

"And Miroku's been poisoned by venomous insects!" Shippo added.

Someone pulled Inuyasha from Miroku's grasp. He tried to protest, reaching out weakly, but his hands wouldn't move and his voice didn't work and his vision was slowly turning grey. Someone was lifting him, hands on his arms and legs and back, someone supporting his head. He could make out Shippo's voice and Kaede's, both loud and urgent. They would take care of Inuyasha. He could let go. His task was done. He slipped off into the welcoming arms of oblivion.

Inuyasha woke to the smell of bitter herbs and the sense that he had just been hit with a mountain. Everything hurt. It hurt to breathe. He groaned, long and low, but that didn't seem to help. He blinked his eyes open, taking in the familiar surroundings. He didn't remember how he got to Kaede's hut, but he was glad to be there. Bandages wrapped around his bare chest. A low fire burned in the irori. Then Miroku's scent registered in his mind and he whipped around.

Kaede knelt over the monk, her face pinched and drawn. She placed a damp cloth on Miroku's brow, wiping away some of the sweat that gathered there. Miroku's face was waxy and frighteningly pale, his eyes sunken and closed tight with pain. His breathing was less ragged than before but was laden with effort. Stress, pain, and sickness rolled off him in waves.

"Miroku?" Inuyasha breathed. "Kaede, is he alright?"

"Be still, Inuyasha," she warned, not looking up from her charge. "Do not aggravate your wounds. Miroku is fighting off the venom."

Inuyasha watched the rise and fall of Miroku's chest as though transfixed, his ears trained on the rapid heartbeat. Other sounds in the room broke his concentration – the snap of the fire, Kaede shifting on her knees, and a slight snoring coming from the corner, where Shippo and Hachi were fast asleep, leaning on one another. It hurt to move, and his body was drained and weak from blood loss, but Inuyasha crawled his way over to Miroku's side. He slid one arm under the monk's head, wrapping the other around his chest, and placed his head resolutely on his shoulder. The rest of his body pressed against Miroku's side opposite Kaede, one leg hooking over the monk's own. He blinked slowly at Kaede, saw the gentle understanding in her gaze, and drifted slowly off to sleep.

When he awoke once more, Miroku was sitting up. The monk was propped up by Kaede's arms and chest, smiling tightly but very much alive. Shippo held a small cup of water to his mouth, urging him to drink. Hachi stood close by with a bowl of cold water and some strips of cloth. Shippo caught sight of Inuyasha and his face lit up. He immediately dropped the cup and flung himself at Inuyasha, wrapping his arms around the hanyou's neck. "Inuyasha, you're awake!"

"How are you feeling?" Miroku rasped quietly as he dabbed at the spilled water seeping down his chest.

"I'm fine," Inuyasha said, brushing off the question and placing a comforting hand on Shippo's head. "How are you? Is the poison gone?"

"Mm," Miroku nodded. "Kaede has taken very good care of me." He leaned forward and whispered conspiratorially "I'm starting to think she likes me."

Kaede instantly swatted him over the back of the head before standing and gesturing to Shippo and Hachi. "Come on, you two. I need to replenish my stock of herbs, and I think we should find some food." Both demons perked up at the suggestion of food and quickly scampered outside. Kaede turned back to Miroku and Inuyasha. "I seem to have gained another demon helper. We will discuss that later."

She walked out with a smile, leaving the two of them alone. Miroku gave Inuyasha an assessing look. "Are you sure you're alright?"

"Feh."

"Look," Miroku sighed, pushing his hair back from where it stuck to his forehead. "I know you're stronger than humans, but anyone would be slowed down by an injury like that. You need to give yourself time to recover."

Inuyasha frowned at Miroku. He would see the tremors running through the monk's body as he struggled to keep himself sitting up. "Like you can talk."

"Don't worry," Miroku grinned. "I intend to do nothing but sleep and be waited on for another five days at least."

"You're strong," Inuyasha muttered, staring at the floor. "Those insects could've killed you – they _were_ killing you, but you kept on fighting, even after I told you to run."

"I'm sorry I didn't listen to you," Miroku sighed. "I shouldn't have gotten in the way."

"No," Inuyasha shook his head, reaching out to grasp at Miroku's arm. "You saved my life. At least a couple times, no doubt. I'm grateful that you were there."

Miroku mock-frowned, though there was a serious tint in his eyes. "Again with the alarming sincerity that makes me think something bad is going to happen. Do you have a fever as well?"

Inuyasha levelled an earnest look at the monk. "Look, things are getting more dangerous by the day."

"Most probably," Miroku agreed, easily but warily.

"The Jewel shards are a beacon to all the demons out there. You're a target even more than the rest of us."

Miroku shrugged. "True, but that can't be helped. The risk is one I accepted when we first began journeying together."

"It'll get worse, though," Inuyasha pressed, his ears lying flat against his head. "Naraku and Sesshomaru have joined forces, and I don't doubt they'll be back."

"Ah," Miroku smiled, sadly and a little ruefully. "So you figured that out. Yes, that will likely be another threat on our horizon."

"We were lucky this time, but who knows about next time!"

"That's true, but it's true of every battle, every day," Miroku mused. "I suppose that's why we should cherish what we have in the moment."

It took Miroku by surprise when Inuyasha flung his arms around him, crushing him to his chest. Once his mind caught up with the situation, he wrapped his around Inuyasha in turn. Inuyasha's nose buried into his neck, one hand winding into his hair. He took a shuddering breath, his arms grasping impossibly tighter.

"I was afraid…" he muttered, breath ghosting against Miroku's neck. "I thought I was going to lose you. I saw you dying before my very eyes. I was terrified!" His hand cradled the back of Miroku's head, pressing it into the hanyou's shoulder. "Don't you dare do that to me again."

Miroku sighed, winding his hands into Inuyasha's robes. "I won't make a promise that I cannot keep."

Inuyasha pulled away, frowning with an argument on his lips, but Miroku wasn't done.

"Inuyasha, the path we travel is dangerous. We will face more threats, not just Naraku and Sesshomaru. Every Jewel shard we find will likely have at least one villain vying for its power. Finding Naraku is my destiny, and I was the one to break the Jewel, so I must be the one to repair it. You, however, face no such obligations. No one would blame you if you no longer wished to pursue the Jewel shards."

Inuyasha snorted. "As if! Someone needs to keep you idiots alive." He sighed, and his shoulders sagged. "Besides, Naraku killed Kikyo. He deceived us both, made us think we betrayed one another, and he stole my last moments with her. I will hunt him down and avenge her!"

Miroku nodded solemnly. Inuyasha wrapped his arms around him once again, settling them both down on the floor. With Miroku pressed against his chest, he could feel the tremors still running through the monk's body. He could smell the pain and exhaustion. It was true, he needed to avenge Kikyo. He needed Naraku dead. But Sesshomaru had given him a glimpse of all he had to lose, and it was absolutely terrifying. He couldn't let anyone else die. He couldn't lose his family. Not again.

* * *

I live for Granny Kaede and the Village Support Team™. Also the increasing number of demons that Miroku and Inuyasha bring home to Kaede. (No one tell her about Kirara yet)

Now it's time for a conspiracy theory: Naraku wears the hide of a baboon. There are no baboons in Japan. Does this mean A) This is another mistranslation, and they really mean to say macaque? B) In this alternate history version, there are baboons in Japan? Maybe even baboon demons that came there? C) This overdramatic little shit liked the aesthetics of macaques but realized that they were too small to wear comfortably as a hat, and so travelled all the way to Africa just to find and skin one? And that's why he hasn't been seen in fifty years? For the _aesthetic?_


	20. Chapter 20: s1e20

Warnings for this chapter: discussions of death, disfigurement and death by fire, vomiting canines (not what you think), and references to possessive and dangerous misogyny

* * *

Inuyasha paced up and down the small length of Kaede's hut. Miroku sat by the fire, making new sutras. Kaede had taken Shippo and Hachi out to collect more of the herbs that she had used as anti-venom for Miroku. They had been out all morning while Kaede finished mending Inuyasha's robes and Miroku's cleaned kesa was hung up to dry. Inuyasha had been pacing then, too. It wasn't at _all_ distracting. The hanyou reached one end of the hut, sighed loudly, and turned around.

"Inuyasha," Miroku said slowly. "If you don't stop pacing, I'm going to nail you to the floor."

"We've wasted enough time," Inuyasha huffed. "We need to go!"

"Go? To where?"

"How can you ask that?" Inuyasha spun on him, eyes blazing. "We'll find Naraku and crush him, once and for all!"

Miroku surveyed the hanyou calmly. "And how do you recommend we go about searching for Naraku? You've come across some new leads, I suppose? Or did you track him down from inside this room?"

Inuyasha's shoulders sagged. "No…not exactly."

"Do you have a plan?"

"Shaddup!"

Miroku sighed. "I'd appreciate it if you didn't take out your frustration on me."

"Will you get off my back?" Inuyasha snapped, ears flattening on his head.

Miroku pushed the sutras and ink to the side and folded his hands in his lap. "Our best hope now lies in composing ourselves and thinking things through."

"I don't have time for this!" Inuyasha growled, heading for the door.

"What are you thinking? I want to crush Naraku as desperately as you, Inuyasha!"

Inuyasha whipped around. Miroku sounded pissed, truly angry for the first time. The monk wasn't looking at him, though. Instead his eyes were fixed on cloth over the palm of his right hand.

"Naraku's curse took away my father and my grandfather," Miroku continued, voice softer but still filled with emotion. "And their wretched fate falls to me!"

"Miroku…" His shoulders slumped and he crept over to sit by the monk's side, an apology in his voice. "Taking action is more my style, not strategizing. You think of something!"

"Work with me, Inuyasha. Let's go back to when this all started. Fifty years ago, you fell into Naraku's trap. That means you've met Naraku in person."

"Not exactly," Inuyasha sighed. "I couldn't tell that he wasn't Kikyo. He didn't just look like her – he sounded, smelled, and acted like her, too."

"It makes no sense!" Miroku ran a hand down his face. "You don't know Naraku, and yet he despised you enough to disguise himself as Kikyo and leave you for dead. Could you have done something in the past to cause him to be embittered?"

"How the hell do I know? I don't even know what he looks like!"

They both sighed.

"Could it be Kikyo that Naraku was after?" Miroku suggested after a moment. "He sought the Jewel, after all. Perhaps she fought him and he held a grudge?"

"It could be," Inuyasha said slowly. "You know more about him than I do."

"You know more about Kikyo," Miroku countered.

They both sighed again. Kaede found them leaning back against the wall, shoulders slumped and looking miserable. She eyed them suspiciously before visibly deciding that it wasn't worth it.

"Inuyasha, strip. It's time to change your bandages."

As the hanyou grudgingly moved to comply, Kaede set a pot of water over the fire to boil. Shippo and Hachi also slipped in the door, munching on peaches.

"Oh, Hahci," Miroku smiled. "I never got a chance to thank you for flying us all back here. Thank you, my friend!"

"Don't mention in!" Hachi beamed. "Granny has given me lots of good food."

Miroku smirked at Kaede. "Granny, huh?"

Her glare made him laugh. He turned back to the tanuki. "I cannot thank you enough for your help these past two days. Here." He reached into his robes and pulled out a few coins to hand over. "Don't spend it all in one place."

"Thank you, Miroku! If you're sure you're alright now, then I think I'll be off!"

Shippo hugged the tanuki tight and waved at him. "Bye, Hachi!"

"Take care of yourself!" Kaede called as he left the hut.

"I told you it would take her less than a day to adopt him," Inuyasha muttered to Miroku under his breath.

Miroku turned to him with a smile, which froze on his face as he saw Inuyasha's bare chest. Apparently it had taken the full two days for the bleeding to stop – already an incredible show of hanyou strength. Still, the wound was red and angry-looking, barely scabbed over. His back likely looked very similar. There were still flecks of blood on the old bandages in Inuyasha's hands. Miroku sucked in a breath slowly through his teeth.

Kaede sat the hanyou down in front of her and gently cleaned the wound with warm water from the pot. The rest of the water had been placed in a teapot which Miroku was firmly ignoring for the time being. Kaede then rubbed an herbal salve over both sides of the wound. "These injuries are serious. Ye won't be seeing any battles for some time yet."

"Feh! They won't hold me back any longer than another two or three days."

"Not surprising that ye would put on a brave face," Kaede sighed, picking up fresh bandages and nudging the hanyou's arms up to begin wrapping his chest. "Drink your tea, monk."

Miroku made a face at the suspicious liquid. He'd had it many times over the past few days. He knew that it had saved his life and he was grateful for it! It just. Tasted. Like death. Or ass. Or both. He dutifully took a sip and gagged.

"Hush, ye," Kaede chided, not bothering to look at him. "Would ye rather face the debilitating effects of the venom?"

Miroku narrowed his eyes. "Maybe."

Kaede sighed. "Ye both need to recover quickly. I fear that danger is lurking nearby." Miroku and Inuyasha exchanged a worried look. "Ever since Kikyo was revived by Urasue, I have suspected that all was not right. The one who disguised himself as ye could have made off with the Jewel, yet he did not. He tricked ye into terrorizing the village and pursuing the Sacred Shikon Jewel, which he must have placed back in the shrine for ye to find. Why deceive you? Was the trickster attempting to pit ye against each other? Or was Kikyo the true object of his malice? Was he trying to fill her heart with hatred and bitterness?"

"What?" Inuyasha asked, shifting around to look at the old woman. "What would that accomplish?"

"In Kikyo's possession, the Jewel remained pure," Kaede explained. "But when her heart became tainted and hateful, the Jewel also became sullied, and it filled with a malevolent power. At the time, there was but a single person who wished for such a terrible outcome." She surveyed them both with a hard gaze. "Shall I take ye to see the place where this man once resided?"

Inuyasha kept a close eye on Miroku as they followed Kaede through the tall grass. It was the first time they'd left Kaede's hut since arriving and he wanted to make sure the monk wasn't pushing himself too hard. Kaede was being strangely cryptic as they walked, but that was fine – they were keeping things from her, as well. When the old woman claimed to know the man – the human – who tricked him and Kikyo, Inuyasha exchanged a look with Miroku. They silently agreed to hold off on their own theories and wait to see what Kaede knew.

"The village had condemned him to death," Kaede continued. "No one wanted him around. Of course, Kikyo had come to her own decision."

Inuyasha's ears flicked in annoyance. "She was harbouring a thief."

Beside him, Miroku tried not to look guilty.

"She pitied him," Kaede continued. "He was unable to move on his own." They came to the end of the grassy field. Before them, the roots of a large tree grew over a rocky mound. A split had formed in the rock, revealing a cavern underneath. "This is the cave where Onigumo resided. He suffered from terrible burns and his face was especially scarred. I know not how, but both legs were broken. Yet despite his severe wounds, Onigumo continued to endure."

She led them inside. Inuyasha took her arm as they made their way down the steep, rocky incline to the bottom of the cave. He kept an ear on Miroku behind him, concerned as the monk's heartrate rose.

"He did not move again, but he recovered his strength enough to converse, and gradually, his true nature emerged. I attended to him at my sister's behest, and one day he began to ask me about the Jewel in Kikyo's possession. He knew that the more evil the Jewel absorbs, the more evil it becomes, and wanted to corrupt it to that end. He wanted to toy with her for his own pleasure and use the negative motions evoked to taint the Jewel beyond salvation. Kikyo dismissed him as harmless, but it was not long afterward that Kiyko bound ye to a tree with her arrow."

Grass and moss painted the floor. Miroku frowned and stepped forward, brushing gently past Inuyasha as he did so. It certainly sounded suspicious, but what did this thief have to do with Naraku?

"Several days later when I went to visit Onigumo at the cave, I found it had been burned out. Judging by what I saw, the flames must have been intense. Onigumo was unable to move and would have perished in the cave, yet his bones were nowhere to be found. They, too, must have gone up in flames."

"What does this have to do with me?" Inuyasha asked in frustration. "I'm looking for a demon, not a human."

"No mistaking that," Kaede sighed. "Onigumo may have been evil, but he was human. A true scourge to humanity."

"There is something we have been meaning to tell you," Miroku said, kneeling down to examine a bare part of the cave floor. "We realized earlier…" He trailed off, his hand hovering over the ground. "This area- There's something…"

"That is where Onigumo lay injured," Kaede said, eye flashing between the monk and the bare ground.

Miroku frowned, reaching his hand closer to the earth. Inuyasha moved closer behind him, and he knew the hanyou could hear his heart hammering. There was something… Something different lurking in the ground. Something that felt unnatural, _wrong._ His hand hovered in the air, brushing along the edges of the presence- It slammed into him, almost knocking him off his feet. He scrambled back instinctively, cutting through the air with his staff. Inuyasha grabbed the back of his koromo and hauled him to his feet.

"It's youkai! The strongest spirit I've ever felt. It's been seeping into the earth for decades, so foul that even grass refuses to grow. This-" He swallowed thickly. "This can't be human."

"It's definitely demon," Inuyasha confirmed quietly. "This doesn't make any sense. What does a human have to do with Naraku?" He frowned as a shiver passed through Miroku's body. "Come on, we've spent enough time in here."

Once out in the sunshine, they couldn't hide from Kaede's piercing gaze. Inuyasha subtly placed himself slightly behind Miroku, and the monk sighed. "So there are some developments we have…postponed sharing."

"Naraku?" Kaede prompted. "Was that not the demon ye were seeking when ye first came to our village, hoshi-dono?"

"It was," Miroku said slowly. "I had been informed that he once tried to steal the Jewel." Kaede nodded. "And in doing so, he killed a priestess." She froze. "I hadn't realized it might be Kikyo until the disparities between her and Inuyasha's stories were revealed. He has powerful shapeshifting abilities and would be capable of deceiving them."

Kaede's frown deepened. "And when were ye planning on telling me this?"

Miroku sighed. "It was only a theory. We didn't know for certain."

Her eye flashed between them. "I can understand that. So long as there is nothing else that you have kept from me…"

Miroku looked pained. "He reappeared recently." Her glare grew more ominous. "He aided Sesshomaru to fight Inuyasha. We didn't see him, but Sesshomaru was working under his guidance."

"Also he was the one to give Sesshomaru the insects to kill Miroku," Inuyasha threw out rapidly from the safety behind the monk's shoulder.

"And just how am I supposed to get anything done with ye two fools running around keeping secrets?" Kaede asked incredulously.

"We didn't intend to keep it from you," Miroku offered wanly. "It just…never came up."

Kaede's eye narrowed. "You're lucky I have a soft spot for the pathetic."

Inuyasha's ears twitched and his head snapped to the right, eyes boring into the trees on the other side of the grassy field. A moment later, a cry sounded from the distance. "Help! Somebody help me!"

"Shippo!" Inuyasha shouted, launching himself forward.

The fox emerged from the treeline pursued by a pack of wolf youkai. They were larger than regular wolves and bore three glowing yellow eyes. Shippo was running for his life but the wolves were fast approaching. Even as Inuyasha ran for him, the kit stumbled and fell.

"Iron Reaver, Soul Stealer!"

Inuyasha's claws connected with the wolves in several solid strikes, sending them flying. He scooped up Shippo as he fought, holding the fox to his chest. The wolves yelped and ran. Inuyasha dropped heavily to the ground, falling to one knee as pain laced through his back and chest.

"Are you in pain?" Shippo asked, nose twitching and voice shrill with fear. He gasped and pulled a hand away from Inuyasha's robes. It was covered in red. "Your chest! You're bleeding!"

Inuyasha growled. His wound must've reopened. At least Shippo was safe, and the wolves appeared to be- Oh. Oh, no.

A giant wolf demon loomed over them, eyes glowing red and saliva dripping from giant fangs. He gestured at the two of them with pointed claws. "Might you be Inuyasha?"

Inuyasha looked him over skeptically. The drool and wild eyes were at odds with the calm words and sophisticated armour wrapped around this youkai. "That depends who's asking."

"I am Royakan, the guardian of Hell!"

Royakan? Was he supposed to know who the fuck-

"Royakan?" Kaede gasped behind him. "Are ye not the gentle youkai that guards the forest?"

"That was before I was reborn!" Royakan bellowed, pointing at them accusingly. "Inuyasha, I am come to slay you!"

He threw his head back and his throat bulged grotesquely before he spewed forth a wave of another dozen wolves. Ew. Inuyasha stood and moved in front of Shippo. "Good luck is all I can say!"

Miroku frowned. Inuyasha was in no condition to fight, and Royakan seemed to sense it. The youkai stood back and watched as his wolves rushed at the hanyou. Inuyasha tore at them one by one with his claws, picking up Shippo and keeping him out of danger as he did so. Though his claws were punishing, his movements were stiff and slow, and not once did he reach for the Tessaiga. Miroku wondered if he could even wield the sword. He rushed forward, taking out the wolves closest to him with his staff. He couldn't kill them, but he could keep them from reaching Kaede or overrunning Inuyasha.

"The fight is in me. You can never defeat me!" Royakan crowed, vomiting forth more wolves.

Miroku's heart sank. There had already been more wolves than he could kill with his sutras, and Inuyasha's claws were wounding but no more. They were completely outnumbered. He had to do something, and that something was the wind tunnel. A pang shot through his arm as he reached for the mala beads, reminding him of how tender the wind tunnel was, how freshly the venom still lingered in his body. He tore off the mala and braced himself. Inuyasha whipped around to face him, eyes wide with fear. He crouched down with Shippo clinging to him, fighting the winds that were powerful even at the outer edges of the wind tunnel's range. Miroku watched them closely.

"Inuyasha, quickly!" he called, closing the wind tunnel once a path was cleared. "This way!"

Royakan roared and hurled forward another wave of wolves. They ran first toward Inuyasha then changed their path, heading toward Miroku. It was almost as though they knew that by sticking so close to Inuyasha, Miroku couldn't use his wind tunnel. He caught Inuyasha's gaze and the hanyou nodded, jumping to the side and away from the wolves. Miroku opened the wind tunnel again and Inuyasha turned to face the wolves that followed him.

"Iron Reaver, Soul Stealer!"

A few more of the wolves went flying, but Inuyasha sank to his knees. Shippo's concerned voice sounded in his ear, asking if he was okay. "Yeah…" Yeah, no. His vision was blurry and his chest and back were on fire.

Miroku swept the wind tunnel across the field, sucking in each new wave of Royakan's wolves. He hadn't reached his limit yet, but his arms were already shaking from the exertion.

"Monk!" Kaede cried out beside him. "Inuyasha is in danger!"

Miroku ground his teeth. "I'm moving as fast as I'm able!" He closed the wind tunnel and dove for his staff, spinning and flinging it through the air. It struck Royakan in the face and Miroku ran after it, clutching the mala in his hand rather than fully securing them. He needed to stop Royakan from producing any more wolves if they were to have even the slightest chance of winning. Inuyasha would just have to hang on for a moment longer.

He planted himself in front of the youkai and opened the wind tunnel. Royakan braced against the void, putting up amazing resistance. Then Miroku sensed the Jewel shard. His stance faltered and he took an involuntary step back. He couldn't suck in the Jewel. As the pull of the wind lessened on Royakan, the youkai slammed his fists into the ground, fracturing the earth and splitting apart chunks of rock which flew into Miroku's hand. He cried out, forced to suck in the debris to avoid being hit but quickly reaching his limit. He pulled back as quickly as he could, wrapping the wind tunnel and clutching his arm to his chest. When he looked up, the dust had cleared and Royakan was gone.

Miroku grabbed his staff and staggered toward Inuyasha, seeing Kaede run ahead of him. She knelt by his side with a demand that he show her his wounds. The hanyou shook his head, still slumped on his knees. "Where's Royakan?"

"He has fled," Kaede soothed, tugging at his robes.

Miroku came to a stop beside them, indecision burning in his gut. He'd cast his mind out to try to sense where Royakan had gone. Instead, he came upon a very different presence. He didn't know how to explain it. He didn't know how Naraku could bear that foul spirit. He also didn't know whether or not he should say anything at all. He was in no state to fight such a powerful foe, Inuyasha even less so. Still, he strongly suspected that Inuyasha would never forgive him if he kept it to himself. And Kaede had a right to know of the danger lurking so near her village.

"I sense that Naraku is near," Miroku sighed.

Inuyasha's eyes snapped to his. "_What?_"

"Royakan has a Jewel shard in his head, likely placed there by Naraku," Miroku shut his eyes against a wave of nausea. "I can feel Naraku watching us."

"That would explain such a gentle creature turning evil," Kaede mused. Inuyasha rose to his feet and she quickly admonished "Inuyasha!"

"Naraku!" He stumbled in the direction of the strongest youki around, into the forest where he could smell Royakan's scent. "Where are you? Come out and face me, one-on-one!"

Miroku pursed his lips. He may have miscalculated, slightly. He was racing forward even before the hanyou collapsed. Kaede and Shippo reached him first. Kaede wasted no time in rebinding Inuyasha's wounds, trying to staunch the flow of blood. She shot Miroku a terse look over the hanyou's form.

"Royakan may return for another attack. We should flee to the village and contemplate our next move."

"Mm," Miroku nodded, tearing his eyes from the darkness of the trees. Rationally, he knew that Kaede was correct. Still, every part of him was rearing to go after Naraku, so close after so long. Who knew when they would find him again? Miroku knelt down and wrapped Inuyasha's arm around his shoulder, bracing himself for a moment before slinging the hanyou across his back. Inuyasha groaned and Miroku gasped, his muscles shaking. He ignored the concerned looks coming from Shippo and Kaede and turned in the direction of the village. Shippo transformed into a pink ball and floated above them, grabbing Inuyasha with spindly arms and taking some of his weight.

Once back at the hut, Kaede had to re-stitch both sides of the wound. The hanyou was pale and sweaty, grimacing in pain through his unconsciousness. As she rebound the wound, Kaede kept on glancing at Miroku as he sat against the wall. He avoided her gaze. She hummed quietly to herself and began to boil some water for tea.

"Naraku is likely still nearby," she observed quietly.

"Mm," Miroku responded unenthusiastically.

"Inuyasha appeared quite eager to find him." She met his gaze firmly. "And ye, young monk?"

"I've been searching for him for seven years," Miroku sighed and ran a hand over his face, trying to convince himself more than Kaede. "I can wait a little longer."

"We must protect Inuyasha while he recovers his strength," Kaede said. "Hoshi-dono, what was your training before?"

As Miroku placed the tenth sutra on the wall of the storehouse, he wondered if, just perhaps, they were being a little excessive. While Shippo seemed eager to lend a hand and watch over Inuyasha and Kaede was correct in that the hanyou needed rest, Miroku felt guilty. It almost felt like a betrayal of trust. He had to remind himself that this was for his friend's protection.

"And call out to us if he gets worse," Miroku instructed. "Or if he stops breathing. Or if either of you need anything. We'll be right outside."

"I'm not stupid," Shippo grumbled, eyeing him suspiciously.

"I know you're not," Miroku sighed. "Which is why we're trusting you with this responsibility. Kaede and I will be relying on you to keep him safe."

Shippo's little chest puffed out and he looked incredibly proud of himself. It gave Miroku the courage he needed to close the door behind him, sealing the storage room for good. Kaede waited for him just outside, a length of hemp rope coiled over her shoulder, a bundle of sakaki branches under one arm, and holding a basket full of paper in her hands. Miroku dutifully picked up a shovel. Though he had never performed this Shinto ritual before, he was familiar with it from his studies and travels. He took the sakaki branches from Kaede and set to work. While Kaede tied the zig-zag paper shide onto the length of rope, Miroku dug small holes around the hut, filling each with one of the sakaki wands. The small branches waved in the wind, their waxy oval leaves dancing in the low evening light.

By the time he finished with the sakaki, Kaede had completed the shimenawa. They looped and tied the length of rope around the perimeter set by the sakaki, tying the rope just high enough that the paper shide hanging from it didn't touch the ground. With the boundary set, they would be able to cast a protective spell over the storehouse. Unfortunately, muffled voices were coming from inside the small hut, followed by several loud thumps. Miroku sighed.

"Miroku, ye have travelled with Inuyasha for some time now," Kaede mused as they finalized the ritual. "How has he acted on your journeys?"

Miroku smiled despite himself. "He has been remarkable. He has improved so much in such a short amount of time. His compassion shows in his willingness to help humans and do the right thing. His actions portray an awareness of himself and those around him. His fighting, too, has greatly improved."

Miroku knew that pride shone on his face, and Kaede was smirking gently. "And what do _ye_ think of him?"

He felt a light blush spread across his cheeks and looked away, keeping his expression carefully neutral. "Despite some frustrations, I couldn't ask for a better travel companion. I think he's really growing up."

"Open up!" A familiar voice shouted from inside the storehouse accompanied by loud thumping. "For fuck's sake, let me outta here! Fucking sneaky-ass conniving _bastards!_"

Miroku cleared his throat lightly and soundly ignored Kaede's raised eyebrow.

Inside the storehouse, Inuyasha growled and kicked the door again for good measure. Those fucking _assholes _sealed him in and left him alone with _Shippo_ of all people! Sealed him away as though he were some useless creature that needed protecting! Left a _child_ to look after him! The kit surveyed him from atop a bale of hay, head propped up by his hands.

"You're wasting your time, Inuyasha. The sutras won't let anything youkai pass, in or out."

"But I want _out!_" Inuyasha snarled, banging his heel against the wood. "_Open up!_"

"Please stop, Inuyasha," a soft, gentle voice pleaded. Inuyasha's heart seized and he froze, not daring to look. "Be still and rest. Your injuries still haven't had enough time to heal."

Carefully, not daring to believe his ears, Inuyasha looked over his shoulder. Kikyo? No, it couldn't be. What- Realization slammed into him. "_Shippo!_"

"Wait, maybe this will work better," Shippo muttered, dropping the illusion for a heartbeat before casting a new one. Warm violet eyes blinked at him. "Inuyasha, I need you to lie still. Please, for me."

If Shippo thought he wouldn't hit Miroku, he was dead wrong. He spun around and slammed his foot against Shippo's head, gentle enough not to cause any real damage but hard enough to let the fox know that he was serious. The illusion fell immediately and the phantom Miroku disappeared. "Laugh it up, fuzzball!"

"I was only trying to cheer you up!" Shippo pouted, scurrying to safety on the other side of the room. "_Someone _had to get you to listen to reason."

The door of the storehouse slid open. "I _thought_ I heard myself giving you some good advice," Miroku observed as he stepped inside. "Are you still banging around in here?"

"Better believe it!" Inuyasha growled back, debating whether or not it was worth tackling the monk to get outside.

Kaede slid the door shut behind them and Miroku placed another sutra on it. He turned to give Inuyasha a cool glare. "Now when you tore your stitches, was it that you didn't notice, or didn't care?"

"_Fuck you!_"

It took more wrangling than usual to get the hanyou to strip down and let Kaede tend to his injury. Thankfully, only a small amount of bleeding had taken place, and most of the wound was still scabbed over and healing nicely. Some of the fight left Inuyasha once they were all seated and he let Kaede rub ointment into his chest without complaint. They spread his suikan on the floor for him to lie on as she smoothed the slick mixture across his back.

"You mustn't rush things, Inuyasha," Miroku sighed. The cramped quarters had him sitting on a hay bale with his feet tucked under Inuyasha's thigh. Kaede was pressed into the hanyou's other side with Shippo beside her. "I am inclined to want to rush after Naraku as well, but we stand no chance in confronting him before your wounds have healed completely."

"He speaks the truth," Kaede nodded. "You cannot underestimate such an opponent."

Inuyasha huffed and leaned his chin against his crossed arms. His ears lay back and he didn't meet their eyes.

"We need you to recover quickly," Miroku pressed. "We must face Naraku at our strongest. Otherwise, we would die in vain and I, for one, would like to avoid that."

Inuyasha flashed him a glare from under furrowed brows. "What're you walking about, dying in vain?" He burrowed his nose into his arms. "Stupid monk. You're making it sound like I'm gonna let that monster kill you. I, _for one,_ am ready to fight Naraku here and now!"

Miroku smiled gently. "Put your head down and get yourself some much needed sleep."

"No!" Inuyasha sprang to his feet. "I'm not going to let-"

"Inuyasha!" Miroku snapped, rising as well and taking Inuyasha by the arm. "You need to recover! Don't make me sit on you."

Inuyasha ignored the attempt at humour, showing his teeth. "You keep yammering on about how I need to recover, but you're the one who almost died! I can smell the venom in your system, but you're still throwing open the wind tunnel every chance you get!" He moved into Miroku's space, the fronts of their bodies almost pressed together. "How the hell do you expect me to lie back and take a catnap while you're running around, offering yourself to demons like a piece of meat on a stick. Why, you can barely stand!"

He shoved Miroku hard to illustrate his point. Still unstable, the monk fell back against the hay bales, flinging his arms out to brace himself. Inuyasha stood over him, breathing hard and hands curled into fists. A slight shimmer caught his eye. Miroku's robes had slipped open and the Jewel shard around his neck peeked through. Inuyasha's heart twisted at the sight. He knelt down reluctantly and wrapped his hands around Miroku's shoulders, holding him there for a long moment. Then he shifted, sliding one hand down the monk's arm to help pull him to his feet. Unseen by the others, he deftly snapped the thread from which the Jewel shard hung and snatched it from Miroku's robes.

"I know I'm not recovered either, but I'm alright," Miroku was saying. "I'm not planning on fighting anyone. Kaede and I simply want to hide the storehouse until Royakan is gone. Once that happens, we can regroup while we all recover our strength."

Inuyasha nodded gruffly, not meeting his eyes. He still caught the small frown on Miroku's face as he and Kaede went back outside, leaving Inuyasha feeling guilty and distressed. He slipped his hadagi back on but left the suikan on the ground to lie on. He curled on his side with his back to Shippo, hiding the Jewel shard against his chest. The shard made Miroku a target. Demons were drawn to the Jewel. Without it, Miroku would be safer, at least. With them, Inuyasha might be strong enough to fight Naraku. His stomach churned and his chest was tight. A month ago, he would've used the Jewel without hesitation. But now…

Miroku was less of a target. He'd accomplished all he wanted to just by taking the Jewel. But why _shouldn't_ he use the shards? They were facing down demons who had no such qualms. Using the shards would even the playing field. Would allow him to heal, to fight properly. Might even save their lives. So why did using them feel like more of a betrayal than stealing them had been? Maybe it was the prospect of using just the shards instead of the whole Jewel which made him feel so conflicted. Shards embedded in his skin would only make him a target. Maybe he should just wait until they completed the Jewel entirely, like he'd originally planned. Then he could use it to become a full demon and the Jewel would be gone. He wouldn't need to be constantly keeping an eye out for those trying to steal it from him.

But did he even want to be a full demon?

He closed his eyes against the thought. Of _course _he did. Being hanyou had brought him nothing but pain, misery, isolation, and suffering. He already had to keep an eye out, to be constantly on his guard. Not only the power but the security that came with being full youkai would fix that. He would no longer be hated by both demons and humans, be able to live a full life and protect himself. Protect those he cared about.

But he couldn't do that if he was dead.

He _had _to use the shards, to fight Naraku and Royakan and whoever else came after them. He would be healed – he would be powerful. He would be… different. The artist flashed in his mind, the way the man had been corrupted by the Jewel shard – had corrupted the Jewel in return. Kaede said that the more evil the Jewel was exposed to, the more evil it became. Miroku purified each new shard before fusing it to the rest, but was it enough? Would Inuyasha be corrupted by the evil lingering from the previous owners? An awful thought flashes through his mind and he suppressed a whimper. Would his own evil corrupt the Jewel instead?

Inuyasha huffed and curled more into himself. He'd sleep on it. It was a big decision, and there was no immediate pressure to make it. Royakan was still hiding in the woods and Naraku was nowhere to be seen. Miroku and Kaede would keep them all safe for the time being. For now, he would take their advice and sleep.

"Hey, Inuyasha?" Shippo's voice sounded quietly behind him. "You awake?"

"Why?" he groaned, frustration evident in his voice.

He could hear Shippo fiddling with a piece of straw as he murmured "I know you want to protect Miroku, but you shouldn't be so mean to him."

Inuyasha scoffed. "Ugh, you woke me up for that? Miroku can deal with it."

"I hate to see you two fighting, that's all. Can't you see he wants to protect you, too? That's why he's pushing himself so hard to keep you safe, even though he's still getting better after the venom."

Cold dread clashed with hot guilt in his stomach. "What're you talking about?"

"He's sitting out there right now, waiting all night to protect you. Earlier, he used his wind tunnel even though I don't think he's ready."

"He's an idiot," Inuyasha snapped. "Can't he see I'm so much stronger than he is?"

"Maybe," Shippo shrugged, still oddly subdued. "But Miroku's strong in different ways. Even a dummy like you has to see that."

Inuyasha flipped over and gently shoved Shippo's face into the straw. The kit spluttered then burst out laughing when one of Inuyasha's claws poked him in the side. Inuyasha smiled slightly to himself. He lay down again, this time facing Shippo, and was unsurprised when a tiny body curled into the hollow of his stomach. He curled around the kit and forced himself to relax. He could trust in his friends. Even if, as a tiny voice reminded him, they couldn't trust him.

Miroku blinked out at the empty expanse before them, wondering where the danger lurked in the light of the waxing moon. The barrier he and Kaede had erected would hide the storehouse from outside forces, removing the sight, sound, and scent of all inside. It would hopefully give Inuyasha some time to recover. They had already given him most of the night, as the sky was beginning to pale with morning. It was his and Kaede's hope that without the scent of his prey or further provocation, Royakan might simply go away. Somehow, Miroku doubted that would be the case.

"My spiritual powers have never been particularly strong," Kaede sighed beside him. "How long do ye may hold?"

Miroku shrugged. The longest he had ever held a barrier had been three consecutive days. No food, no water, no rest. Crucially, also no strong attacks. He could only last for a day or so under assaults from a regular demon. In his current state, weak and exhausted, he couldn't say. If Royakan attacked at full force, empowered by a Jewel shard… "The rest of the day, at least."

A fearsome howl sounded through the crisp air. A moment later, a gust of wind passed over the storehouse, shaking the sakaki and bringing with it an ominous presence.

"Stay on guard, Kaede-sama," Miroku muttered. "Something approaches."

"Aye."

Miroku kept his hands firmly clasped, pushing aside the ache in his arm. He easily caught the dark shape flying over the distant trees. Half a dozen of Royakan's wolves ran at them through the air, saliva flowing from their mouth as they bayed and snapped. He braced himself mentally, fortifying the barrier. The wolves slammed into the invisible wall, yelping before scattering in all directions. Unfortunately, Royakan wasn't far behind. When he emerged from the trees, he was nearly twice his previous size and the ground shook as he tore towards them.

"Inuyasha!" he shouted, stood just before the barrier. "Where are you hiding? Reveal yourself!"

Royakan slammed himself against the invisible wall, sending sparks of spiritual power flying. Miroku breathed deeply through his nose. So long as the barrier held, Inuyasha and Shippo would be safe. But Royakan was angrier than before, without any trace of the refined voice and poise from before. Another shard of the Jewel glowed deep within his flesh, adding power and ferocity. He presented more of a fight than Miroku was counting on, more than he might be able to give. Or withstand. Suddenly, a glint in the distance turned into a spear, tearing through the air and the barrier, directly at Kaede.

"No!" He shot to his feet.

"Don't move!" Her voice was firm.

He dove and swung his staff, connecting with the spear a heartbeat before it buried itself in Kaede. The spear spun through the air at the impact, landing solidly in the ground beside Royakan. His concentration broken, Miroku could only watch as the barrier quickly dissolved.

Royakan cackled. "There you are!"

He leapt, over their heads and onto the storehouse with a resounding crash. The small hut splintered into a thousand pieces. Miroku's heart twisted as Inuyasha's name tore from his lips. Royakan stumbled backwards with a shout as Tessaiga sliced across his chest. Inuyasha landed easily from the strike, a smirk on his face and the sword leaning across his shoulder.

"I owe you one, Royakan, for getting me out of that hut, where my so-called friends, the monk and that hag, sealed me inside!"

"For your protection, I might add," Kaede grumbled.

"Gratitude doesn't come naturally to him," Miroku agreed wryly.

"I have heard enough!" Royakan rumbled, slamming a giant fist onto the ground hard enough to split rock.

"Then let's get at it!"

Inuyasha jumped into the air, bringing down Tessaiga as he fell. Royakan slapped his hands together, easily catching the blade between them and bringing Inuyasha jerking to a halt. He swung the Tessaiga and threw it – and Inuyasha – into the dirt. The hanyou connected with a sickening thud before sliding to a stop. Miroku winced in sympathy, eyes darting between Inuyasha and Royakan. Should he fight by Inuyasha's side, or take Royakan head-on? Even if Inuyasha was willing to fight, he was far from recovered. His movements as he stood where slow and stiff. Kaede had already grabbed her bow and quiver full of arrows. Miroku was about to run forward when Inuyasha's eyes widened in sheer panic.

He followed the hanyou's gaze and saw something glittering in the dirt. Was that- It couldn't- His hand flew to his chest, but he didn't feel the Jewel shard. He froze, as did Royakan. Beyond the demon, he could just make out Inuyasha's eyes meeting his own, a look of horror on his face. Royakan growled and began to run for it. Inuyasha stumbled forward, a hand outstretched to grab the Jewel. He was moving too slowly, using the Tessaiga like a cane and he would never reach it in time-

An orange blur pounced on the Jewel shard and darted away a heartbeat before Royakan's claws slammed into the earth. "Hands off, demon!" the kit shouted over his shoulder as he ran.

"Shippo!" Inuyasha shouted, hearing Miroku echo the sentiment.

"You won't escape!" Royakan growled, throwing his head back as his throat bulged. A dozen wolves spewed from his mouth, instantly taking chase.

"Shippo, move!" Miroku shouted, already tearing off his mala beads. "Get to the side!"

"Look!"

At Kaede's gasp, Miroku turned and his heart sank. Things just got a lot more complicated. A swarm of giant insects buzzed towards them, hovering just out of reach. Miroku knew they would be surging forward the moment he opened the wind tunnel. But Shippo was still screeching, the wolves still pursuing, and blood was slowly creeping along Inuyasha's front. Royakan turned to the hanyou, a leering smile twisting his lips, and Inuyasha haltingly raised his sword. His eyes briefly flashed to Miroku's, holding the same question that the monk himself had. Where were they going to _do?_

* * *

Dramatic cliff-hanger once more. Poor Shippo, he just wants his dads to stop fighting. I also thought that the writers missed an interesting opportunity in the show when Inuyasha was the one holding the Jewel for a few days at least, and nothing came of it. Also also, I have no idea how the rituals surrounding shimenawa are performed, so please correct me if I got something glaringly wrong!

I also want to thank every single person who comments on this fic. It keeps me inspired to write this gargantuan mess and it really means a lot. You all are going to play a big part in decisions I make later on, and I really value your input!


	21. Chapter 21: s1e21

Warnings for this chapter: more vomiting, depictions of violence, effects of a traumatic brain injury, and brief use of language similar to discussions surrounding addiction.

* * *

Inuyasha jumped over Miroku's head, scattering the insects with his claws. It gave Miroku just enough time to open the wind tunnel and suck in a few of the wolves closest to them before the insects regrouped. Then he ran forward, swinging his staff at the wolves and clearing a path to Royakan. Under the cover of Kaede's arrows, he hurled a handful of sutras at Royakan, causing the demon to stumble back. With one last glance at the monk, Inuyasha ran in the opposite direction, to where he could hear Shippo's cries for help. He followed the sound through the forest, praying that Miroku and Kaede would be able to hold off Royakan and his wolves for a little while longer.

As he caught up to the kit, he saw Shippo jump into the air, shouting "Multiply!" Sure enough, a dozen little Shippos appeared, scattering in all directions and confusing the wolves. Even knowing they were just illusions, Inuyasha winced as they were crushed in the jaws or under the paws of the wolves. He watched as the real Shippo scampered up a tree, unnoticed. His eyes were wide as he caught Inuyasha's gaze. The hanyou hung back, watching as the wolves got frustrated and sniffed around the trees. They couldn't climb the tree and Shippo was out of harm's way, for now. When the kit nodded at him, grim resolve sliding over his features, Inuyasha turned and ran. He wanted nothing more than to rip the wolves apart, but his strength was already waning, and there were others who needed his help more. A few of the wolves caught his scent and followed him back to the others, but there was nothing he could do about it. He ran back to the clearing around the destroyed storehouse to where Miroku and Kaede were battling Royakan's wolves.

Miroku stuck close to the old miko's side, keeping the wolves at bay with his staff and few remaining sutras. He could injure them and drive them off, kill a few of them if there was enough time before another wolf attacked. Beside him, Kaede shot arrows tinged with spiritual power at Royakan. They were little more than a nuisance, but they distracted him enough that he neither approached nor produced any more wolves. It was enough to keep them alive for the time being, but the tremor in Miroku's muscles and Kaede's rapidly emptying quiver warned of what was soon to come.

Inuyasha burst through the treeline, batting aside wolves left and right. Miroku seemed to recognize that he was fighting his way to them so he adjusted in kind, distracting the wolves between them to make it easier for Inuyasha to get them. An angry buzzing came from overhead and Inuyasha's stomach dropped as he watched the giant insects dive for Miroku. The monk looked up from the wolves and began swatting the insects with his staff, cutting them in half with powerful blows. Inuyasha felt something unwind in his chest. Of course, Miroku wouldn't open his wind tunnel with the insects around. Even _he _wasn't _that _stupid.

"Iron Reaver, Soul Stealer!" he shouted, tearing away at the few wolves remaining between him and the others. A few dropped dead at his feet, but not enough. He barely had time to land before Royakan's hand slammed into the earth where he had been standing. He jumped to evade the blow and twisted in the air, turning to face his opponent. Royakan roared and grabbed for him again, striking the earth and shattering rock. Inuyasha winced, his wounds burning, and missed the next attack. Royakan's claws sent him flying through the air, the air knocked from his lungs. He slid to a stop and climbed to his feet, but his movements were stiff and weak.

"Inuyasha!" Kaede called out, pausing to grab a spent arrow from the side of one of the dead wolves.

"He's struggling much more than usual," Miroku agreed tightly as Inuyasha dodged another blow. "He can't seem to focus. He is trying to fight Royakan while defending us and Shippo, and maybe even go after Naraku, all at once."

Inuyasha leapt from another attack and landed in front of them, just in time to slice through a wolf lunging for Miroku's exposed back. The monk nodded his thanks, though it confirmed his theory. They needed this fight to be over, and fast. They couldn't concentrate on so many different opponents at once, not when they were all weak and exhausted.

"Royakan has two Jewel shards," Miroku shouted to Inuyasha. "You focus on him while we cover you. It's our only chance to finish this!"

"I'm working on it, damn it!" Inuyasha growled as another wave of wolves spilled from Royakan's mouth. The existing ones charged at them from behind.

Kaede was out of arrows, so she wielded her bow like a staff to keep the wolves at bay, mirroring Miroku's movements. Inuyasha drove the new wolves far enough away for him to unleash the Tessaiga, catching them in a blast and driving off the ones he couldn't kill. Miroku grunted beside him as he pushed back the gaping mouth of a wolf with his staff, throwing his last sutra at it before immediately turning to another. Inuyasha stabbed yet another that reached for the monk's exposed side. "You see why I can't just leave you on your own?"

"We're only going to get worse from here," Miroku argued. "Take on Royakan while you still have the strength to do so and before he makes any more wolves!"

Inuyasha looked conflicted, jumping at Royakan but falling short, keeping himself between Miroku and the demon. Suddenly, Miroku understood. It wasn't just the external battle raging around the hanyou. Inuyasha was weakened and vulnerable, as were Miroku, Kaede, and Shippo. Inuyasha's protective instincts were driving him to protect those he cared about, and he couldn't leave their sides long enough to focus on defeating Royakan. While a nice sentiment, it might just cost them their lives.

Inuyasha's head whipped around, ears pricked, and a moment later Miroku also picked up Shippo's cries for help coming from the woods. He ground his teeth and slammed his staff into the ground, forming a weak barrier. He pushed it out in all directions, catching the wolves and bowling them off their feet. "Inuyasha, go! I got this!"

Inuyasha's eyes were wide and his ears pinned back as he glanced between Miroku and Royakan. When Shippo's voice sounded again, more urgent this time, he jumped into action. He dodged Royakan's blow and ran up the demon's arm, fist drawn back before punching him hard in the race. Royakan stumbled back with a ferocious cry and fell to one knee. Inuyasha unsheathed the Tessaiga again and slashed the demon across the chest. He didn't wait for Royakan to fall, just turned and ran to help Shippo. He knew that Royakan wasn't dead, but he desperately hoped that it would be enough for Miroku to keep them safe.

"Kaede, can you form a barrier above us?" Miroku asked, swinging his staff at the wolves which surrounded them.

"Only for a short time. Why?" Kaede gasped, leaning hard against her bow.

"I just need long enough to suck in these wolves," Miroku answered, already stabbing his staff into the ground and grabbing his mala.

Kaede looked skeptical but still clasped her hands and began chanting. A thin, transparent barrier formed over their heads. The insects buzzed angrily but Miroku ignored them, wasting no time in opening the wind tunnel. He walked around Kaede, sucking in the wolves in all directions. Royakan also had to jump back to avoid the vortex. The insects found their way under the barrier a heartbeat before it dissolved, but they were too slow. Miroku wrapped the mala back around his hand and grabbed his staff. He gathered Kaede's bow as well, and pulled on Kaede's sleeve. He dragged them past Royakan and toward the forest, Kaede stumbling behind him with ragged breaths.

"Monk, what-"

"He needs his pack together," Miroku gasped back, barely able to form words. "We need to put up a unified front."

Inuyasha immediately saw what caused Shippo's distress. The wolves had found his scent and were trying to jump at the fox. Some had managed to find purchase in the lower branches and were clumsily trying to climb higher. Others were chewing at the trunk, obviously intent on bringing the whole tree down. Inuyasha slashed and struck at the wolves, an amber pulse of power shooting from Tessaiga. It killed most of the wolves and cut the tree cleanly in two. Inuyasha leapt up and caught Shippo, who jumped from the tree as it fell. He could feel the little fox shaking and clinging to him as they landed and he took a moment to simply breathe and hold him close.

Pounding footsteps sounded from the edge of the forest, quickly accompanied by a familiar scent. Inuyasha turned to see Miroku and Kaede running toward them with Royakan hot on their heels. Kaede was struggling to keep pace, stumbling after the monk and breathing raggedly. When she staggered and fell, Miroku grimaced and swung around, pushing her forward even as he turned to face Royakan. The monk leapt into the air, bringing his staff down hard on Royakan's head. The demon howled and stumbled back. Miroku landed hard, leaning against his staff, and Inuyasha watched in horror because it wasn't enough, Royakan was rushing forward again-

The demon's blow knocked Miroku from his feet and sent him flying into a nearby tree. He slumped to the ground and didn't get up. Inuyasha growled as the world went red. Royakan took another step forward, still shaking his head to clear it from the monk's blow. Inuyasha grabbed the tree he had cut down and lifted it with a roar. He caught raw disbelief in Shippo and Kaede's faces as he swung the tree over his head and brought it crashing down onto Royakan. The demon cried out, stumbled, and fell. Around him, the few wolves that had followed him disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

Inuyasha turned his attention to Miroku, who was sitting up and rubbing his head. He stared at the monk, eyes wild, long enough for Miroku to give him a quizzical look. "You alright?"

"Am I-?" Inuyasha asked incredulously as he rushed to the monk's side. "You _idiot!_ Are you hurt?"

"A little battered and slightly bruised," Miroku reported dutifully with a small smile. Inuyasha helped him to his feet, his hands lingering on his shoulders even after the monk was standing again.

"Miroku!" Shippo shouted, jumping from Kaede's arms into Miroku's.

Inuyasha huffed in slightly hysterical amusement as Miroku took a moment to cuddle with the kit. Then something flashed in the monk's eyes. He reached out and gently pulled the Jewel shard from Shippo's tight grip. His eyes met Inuyasha's with a carefully neutral expression. "I'll be taking these back, now."

Inuyasha grimaced, but what could he do? He didn't release his somewhat desperate grip on Miroku's shoulders, nor did he meet the unfairly calm violet eyes. They wouldn't get into it. Not yet. Not now. But Inuyasha knew that he would have to explain himself and…what could he say? Something settled in Miroku's face and he nodded to the unspoken plea. Later.

"Miroku," Kaede said, staring deeper into the forest. "Do ye not think it peculiar?"

Miroku frowned. He had stopped thinking a lot of things peculiar recently. "What's that?"

"The droves of venomous insects have vanished without warning."

"You're right," he murmured, scanning the foliage above them.

There had been plenty of insects left when they ran here. Had they simply given up? That seemed unlikely. But what-? Miroku went rigid as he remembered why they were there in the first place. He could feel eyes on him. He could sense the foul presence, echoing what he felt in Onigumo's cave but so much stronger. It still made no sense, but Miroku knew that this evil youki emanating from deep in the forest was Naraku. Inuyasha's arm had curled protectively around his waist, and Miroku closed his eyes for a heartbeat. What should he do? Royakan was defeated, the wolves were gone… They could be done this battle. Instead, he sighed.

"Naraku's nearby," he said to Inuyasha, calmly disentangling himself from the hanyou. "With many shards of the Jewel. Come on, now's our only chance!"

They took off running, Inuyasha immediately picking up the scent. Shippo and Kaede were calling after them, and Miroku hoped that they would be wise enough to stay back. Surely he and Inuyasha were monumental fools for rushing headlong into something like this, but he couldn't help it. Seven years. A lifetime of waiting. Three generations of vengeance. Naraku was close by for perhaps the first time in his life and he couldn't just let him get away.

Inuyasha tensed, slowing his pace for a moment only to spring up into the canopy. He launched himself off a high branch and through the forest, landing in a small clearing. Across from him stood a figure draped in the skin of a baboon.

"I sensed that you weren't far away," he growled, staring down the figure. "You're Naraku, aren't you?"

The youkai hummed in acknowledgement but made no other response. Miroku crashed through the underbrush behind Naraku, and Inuyasha could see hate burning in his eyes. He came to a stop, staff held protectively in front of him, mouth a thin line. Inuyasha took a step forward, wanting to keep Naraku's attention on him. "At last I've found you."

Miroku seconded the sentiment. His gut churned as he took in the shadowy figure, the features obscured by the baboon mask. This was his nemesis. This was his fate.

"Answer me one thing before I avenge Kikyo's death," Inuyasha was saying, fingers slowly coming to a rest on the hilt of his sword. He could hear Kaede and Shippo approaching behind Miroku. "Naraku, why did you do it? What grudge do you have against me?"

"Good question." The voice was silky, low and dangerous, full of false amusement and the promise of pain. "I suppose you wish an answer to that question."

"It _is_ him," Kaede gasped, coming to a stop behind Miroku.

"Kaede," Naraku greeted, tilting his head slightly to acknowledge the newcomers with a smirk. "Age has not been kind to you."

"You know me," Kaede said. "Aye, Onigumo – is that your name?"

"Onigumo…" Naraku chuckled, and Miroku could see the sinister twist of his lips. "That name brings me such fond memories. Nay, I am Naraku. Yet it cannot be denied that I was born of Onigumo fifty years ago – such a foolish man. He fostered desires for the miko who nursed him, who drove him to succumb to his weakness and call forth the demons." Miroku reached for his mala beads, wondering if it was worth sucking in the Jewel shards to kill Naraku, once and for all.

"He traded his rotten soul and burned flesh for the strength of the demons who devoured him. He bound them to himself in order to pursue his desires, a Jewel and a maiden, it seemed. So many demons, it took, and they were only there because of Kikyo's weakness. Her power diminished because she had fallen in love with a worthless hanyou." Naraku's head swung around to stare at Inuyasha. His voice had grown harsh and angry. "She submitted to her childish desires and attempted to use the Shikon Jewel for her own purposes. For that, she was punished." A wide, eerie smile stretched across his mouth. "And you, Inuyasha, suffered the punishment as well."

"You bastard!" Inuyasha shouted. He couldn't believe it. He had spent his final moments believing Kikyo had betrayed him. Kiyko had died believing it. She still believed it, had died _again_ because of it. "How _dare you?_ You tricked us! You forced us to kill each other! It's all _your fault!_"

Naraku chuckled. "My fault, hm? Then tell me, how was it that the trust you held in each other was so easily destroyed?"

"What're you saying?" Inuyasha spat, claws curling into the palm of his hands. He was trembling from the force of the emotion, the sheer _hatred_ that seeped through him.

"It was anger," Naraku answered smoothly. "A bitter anger that set you two against each other. That, Inuyasha, is the true legacy of the trust you supposedly held for one another. Even Kikyo could not comprehend it. She should've chosen to live, and use the power of the Sacred Jewel to save herself. Instead, she chose death."

Inuyasha rocked back as though struck. No! That couldn't be. Kikyo- She couldn't have given up! Not like that! _Kikyo!_

Naraku's poisonous words continued. "Had she pleaded for her life, her pathetic, wretched wish would have been easily granted. Then she would've understood the ultimate truth of darkness, of the beauty the Jewel could possess. Foolish woman."

"And that's why you did it?" Miroku asked, swinging Naraku's attention toward himself. "All that to try to corrupt the Jewel? To sow the seeds of misery and despair? Is that why you cursed my family as well?"

"No," Naraku smirked. "I cursed you for a much simpler reason – because your grandfather _bothered _me. Because I thought it would be _fun._"

Both Inuyasha and Miroku growled at that. Inuyasha took a step forward, drawing the Tessaiga. "You know what'll be _fun?_" he spat. "I'll slit you open from head to toe! That'll show you what misery is!"

He threw himself forward but Naraku jumped out of the way, flying high into the air. Inuyasha leapt after him. They spun around each other, each using their youki to move through the air. Inuyasha swung with his claws, barely catching the baboon hide. He pulled with all his might, tearing the pelt to shreds. The figure he revealed was not what he had been expecting. He looked almost human, despite the sleeve covering most of his face. He was dressed in fine clothing and had long, human-looking black hair. His sleeve shifted just enough to reveal a glowing red eye. Naraku chuckled. Inuyasha's heart sank.

A purple-black smog erupted from Naraku's body, storming out in all directions. Inuyasha gasped at it hit him, tearing at him and sending him flying back. He instinctively curled into a ball, relying on his robes and the Tessaiga's blade to take the brunt of the impact.

Miroku recognized the cloud for what it was even before it began dissolving the trees in front of them. He grabbed Kaede by the arm and pulled her after him, running for all he was worth. He threw out his other arm with his staff, summoning the last of his strength into a final barrier. The miasma hit hard, burning the leaves off the trees, shriveling the grass and ferns into nothing. Miroku pushed them further, right to the edge of the forest. He couldn't stop to wonder about Inuyasha's fate. He could only pray that somehow, he was still alive.

Inuyasha crashed into the ground without control. He gasped, the swirling black mist stinging his eyes and lungs. He couldn't see or smell anything through the thick miasma, could only hope the others had gotten to safety. A soft chuckle sounded from somewhere close by, then the sickeningly smooth voice. "So you have succumbed. Farewell, Inuyasha."

Oh, like _hell_ he had! "Think again!" he shouted, rushing blindly at the voice.

"Impossible!"

He swung the Tessaiga, clearing some of the miasma from the air. He caught a glimpse of the wide eyes, something that looked almost like fear flicker across Naraku's expression before the monster turned away. Inuyasha leapt and struck. He fell short, barely catching the robes on Naraku's back. The tattered cloth fell away, revealing a horrific burn stretching across his back. It was jagged and poorly healed, with eight long lines reaching out. _Almost like a spider_.

Streams of miasma rushed and swirled around Naraku, forming a protective cocoon. Inuyasha tried to reach for him, but the poisonous gales forced him back. When the smog cleared, there was a hole bored into the barren ground and nothing else. Inuyasha couldn't believe it. He got away. That wicked, evil, slimy _bastard_ _got away!_

"_No!_" he shouted into the sky, pouring all his frustration and anger and pain into the words. "_Come back and fight me!_"

The cloud of miasma had ceased. Kaede and Shippo were standing safely beside him, gasping for breath and staring wide-eyed back into the trees. Miroku heard the shouts and knew instantly that Inuyasha was still alive. He tore through the forest, needed to see it for himself. He needed to know that Inuyasha was safe. He needed to see that Naraku was gone. Wisps of miasma still rose from the ground and barren trees. Inuyasha was on his knees in the middle of the clearing, gasping and shaking as sobs ripped through his frame. Miroku didn't slow his run, simply crashed into the hanyou and gathered him in his arms.

"You're alright?" he asked, voice raw from the emotion of everything they'd endured. "That miasma didn't get you?"

"He got away!" Inuyasha sobbed, hands curling into Miroku's kesa and holding him there, pushing him away while still clinging to him. "Damn him, he got away!"

Miroku felt the sting in his eyes, the crushing sense of despair as he realized that yes, Naraku was gone. He had failed. He failed his father, his grandfather, and himself. He failed Inuyasha, too, and Kaede, for not avenging Kikyo. He wanted to scream. He wanted to track down Naraku and beat him to death, to hold him in front of his wind tunnel and give him a small taste of the wordless dread and fear that followed him every moment of his own wretched life before cleansing the world of his evil. Instead he closed his eyes, wrapped his arms more securely around Inuyasha's shoulder and ignored the bite of claws as Inuyasha clung back to him.

"It's alright, Inuyasha," he murmured. "We heard his voice, you got his scent. There will be no escape for him next time."

"Yeah…" Inuyasha said unenthusiastically, but his ears perked up and he shot Miroku a toothy grin, gaining some grim enthusiasm. "Yeah! You're right. We're bound to run into him again while searching for the Jewel shards, and when we find him, we'll be ready." He still looked angry and defeated, and he shook from exhaustion and pain, but a fire had lit in his eyes. "There's another thing. There was a mark burned into his back. It looked like a spider."

"Charming," Miroku mused, pulling Inuyasha to his feet. "And very fitting for a venomous creature like him."

Neither were willing to let go of the other, and each kept an arm wrapped around each other's shoulders as they stumbled back to Shippo and Kaede. Miroku noticed Inuyasha subtly sniffing them both for injuries and smile softly despite the anger which still rumbled within him. They were all worse for wear after the long day and night. Kaede looked stiff and exhausted, while both Inuyasha and Miroku could barely keep their feet. Miroku wanted nothing more than to lie down and sleep, to forget about this awful day for a while. But he caught Kaede glaring meaningfully at him, and he sighed.

"Inuyasha, why don't you take Shippo back to the village?" he suggested, leaning against his staff. "Make sure that no one there was harmed or that no wolves remain. Kaede and I need to check on the miasma, just to make sure it's not spreading."

Inuyasha looked deeply unconvinced, but followed Shippo toward the village regardless. Miroku walked with Kaede back to the barren clearing. The lingering miasma had already cleared, and there was no indication that the wind had carried it elsewhere. The giant insects were nowhere to be seen, and there was no trace of Naraku. Miroku turned expectantly to Kaede, hoping to get this over with quickly.

"Ye know that Inuyasha will seek to destroy Naraku," she stated without preamble. "I know that ye also wish him gone, and with good reason. But what happened today cannot happen again. Ye cannot allow Inuyasha or yourself to rush headlong into danger so unnecessarily. You were incredibly lucky that Naraku did not attack. I have no doubt that he could have easily killed every one of us, had that been his desire. Ye _must_ be more careful in the future."

"What would you have me do, Kaede?" he asked, exhaustion colouring his voice. "Let him escape again? Hold Inuyasha back from his vengeance? I have spent my entire life waiting to destroy Naraku, and you know as well as I that Inuyasha is not one for patience."

"Inuyasha wants to destroy Naraku, that is true," Kaede agreed. "But if there was one thing I learned today, it is that he also wishes to protect others. He cares for ye, hoshi-dono, and ye care for him. Do not let each other become lost in your quest for vengeance. Do not throw your lives away. They are much too valuable."

Miroku sighed heavily. He felt more and more drained with each passing breath. "I told Inuyasha that we would track down Naraku again. Fighting him here has gained us something, at least."

Kaede's eye narrowed and her voice was oddly hesitant. "Ye know that seeing his face means nothing. If he was truly the shapeshifter from fifty years ago, all aspects of him may easily change."

Miroku dragged a hand down his face. "Not right now, Kaede."

"Was there anything else that may be of use to you? Something that would linger in any form he takes?"

"His youki was unmistakable," Miroku grimaced. "It was undoubtedly the same presence I felt lingering in Onigumo's cave. Inuyasha also said he had a spider-shaped burn mark on his back."

"Somehow, Onigumo is Naraku," Kaede shook her head. "The spider will be useful, though. If he carries that with him, it may become his most recognizable trait."

Miroku glared at the arm leaning on his staff, at the purple cloth and painted wooden beads. At the unseen void which lay beneath. "A spider on his back," he murmured, mostly to himself. "That shall serve as Naraku's own sign."

Another mark of the past bleeding into the future. Another condemnation of death.

From a little ways into the forest, Inuyasha growled deep in his throat, his eyes fixed on the arm the bore Miroku's curse.

Miroku had to help Kaede back to the village, she was so exhausted. He didn't think he was much help, to be honest. His hand shook where it supported her elbow and he kept stumbling. As the heat of battle faded, he felt drained and empty. His arm ached from using the wind tunnel too soon and pushing his body so hard before it was recovered.

Shippo was sitting on the steps to Kaede's hut, chin resting on his hands. He perked up when he saw them, instantly scampering over to climb onto Miroku's shoulder. He also looked subdued, but at least he was unharmed.

"Where's Inuyasha?" Miroku asked the kit as he snuggled against his neck.

"He didn't say, but he went off that way," Shippo pointed to an area just outside the village. "He seemed unsettled."

"Thank you, Shippo," Miroku sighed, transferring the fox into Kaede's waiting arms. "Do you think you can help Kaede for me? She's very tired after the battle."

Shippo instantly seemed more energetic. He clambered to the ground and began dragging Kaede into the hut by her hands, chattering away about how they needed to have a nice long nap and then maybe some food and sweets. As a treat, of course. They'd earned it after the battle. Miroku smiled wistfully as he watched them go.

Inuyasha was sitting in the highest branch of one of his regular trees. Miroku could tell that he wanted to be alone, so he sat himself down at the base of the tree and waited. He leaned his head against the trunk and closed his eyes, letting the stress of the battle fall away. He acknowledged the ache, the exhaustion, the emotions, and let them all slip away. He was hovering somewhere between meditation and sleep, uncertain of how much time passed. Inuyasha shifting above him drew him back, though the hanyou didn't come down.

"She didn't save herself."

The words were barely heard, but Miroku had no doubt as to their meaning. He spoke softly back, knowing that Inuyasha's ears would pick up the sound. "She chose to be with you."

Inuyasha stared hard into the distance, breathing heavily with his ears pinned back. Miroku could only guess at what was going through his mind. After another long while, Inuyasha finally turned to look down at him. Something softened in his expression and he sighed, dropping down to kneel by Miroku's side.

"You look like shit."

Miroku smiled despite himself. "Flatterer."

Inuyasha frowned, taking in the haggard look that haunted Miroku's usually stoic expression. "You smell exhausted and in pain. You didn't sleep last night, did you?"

Miroku shook his head. "Busy making sure you were kept hidden."

Inuyasha's eyes narrowed. "You used the wind tunnel, too. That was stupid."

"Thanks."

He sighed and sat down next to the monk, pressing their shoulders together. "I just can't believe he got away. We were _so close!_"

Knowing that if he actually thought too hard about it he would explode, Miroku closed his eyes and hummed his agreement. He could feel Inuyasha's eyes boring into him. His scent had probably changed in some way, revealing the emotions he'd rather keep hidden.

"I'm sorry," Inuyasha said softly, and Miroku turned to look at him. "I got so caught up in my hatred for Naraku that I forgot how important this all was to you. I've only been looking for him since you told me about him, but you've been after him forever."

"My experience doesn't make your own feelings toward Naraku any less true," Miroku paused, a small smile tugging at his lips. "But yes, today has been truly awful."

"I was just so desperate to get him. I would've done anything to defeat him."

Miroku gave him a long, measured look. "Is that why you took the Jewel shard from me?"

"No!" Inuyasha answered, immediately and emphatically. "I took it to keep you safe, to make you less of a target. I thought about using it to heal my wounds and go after Royakan, but I couldn't do it. It just didn't feel right."

"Thank you for not using them," Miroku said, and there was a bone-deep weariness in his voice. "I couldn't stand to lose you like that."

"Come on," Inuyasha said, rising to his feet and helping Miroku up. "You need to rest."

Despite the helping gesture, Inuyasha quickly dropped Miroku's hands as soon as he was up. The hanyou walked back toward Kaede's hut at his own pace, leaving Miroku to trail behind him. The monk sighed. He could tell by the raw energy still buzzing off his companion that Inuyasha wouldn't be able to spend a few more days lying around. He would tell Kaede that they would be leaving the next morning. Whether or not Shippo came along was a question for later.

Inuyasha stood in front of Kaede's hut, staring off into the forest. He heard Miroku coming up behind him, smell the twinge of curiosity. "Royakan's woken up."

Miroku carefully kept the exasperation from his voice. "I thought he was dead."

Inuyasha shook his head. "Just unconscious. Listen, I'm gonna go talk to him." Miroku gave him a quizzical look. "Kaede said he was some gentle forest spirit or something. And he still has those two shards of the Jewel. Maybe I can get him to hand 'em over, now that Naraku's not pulling the strings."

"I'll come with you." Inuyasha opened his mouth to protest, but closed it again at Miroku's resigned look. "If you try to fight me on this, know that I am somewhat testy and will either punch you or fall over."

"Just stay behind me and don't do anything stupid," Inuyasha warned, leading the way.

They heard Royakan long before they saw him. He was crying out in pain, staggering in a circle and slamming hard into all the trees in his path. Drool hung from his open mouth and lolling tongue, and his eyes were hazy and unfocused. Inuyasha didn't need to look at Miroku's pale face to know the monk was horrified. It wasn't just the tree to the head that was doing this, Inuyasha was sure – though it probably wasn't helping matters. Royakan looked like he was trying to claw the Jewel shards from his forehead.

"Stay back," Inuyasha warned Miroku as he drew his sword. "He's beyond help. I'm putting him out of his misery."

As Royakan came stumbling toward them, Inuyasha leapt onto his head, digging the tip of Tessaiga into the flesh of his brow. Despite his words, he wanted to try one last thing to save this poor creature. There was still the possibility that he would return to his old self once the Jewel shards were removed. Royakan staggered back at the added pain, swatting ineffectually at Inuyasha. He managed to dig out one of the shards before the flailing arms forced him to jump away. He passed the Jewel to Miroku without even thinking about it and prepared to jump again.

Royakan froze, reaching a hand up to feel the small trickle of blood coming from the new wound. It was almost comical for him to be concerned with a tiny cut, when Kaede's arrows were sticking out of his body at varying levels. Then he fell to his knees, his head bowed. At first Inuyasha thought that he had simply fallen. Then he realized that Royakan was presenting his head to him. He cautiously moved forward and dug his claws into his flesh. Royakan didn't so much as blink. He had already shrunk in size, and his breathing was more ragged than ever. Inuyasha quickly found the second shard and pulled it out.

Royakan heaved once, then keeled over. He was dead before he hit the ground. Inuyasha stared at the blood on his claws and the shard in his hand and felt sick. Miroku said a quick prayer over the rapidly dissolving body, mentioning that they should get Kaede to burn the bones later. There was no sense of victory between them that day. They returned to the village in grim silence.

* * *

After extensive research, aka a single Google search, I have deduced that the pelt Naraku wears is from a Hihi, a Chinese baboon youkai recorded in the third volume of the Gazu Hyakki Yagyō, a Japanese bestiary. This is entirely a non-canon conclusion so it's still possible that the fucker just went on holiday to Africa.

On a much stupider note, in this episode, Inuyasha throws a tree into Royakan's mouth with the line "You could use some fiber!" Therefore, my headcanon is that in the show, whenever Kagome went back to school, Inuyasha snuck into her house and read whatever books he could get his hands on. At one point he read a nutritional magazine and understood approximately none of it, other than fiber came from plants and people needed some of it in their diet.


	22. Chapter 22: s1e22

Warnings for this chapter: death and corpses, cold-shoulders, and discussions of lack of autonomy (kinda? Like what would happen when someone steals your dead soul?)

* * *

Kaede was asleep when they entered the hut, Shippo dutifully watching over her. Miroku sat down heavily on the other side of the fire and beckoned Inuyasha over. He reluctantly sat with his back to the monk, letting him pull off his robes and examine his wounds. Neither had bled much more despite the exertion, and Miroku deemed it safe to leave them unbound, for now. Inuyasha slunk off to the other side of the fire and lay down, curled with his back to the low flames. Miroku frowned but didn't comment. He was already struggling to keep his eyes open. It didn't matter that he mourned the loss of the warm body that had been pressed to him as he recovered from the venom.

They slept through the afternoon and ate the simple soup Kaede made them. Miroku brought up leaving the next morning and neither Shippo nor Kaede protested too much. They both gathered a few more travel supplies and Shippo made his case for coming with them. Miroku didn't follow it too well, but he knew that it was very loud and very insistent. Inuyasha made no comment one way or the other, so Miroku reluctantly agreed to let him come with them. For the time being. Inuyasha stayed quiet the rest of the evening as well, curled up in the corner with his chin resting on his crossed arms.

Despite still being exhausted, Miroku found it difficult to sleep that night. He tried to chalk it up to Shippo and Kaede's snoring, or the ache still coming from his arm, but in truth he knew it was from the whirlwind of Inuyasha's mind. The hanyou hadn't calmed since the battle, and his nervous energy was infectious. Miroku wondered what was churning in his mind, whether hatred toward Naraku or reflections on Kikyo drove his thoughts. He supposed it didn't really matter – the two subjects were so intertwined. He closed his eyes and tried to meditate, hoping that it would lead to sleep. It worked, eventually, but when he opened his eyes the next morning, he knew it hadn't been enough. He wanted nothing more than to curl up again and sleep the rest of the day away. Inuyasha pacing the length of the hut persuaded him otherwise.

Shippo gave Kaede a big hug before they left. Kaede warned Miroku not to underestimate Naraku, and not to let Inuyasha be too rash. Inuyasha glared at the old miko but didn't respond. They set off in the direction that Miroku's staff fell. Shippo seemed to recognize the tense atmosphere, and spent the entire day's walk sitting on Miroku's shoulder. They didn't stop until the sun was well below the horizon. Inuyasha immediately jumped into a tree and lay down, soundly ignoring both of them. Miroku sighed. He got Shippo to help him find some firewood and gave the fox the few scraps of dried meats and vegetables Kaede had insisted they bring.

Inuyasha didn't come down from the high branches when they settled down to sleep. Miroku tried not to dwell on the matter. He rested against the trunk of the tree next to Inuyasha's and Shippo curled into his lap. Even with his staff lying against his shoulder, Miroku knew he wouldn't be able to let down his guard. He hadn't been given the chance to fully recover, and though Inuyasha moved more freely, his wounds were still far from healed. Miroku closed his eyes and meditated, and tried to ignore the restlessness seeping down from above, which told him he wasn't the only one who wouldn't be sleeping that night.

When morning came again, Miroku knew that they couldn't carry on as they had been. Inuyasha looked about ready to bite someone's head off, and Miroku found himself glaring at the sun as though personally offended by it. He should've confronted Inuyasha, demanded that he either deal with his feelings or push them aside for now. Instead, he murmured a "good morning" to Shippo and stayed silent like the coward he was. It was already a bad sign that the evil presence that guided his feet to the nearby town was almost a welcome thing. They stood outside the walls of the nobleman's house, a little intimidated by the sheer size of it.

"This mansion is enormous!" Shippo whistled, tipping his head back to catch sight of the roof over the gate. "Miroku, will we be staying here tonight?"

Inuyasha huffed, crossed his arms and turned his back. "He's probably gonna tell 'em that an _ominous cloud_ hangs over the mansion."

He had to give it to Inuyasha – there was no guesswork as to when he was displeased with something. "I have a legitimate reason for coming here."

The relief with which they were greeted by the guards spoke volumes. They bowed deeply to Miroku with a respectful "Hoshi-sama." They were skeptical of Inuyasha and Shippo, but when Miroku explained that they were in the business of aiding those with demon problems, the guards instantly brought them to the lord of the house. He greeted them as humbly as the guards had, and brought them to the room of his elder daughter.

"Her mother has been distraught ever since it happened," the lord explained, a little tearfully. "Ever since we heard reports from the countryside. I don't know whether they're demons or spirits, but something has been stealing away the souls of all the young maidens who pass."

His daughter lay under a funereal shroud. Miroku guessed she must have died only that morning.

"So these youkai only target dead girls?" Inuyasha asked, voice gruff but not unsympathetic.

"As though losing her wasn't upsetting enough," the lord sighed. "I cannot have her soul stolen before it reaches its final resting place."

"No such thing will occur," Miroku assured gravely. "My associates and I shall protect the princess's soul from these demons."

He said a prayer over the young woman and the lord led them to another room. Apparently the youkai only appeared at night, and the lord insisted on feeding them before that. Miroku hoped that his serene expression could compensate for the enthusiasm that Shippo failed to hide. Inuyasha's scowl could mean anything, so Miroku figured they were safe for the moment. Several attendants came bearing platter upon platter of delicious-looking food, and the hanyou glared at him the entire time. At least he had the courtesy to wait until everyone else had left to make his displeasure known.

"It's the same old unwarranted feast. You're taking advantage of their hospitality!"

Miroku looked over the food. It was, to be fair, a little excessive. Small bowls of tofu, daikon, fruit, and miso soup were scattered around piles of rice, summer vegetables, eggs, and several fish dishes. Jugs of sake and tea sat on the side. "Perhaps, but we can't fight properly on an empty stomach."

He carefully didn't mention that Shippo hadn't eaten since the day before, and neither of them had had anything since the night before leaving Kaede's. Despite his words, Miroku could only manage a few sips of broth. The place was too quiet, too still. The air was thick with an unspoken evil, and it made his stomach churn.

Shippo dug into the feast with enthusiasm and Inuyasha grudgingly followed. Even he had to admit that it would be a pity to waste the mound of food which did, indeed, taste delicious. There was enough fish that he didn't have to fight Shippo for any, though he did steal an egg out of the kit's hands, just to mess with him. It wasn't until after he's finished more than his share and saw Shippo lazily nibbling on some radish that he realized Miroku had barely eaten anything.

"Come on, monk," he prodded, mostly teasing but a little concerned. "What's the matter with you? You barely touched your food."

Something flashed across Miroku's face and he smiled tightly. "Mm, maybe later."

At Inuyasha's insistent glare, he did eat a little more. It would be irrational not to take advantage of the bounty before them, and he needed to keep up his strength. As it started to get dark, and Shippo was napping sprawled across the floor, Miroku asked Inuyasha to scout the area around the mansion. The hanyou nodded in agreement and left without a word.

Inuyasha sighed heavily in the cooling night air. There was no trace of youkai anywhere, but that didn't mean there wasn't something lingering in the air. The entire household seemed to be holding its breath, and the tension was palpable. Miroku had been tense as well, and it set Inuyasha on edge. He was glad for the distraction this mission entailed. Ever since Naraku had slipped through his fingers, he'd felt utterly useless. He needed something to sink his claws into. Just not right away, apparently. With one final sniff around the walls, he headed back inside.

"Well, everything looks clear out there," he reported as he stepped into the room. "Anything unusual in here?"

Shippo blinked back at him. "No, so far everything's been good."

Inuyasha glanced around suspiciously. Sure enough, there was no one else in the room. "Good. Now where's Miroku?"

"Sounds like there's one other princess living here, so Miroku said he wanted to go make sure she was safe."

"Oh, _sure_." Inuyasha didn't bother hiding the contempt in his voice as he sat down next to Shippo and the dead woman. Stupid monk. He always had one thing on his mind. "I can't believe him. Too bad he has everyone convinced he's a saint, otherwise I'd give him a good stomping."

Shippo looked at him quizzically. "But Inuyasha, I like Miroku. I don't think he's just acting nice to fool others."

"Hmph. Forget it."

"My youngest daughter is petrified," the lord sighed, leading the way to her chambers. "She so looked up to her sister."

"Please, leave it to me," Miroku said. "If she is anything like her sister, the younger princess must be a beauty beyond compare."

The lord smiled sadly, stopping just outside the chambers and motioning for Miroku to pass. He slipped through the doors, his most charming smile fixed on his face. He loved his job. Still, the princess was likely truly frightened. He had considered bringing Shippo along to comfort her with something cute and fluffy, but decided against it. For one thing, someone needed to watch the body. For another, as cute as he was, Shippo was a demon, and there was no telling how the princess would react to a new demon when she already feared them. Lastly, if things got out of hand, it seemed irresponsible to bring a child into the mix.

It turns out he needn't have worried about _that_. The princess was almost out of her mind with fear, and clung to him before he even finished introducing himself. She was trembling from head to toe and tears streamed down her face. It took a long time full of gentle words and soft smiles just to get her to calm down enough to release him. By the time her sobs had turned to giggles and flirtatious smiles, Miroku was uneasy. It was getting late, and everyone he had talked to about these demons said they appeared for the souls not too long after dark.

"I must take leave," he told her, a little regretfully. "Your sister's soul requires my unwavering protection."

"Do not abandon me, master Miroku!" she insisted, grabbing at his robes. "I fear for my safety!"

"No one will come after you," he tried again, gently peeling her away from him. It was true. From what he had heard, the demons showed no interest in the living. Besides, he had put up several sutras just in case. Her wandering hands – whether intentional or not – made him pause to reconsider. The tiny voice in his head urging him on was not helping matters. Then a cold wind slithered through the room, extinguishing the oil lamps and leaving a sinister tinge in the air.

Inuyasha sat in silence – he _wasn't_ sulking – when he felt the slightest tug on his robes. He looked down to see Shippo's little hand clutching the fabric at his leg. He opened his mouth to snap at him, but Shippo's eyes were fixed on the covered face of the dead princess. He was a kid, after all. Somewhere in the mess that was their journey, Inuyasha had almost forgotten that. He sighed and shifted his leg so it partially obscured Shippo's view. He moved Tessaiga as well, laying it across his lap in front of the kit. Shippo didn't comment, but he pressed a little closer to Inuyasha's side.

Then the dead princess lifted off the floor.

Shippo shrieked and flung himself onto Inuyasha's arm. They both stared as she floated upright, dead eyes seeing into nothingness. A white light shone through the paper walls before they suddenly exploded inward. Inuyasha ducked, covering his and Shippo's eyes from the flying wooden splinters. A youkai flew in, a finned serpentine white head and long, slender body with three pairs of insect-like grasping legs. It circled the room before dipping down toward the dead princess. Inuyasha jumped to his feet but had to pause to pry Shippo off his arm.

A white ethereal substance floated from the princess's mouth. Inuyasha guessed it must be her soul. The demon hovered above it, its six legs wrapping around it and gathering it close. Inuyasha pulled out Tessaiga and cut the demon cleanly in two. The princess hung suspended in the air for another moment before slowly falling back to the ground, her soul dissipating.

"Her spirit's safe again!" Shippo cheered.

"You think it's over?" Inuyasha scoffed. "Not likely."

Feet came pounding down the outside walkway, followed by a familiar voice. "Inuyasha! More! Outside! Time to move!"

Miroku sounded vaguely afraid. Inuyasha rushed outside to see dozens of the demons floating through the air, each with a soul clasped in its arms. They all moved in a singular direction, into the nearby forest. Miroku ran up beside him, a young woman chasing him. Inuyasha scoffed. "Really, Miroku?"

"After them!"

The monk hurled himself over the low railing and running after the demons. Shippo yelped as the woman approached them and quickly followed after Miroku. Inuyasha rolled his eyes, side-stepped the woman's grasping hands, and chased after the others. However, his exasperation quickly shifted to grim determination as his eyes followed the demons. There were many of them, too many, all carrying the spirits of the dead. Each represented the soul of a human that could be lost forever if they didn't help.

They ran through the trees, not fast enough to keep pace with the demons, but Inuyasha felt unease building in his chest and didn't jump ahead of Miroku and Shippo like he normally would. Even as the faint light of the souls began to disappear into the distance, he felt like he made the right call. Something warned him not to wander. Miroku was still running beside him, not as fast as he usually was. Inuyasha knew that with his own injuries still healing, he wouldn't be able to carry the monk and Shippo on his back. He swore and slowed to a stop, Miroku following suit. The trail had gone cold. They continued in the direction the demons had gone, not stopping until the sky lightened with early morning. Then they admitted defeat.

Miroku suggested that they return to the town to question the locals about their experiences with the demons. Shippo mumbled incoherently and burrowed deeper into Miroku's chest. He hugged the fox closer to him and looked at Inuyasha. They were following a small river back in the direction of the town, but the hanyou was dragging his feet, looking utterly unenthusiastic.

"Come on," Miroku encouraged. "We need to learn more about these youkai so we can search for the lost souls."

Inuyasha grimaced. "Why can't we just stay in the mansion until more spirits come tonight?"

"There is no indication that the youkai will return there, since no one else has died. We need more indication of where to start searching." Inuyasha harrumphed but didn't respond. "We owe it to the souls of those lost women to do something to help them." Still nothing. "Right, Inuyasha?"

"Feh."

Miroku slowed to a stop. "What? You think otherwise?"

Inuyasha crossed his arms and kept right on walking. "I'm just not especially interested. I mean, what's in it for us? It's not as though we'll find a Jewel shard."

Miroku frowned. Lately, Inuyasha had been so much better about helping people without being prompted. He sensed that something was bothering Inuyasha, though he couldn't put his finger on it. "We don't need something in return. That's not the point of helping."

"That's what I'm tired of – helping people all the time," Inuyasha snapped. "Look, I'm gonna be a great demon someday, so why should I waste my time going around rescuing petty humans?"

Ouch, that stung. "And I suppose that those people you've helped in the past meant nothing to you?" Inuyasha turned to glare at him. "Think of Kaede and her village, and Nazuna, and all the others who look up to you now. You're practically a saint in their eyes."

Inuyasha grimaced. "Saint? Don't insult me. Where are you going with this?"

Miroku patted his shoulder. "As far as I'm concerned, you've outdone yourself."

"Still not interested," Inuyasha growled. "So you can count me out. Got a problem with that?"

Miroku had no response. He couldn't exactly force Inuyasha to help if he didn't want to. Still, something felt off about the situation. He hadn't seemed opposed to the idea before. What had changed?

Shippo's shriek almost made him jump out of his skin. The little fox was pointing into the water, where a half-drowned figure was clutching onto a floating piece of debris. Miroku's stomach clenched as he recognize the man as a fellow monk.

"Come on, Inuyasha!" he called, trying to keep the urgency from his voice. "Time to show your heroism!"

"Not on your life!" the hanyou shot back, taking a step away from the riverbank.

Miroku threw his staff to the side and prepared to dive into the water. As he jumped, an arm curled around his waist and dragged him back. Inuyasha didn't even waiting for him to catch his feet before leaping into the water without a word. Miroku ignored Shippo's utterly perplexed look and waded into the shallows to help the hanyou drag the human back to them. The young man was unconscious but breathing, and appeared uninjured. Miroku considered building a fire to warm him up, but the blazing heat of summer would likely suffice. The young monk moaned, and shuddered. His eyes first met Miroku's and his brows furrowed in confusion. Then he saw Inuyasha and Shippo.

"No!" he gasped, shoving himself violently away from them. "More demons!"

"Demons?" Miroku asked, glancing between the monk and Inuyasha. "Tell us, what did you see that causes you such fright?"

"Upriver, the monster!" the young man pointed, shakily, in the direction the demons had gone the previous night. "She bore the face of beauty but there was only evil within."

"A demon?" Inuyasha asked, stepping forward. "And it took the appearance of a human?"

"At first glance she appeared to be a human," the monk said slowly. "But clearly she was possessed by a demon. Though, I must admit, I've rarely heard of youkai that impersonate a priestess."

Miroku felt a twist in his gut, a deep sense of foreboding. He tried to tell himself that it could be any kind of demon. They had no idea what they would be dealing with, or if it was even related to the stolen souls.

"She was able to ward off my master's immense spiritual powers," the monk continued.

Alright, still could be any kind of demon. A powerful one, but nothing unusual there. So why was a cold sweat breaking down his body? Why was there a prickling sensation on the back of his neck?

"Wait, I believe I heard her name spoken." Miroku closed his eyes. Somehow he knew what was coming. "It was…Kikyo."

Inuyasha's reaction was instantaneous. He dragged the monk up by the front of his robes, snarling ferociously in his face. "If I find out you're making this up, you'll wish you were still in the river."

"Inuyasha," Miroku said warningly.

"I speak only the truth!" the monk pleaded. "The woman lured away the lonely souls of dead maidens!"

"I don't care about that!" Inuyasha growled, and Miroku's jaw clenched. "It's her name. What makes you so sure her name is Kikyo?"

"Inuyasha, that's enough!" The commanding note in Miroku's voice brought Inuyasha back to himself, and he slowly lowered the monk back to his feet.

"The children of the village addressed her as such," the monk continued despite the threat. "All the youngsters called her Kikyo."

Miroku stepped forward and placed himself between Inuyasha and the monk, forcing the hanyou to let go of the monk's robes. He pressed his back against Inuyasha's chest, causing him to take a few steps back in response. He spoke instead to the monk. "We thank you for this information, and I apologize for your rough treatment. Peace go with you."

He bowed and the monk gave him a long, confused look before bowing back. He hurried away, casting repeated glances over his shoulder. Miroku watched him go with an impending sense of dread. So, Kikyo was the one responsible for luring away the souls of the dead women. She was still in the land of the living. But what state was she in? Their last encounter had not exactly been amiable. Was she still the vengeful spirit desperate to avenge herself? Miroku glanced at Inuyasha. The hanyou looked wrecked.

Inuyasha's mind was in turmoil. Kikyo was alive? She survived the fall? She was- She was nearby! That monk had said upriver! He turned and ran, jumping from rock to rock. Kikyo! He had to save her! _Kikyo!_

Miroku watched him go. Shippo jumped onto his shoulder and called out "Inuyasha!"

"Let him be, Shippo," Miroku murmured. "He's going to find Kikyo."

He shifted his path upriver. Even if Inuyasha found Kikyo and they needed some time alone together, there was no use in getting separated. He would follow from a safe distance, just close enough to help if need be. Kikyo may have changed. He had glimpsed into her mind before, and the anger he felt there still worried him. No matter what happened, Inuyasha might need some help, whether aid in a fight or simply knowing that someone stood by him. Miroku blinked. Or, someone to help him navigate when the _sky blacked out!_

A faint whistling sound came from the air, and suddenly there were more of the soul-bearing demons flying through the sudden darkness all around them. Miroku instinctively put up a barrier around himself and Shippo, but the youkai were paying them no mind. They wove through the trees, heading in a very specific direction. Miroku ran after them. Being closer to the ground slowed them down enough that he could just barely keep them in sight. Slowly, more and more began to appear overhead. If these demons truly belonged to Kikyo, then she was nearby. And kami, how had _that_ even happened in the first place?

Miroku kept his eyes on the demons, occasionally glancing up to the ones overhead. He ran down a hill, almost slipping in his haste. In the darkness, he missed the sharp drop of the ground disappearing before him. Suddenly he was falling, grasping at nothing, and came crashing down to the ground below. He gasped, the air knocked from his lungs, and was gratified to see Shippo scampering towards him. At least he hadn't accidentally crushed the demon child.

"Miroku, are you alright?" Shippo asked, a spark of amusement mixing with concern.

Miroku wheezed out a vague reply and clambered gracelessly to his feet. That was when he saw her. Kikyo, lying still and draped over the low branches of a tree. The lights of the spirits danced around her. A cold shiver ran through his body.

"Shippo, get out of here," he instructed, voice tense and low.

"What?"

"Find Inuyasha and tell him that Kikyo's here."

Shippo glanced from Kikyo back to him. "What about you?"

"She might be hurt. I don't know if she's even alive. Go, quickly!"

Shippo turned and ran, and something loosened in Miroku's chest. No matter what may come, at least Shippo was away from the danger. Taking a deep breath, he began his approach.

* * *

As Sango is fast approaching, I've been thinking about POV characters and whose psyche I want to explore. Sango's a really interesting character and completes the main three (as much as I love Shippo, he doesn't have much personality outside of "child"). Therefore, I think it's only right to add her perspective to the story so we can explore her thoughts and opinions along with the other two. However, she's not the only one I want to explore. Kikyo, Koga, and Sesshomaru are all super interesting and complex characters with a lot of room for growth, but because they appear so infrequently, I don't think I'll be adding them as POV characters to avoid overcomplicating things. However, I'd love your input on the matter because I'm definitely open to change and experimentation.


	23. Chapter 23: s1e23

Warnings for this chapter: angst like _whoa_, discussions of emotional manipulation and abuse, much clearer discussions about body autonomy and lack of consent, and attempted murder-suicide.

* * *

Inuyasha was gasping for breath, staring into the rushing black waters of the river before him. There was no trace of Kikyo, just the faintest scent in the air. It pulled him forward, stirred a desperate hope deep inside him. A stronger scent, a flash of white, and he pounced on a ribbon that lay at the water's edge. A hair band. Kikyo's beautiful scent washed over him, painfully familiar. He held it with careful fingers. It wasn't much, but it was proof that she had been there. That the woman he loved was still alive. He could barely believe it.

Her hatred, her fear, everything from that cliff face flooded through his mind once more. The feel of her hand slipping from his…the scream…his hand reaching out but finding nothing… He had to find her. Nothing else mattered.

Miroku moved cautiously and quietly. From this distance he could see her breathing, and the slightest pull on his mind drove him forward. A thin white tendril connected them still, a remnant of their spirits merging. She looked pale and thin, her eyes sunken into her head and her cheeks hollow. Her sadness seeped into him, feeling real but not his own. It tugged him toward her, and he felt the moment that she recognized his presence. Her eyes opened and glared coolly at him.

"I see you've found me, monk."

He held her gaze steadily. "I see you're still alive."

Her eyes narrowed but she didn't move. He could feel her challenging him through their connection, some internal play for dominance that he didn't truly understand. Emotions washed over him that he knew were not his own, but even then they were restricted and wrong, strangled before they gained life. She was aware of their connection, he realized. She was aware and she didn't like it.

"Are you the one who's been luring the souls of women away?" He had to ask. He suspected he'd feel the answer. Sure enough, guilt-tinged anger passed through them both. "They don't belong to you, Kikyo. You have to know that. They need to be set free."

"Is _he _not here with you?" she asked instead, calm and cold and controlled.

"I came on my own," Miroku answered evenly. "But he's looking for you. He wants to find you."

Her eyes flashed. "What are you to him?"

Miroku stood tall, hardening his gaze. "I'm his friend, and I'll protect him if I must."

Kikyo chuckled faintly and reached out. The tendril between them flashed and enveloped Miroku's body. He tried to reach out- step back- he didn't know, but nothing happened. He was paralyzed, trapped in his own body. What had she _done?_ He tried to reach out to Inuyasha, to bring him there with the nenju beads, but even that action seemed blocked.

"This will end your interfering," she murmured, softly, almost sweetly.

A soft whistling sound caught his ear and Inuyasha glanced up to see one of the soul-carrying demons. It flew through the air like another white ribbon, coiling and flowing almost gracefully. He set chase. Kikyo had to be nearby! She was alive! He ran after them, senses straining to catch her scent, a sound- anything!

The demons wound their way around Miroku, dragging and turning him until he was bound to the tree on which Kikyo rested. She slipped down from the branches and moved to survey her handiwork. He was still standing, held aloft by the length of several serpentine demons coiling around his chest and waist. An image of Inuyasha flashed unbidden in his mind, in a similar position, bound to a tree. He wasn't sure from which of them the memory came. He wondered faintly if he looked similar to how Inuyasha had been imprisoned. Apparently Kikyo had a pattern.

Miroku watched as a demon slipped down to Kikyo, dropping a soul in her hands. A human soul, Miroku had to remind himself. A soul that would not reach eternal peace, but would instead be trapped, used, and corrupted by Kikyo's vengeful spirit. He could feel the emptiness within her, the void that her soul should fill on its own. He remembered the first soul she fully consumed, Urasue's weakened and desperate spirit. He wondered if the demonic soul had impacted her at all. Young dead maidens were certainly more appropriate, he supposed.

She stiffened, frowned. Fresh emotions shifted inside of her. "Inuyasha has come," she murmured, more to herself than to him. She held the soul in her hands before holding it close to her chest. It slowly dissolved into her and they both felt a little more whole. Her eyes snapped to his.

"I fear he has not come to save you. His purpose lies in seeing me."

Confusion shifted to exasperation, and Miroku almost huffed. Well, of course Inuyasha was coming to see Kikyo! She was the woman he loved!

"You will not interfere," she continued, something sinister darkening her voice.

"Interfere?" Miroku asked, straining against his demon bonds. "You don't still want to kill him?! Kikyo, he loves you, and he always has!" Hurt, anger, and betrayal rolled off her, a closing of the bond as she rejected his words. "Someone deceived you and pitted you against each other. It wasn't Inuyasha who killed you. Kikyo, _please!_"

He felt the realization hit her. A subtle shift. "From your countenance I gather you expect me to be rejoicing." Her words were full of scorn. "Someone caused my premature demise. Will my murderer's death bring me back to life?"

He felt the anger still burning within her, felt it warring with pain and resentment and love. So why did Kikyo look jealous?

"No, it won't," he admitted earnestly. "But killing Inuyasha won't accomplish anything, either."

"The dead only wish to walk amongst the living once more, a wish that will never be realized. However, _this_ dead woman can wish for one thing." She smiled, almost maliciously, and it looked so wrong painted across her lovely face. "I wish for a heart – the heart of the man who I shall never allow to forget me. That is my desire."

Despite her eyes burning into Miroku's, he knew instantly who she meant. "Kikyo, don't do this…" he warned, pleaded.

"It is clear that Inuyasha wishes for my death." How could she say those words with such a chilling smile? "That is a good thing, because it means he feels remorse for our dispute. Let him feel remorseful. I shall never allow him to forget about me. I can live on inside his heart."

Miroku ground his teeth. He knew that he couldn't reason with Kikyo as though she were alive. Vengeful spirits operated under different rules – but was she truly of the dead? She had already changed her mind from killing Inuyasha to entrapping him. Surely, there must be some way to make her listen.

"You're always on Inuyasha's mind," he said. "Not a day goes by that he doesn't think of you, miss you, and love you! You will always be in his mind and in his heart. That _has _to be enough."

She surveyed him coolly, unconvinced. "As we parted, we despised each other. The love you speak of is but a shallow emotion, an echo that reflects into hatred. Bitterness strengthens the resolve for vengeance. If he must love, let him love my consuming resentment. As I must love, I will love his heart, when it falls into despair."

And suddenly Miroku saw what she truly wanted. She was indeed a vengeful spirit, but more complicated than the ones he had dealt with before. The thing driving her hadn't changed, only her methods had. Behind both her murderous revenge and her desperate attempt to reclaim Inuyasha was a deep-seated fear of being lost to the world. Indifference was what she feared most, and she would rather have hatred and fear than lose all control over Inuyasha.

"No, Kikyo!" he pleaded. "He doesn't deserve your hatred! What you're describing isn't healthy. It-"

He cut himself off, distracted by the figure who had run into the clearing. Inuyasha stood frozen, and Miroku could see the conflicting emotions on his eyes. Relief, love, and sheer happiness twisted with fear and disbelief. He looked so utterly lost. Miroku hated to come between them, but Inuyasha had to know what Kikyo planned to do. Maybe he could make her listen.

"Inuyasha, you have to talk to her," Miroku called to him, quiet but a little desperate. "Please, tell her what happened. Tell her about Naraku."

Inuyasha couldn't believe it. She was really there – after having lost her not once, but _twice! _He walked towards her haltingly, like a man possessed, still not believing his eyes.

As he walked right past Miroku without even looking at him the monk's stomach dropped. He would let Inuyasha have his moment, but he feared that the hanyou wouldn't be able to face this threat alone.

"Kikyo…" A whispered prayer. Inuyasha saw the hurt in her eyes, the way she drew away from him. It tore him apart more than any demon ever could. "It _was _you – the souls of the dead women."

She looked defensive, resentful. Her voice, when she spoke, was flat. "This body is molded from earth and ashes. I must be sustained by human souls if I am to remain here." Something flashed across her face, and her voice held some unknown emotion. "Inuyasha, you must despise me. I have stolen souls to fuel my hatred of you."

Inuyasha shook his head instinctively, discarding her words. She was trying to provoke him into something, but he didn't know what. All he knew was he could never blame her for being forced into this situation. He could never hate her. "That's just ludicrous! You may well despise me, but the feeling's not mutual!" He took a step toward her, tears stinging in his eyes. "Kikyo, I never stopped loving you, not even for an instant!"

Miroku felt the love swell inside Kikyo, saw for a moment her spirit clear. He desperately hoped that it would be enough.

"I could never hate you or think less of you," Inuyasha pressed on, guided by the emotion he saw in her eyes. "It's your spirit I care for, not your appearance!"

Oo. Skipping right past the part where Inuyasha indirectly called her ugly, Miroku knew that it wouldn't be enough. The remnants of love weren't as strong as bitter resentment or burning rage, not enough to satisfy Kikyo's need for any form of connection. He was about to call out again, to tell Inuyasha what was really going on, when Kikyo cut him off.

"Truly, Inuyasha? You wouldn't?" she asked, reaching out to him. Her hand brushed his cheek, cold and frail. "You wouldn't despise me if I used these hands to steal the life from you?"

Miroku's eyes widened. Well, that decided it. "Inuyasha, look out! She wants to trap you here with her! She wants to steal your heart!"

Not even an ear twitched at the words, and Miroku's heart clenched. Inuyasha couldn't see him! Couldn't hear him! Kikyo moved forward, her hand coming to rest against Inuyasha's chest. She pressed their lips together gently, and Miroku could see the confusion in Inuyasha's eyes. He pleaded for him to figure it out. Kikyo pulled away and Inuyasha looked lost. She curled her arms around him and pressed herself to his chest with a cry of "Inuyasha!"

He didn't know what to do. Part of him was screaming at him to get a grip, to just _hold her_ and never let go, like he was supposed to! She was the love of his life and she was back again. She was professing her love and he had another chance to be with her! So why the _hell _was he hesitating? Why was he just standing there uselessly, his arms hanging by his sides? What was _wrong_ with him?

"After meeting you, I renounced my position as a priestess and became an ordinary woman." She tightened her grip, and he could feel her shaking. "I longed to embrace you like this when I was alive."

Haltingly, he closed his arms around her. He buried his nose in her hair, breathing in her beautiful scent in deep, shuddering breaths. But she felt so frail, so _cold_, and he didn't know what to do! He couldn't understand how she could love him now, when their last meeting was so full of anger and hate.

Miroku saw the way Inuyasha was trembling, knew that this would tear him apart. "Inuyasha, look inside her! I know you love her, but really look at her!"

He held Kikyo close, feeling her presence. Her scent was so achingly familiar, washing away the years between them. But she was cold like death, and even in his embrace he could feel her sadness, her lonely spirit. He ached to make it all okay, to transfer his own life into her if it would just make her better, if it would fix the pervasive wrongness seeping into him.

"Please," she whispered against his heart. "Allow me to embrace you a little longer."

The next words tore into Miroku's soul. "I can't save you. I can't do anything to help you, except stay like this. If only time could stand still!"

Inuyasha's broken words pierced through him, but they also gripped his heart. That was what she wanted _No, Inuyasha! _Miroku struggled against his bonds, trying to get at least his hand free. Inuyasha may not be able to see or hear him – or smell him, for that matter – but there was no way that Kikyo's spell could disguise the force of the wind tunnel. If he could just break free, he could find some way to warn him!

"Would you agree to that?" Kikyo asked, pressing her head against his chest. "If I did stop time?"

"Kikyo, no!" Miroku screamed. "Don't do this!"

She hugged him tighter, her eyes flashing with defiance as he levelled her gaze at Miroku.

He loved her. He longed for her. He would do anything she asked. "Yes. I don't care, as long…" Why was speaking suddenly so difficult? Why were his eyes so heavy? "As long as…I'm with you…"

The sky darkened, the earth rumbled, and the ground exploded beneath them. Miroku watched in horror as all the souls gathered around the tree surged into the abyss which grew beneath the couple, even as the light tinged them an unearthly red. Inuyasha slumped forward, his forehead resting against Kikyo's shoulder. Her arms wound tighter around him.

"Inuyasha," Kikyo murmured to the unconscious hanyou. "I will never let you go. Come with me to the depths of hell!"

"Inuyasha!" Miroku screamed, straining forward. "Inuyasha, wake up! You've got to get out of there!"

Inuyasha's eyes stayed closed, his body limp. Miroku thrashed desperately against the spell and demons binding him, panic clawing at his throat. "Kikyo, listen to me! He doesn't want this- you _know_ he doesn't want this. He wants to stay with you, not die! Not to be dragged to hell! You're condemning him!" She wasn't listening! He fought harder, every muscle strained to the breaking point. "Please! You can't kill him – he's trying to avenge you! He's going after Naraku for you!"

An eye opening, a response, and Miroku lunged forward. Grasping at straws, at nothing, at the tendril between them still. "He's still fighting for you! He needs to live- he needs to live, to fight Naraku, more than anything! Let him do that, at least! Let him avenge you." Her head turned. She was listening. "Do you understand?" It came out as a sob.

Kikyo lifted a finger, white light flashing, and the tendril pulled taught between them. He could see the rage and jealousy, just as he could feel it. She pulled at their connection, drawing out the soul from within him. He fought desperately, but it was slipping form his grasp. Everything became monumentally more difficult, from thinking to breathing to _living._ The force holding him upright disappeared, and with it, the last of his strength. His knees buckled, the world went fuzzy around the edges, but he kept his eyes fixed on hers. _Don't let this happen_, he pleaded. "Kikyo…"

"And what if he does exact revenge?" Kikyo asked bitterly. "Would that serve to revive me?"

Miroku clung to consciousness, to his last chance. If not her acceptance, he could work with her anger, her resentment. The irony wasn't lost on him as he struggled to maintain the connection. He watched her turn back to Inuyasha and another sob ripped from his throat.

"Come, Inuyasha," she cooed, brushing away a strand of his hair as they started sinking into the ground. "You and I share the same desires."

The words sparked some recognition in Miroku's leaden mind. They shared something as well… He seized their connection, grasping at the life she had stolen from him. He pulled with all of his strength, feeling the darkness closing in around him. As his spirit left her body, so too the souls she had collected began to flee. He ignored her cry of pain and pulled harder, clawing his way to her core. The souls flew away, and Kikyo's eyes pierced into his own. The fire had not gone out. Utterly spent, Miroku could only watch as Kikyo turned back to Inuyasha, clinging to him desperately.

"Inuyasha! Come!"

Miroku's ragged cry was torn from his throat. "Inuyasha, no! _Inuyasha!_"

A voice pierced through the fog that had enveloped Inuyasha's mind. It sparked not only recognition but a sudden surge of emotion. Miroku was here! And he sounded…what? Desperate? In pain? Something was definitely wrong. Inuyasha instinctually turned towards him and the sight of Miroku sitting there, face pale, eyes pleading, tore at his heart. His scent hit next, full of fear and exhaustion and pain. No! "Miroku!" He didn't even realize he'd moved until he was clutching the monk, ripping the demons from his body, tearing them from him with shaking claws.

"You idiot, what happened?" he asked, wrapping a protective hand around the back of Miroku's neck as the monk fell forward to his knees, seemingly unable to support his own weight. "What're you doing here?"

"Kikyo, she…" He shifted his gaze past Inuyasha, to the resentful eyes of Kikyo watching him. A fresh wave of demons flew past them, rushing towards Kikyo, and Inuyasha turned to watch. They swirled around her, those still bearing souls depositing them in her body. The abyss closed beneath her, leaving a pit illuminated only by the shimmering spirits.

"What's happening to her?" Inuyasha asked, straining to see but unwilling to let go of his hands clutching Miroku's shoulder and neck.

"What is this, Inuyasha?" Kikyo asked softly and sadly. "Does that man mean more to you than I do?"

Inuyasha's eyes darted to Miroku, the immediate response – _Of course not! _– dying in his throat. He _loved_ Kiyko, he wanted to be with her, but… He couldn't put the feelings into words, couldn't name the force pressing against his heart or pulling him back. He knew he wanted to protect Miroku, to keep him safe, but was the monk more important than Kikyo? Of course not! Of course not…

His hesitation may have cost him everything. With a mournful look, Kikyo began to rise into the air, carried up into the sky by her attending demons. The unnatural darkness she had cast over the sky faded into twilight.

"No! Wait, Kikyo!" Inuyasha shouted, running after her. "Listen to me!"

"Inuyasha, never forget!" she called down to him, drifting further and further out of reach. "Remember the feel of my lips against yours, for it was real. Never forget."

As the tendril connecting them faded from the distance between them, Miroku was left with only a hollow sadness. Despite everything, she was still just a lonely spirit, clinging to this world. It made his heart ache. He pushed himself to his feet, using his staff to pull himself upright. Inuyasha stood frozen, eyes fixed on the faint shimmer of souls as she disappeared into the sky. He looked devastated as he whispered a soft goodbye. Miroku began to walk away. Inuyasha would need some time alone.

Instead, a voice called out to him. "Hey, wait!"

Miroku turned tired eyes back to Inuyasha, saw the confusion and turmoil still present there. He waited for Inuyasha to cross the distance between them before putting up a hand. "We need to talk, Inuyasha."

"I'll say! What happened back there?" Inuyasha's eyes darted up and down his body, sniffing the air and looking even more confused. More lost.

And he couldn't do it. H couldn't break the love that Inuyasha still held. "Kikyo…she wanted to keep you for herself. She was trying to make sure you could be together forever." He sighed, not knowing how to say this. "Look, I think you should take some time to process this. Make sure you still want to travel with me."

"What?" Inuyasha took an involuntary step back, hunching his shoulders as though struck. "Wh- whaddya mean? Where's this coming from?"

There was real fear in Inuyasha's voice. Miroku squeezed his eyes shut. No, no, this wasn't what he wanted. _Stupid!_ He shouldn't have suggested parting ways when Inuyasha was already reeling from losing Kikyo. "I just mean, going after the Jewels. I don't want to force you to do that instead of going after Kikyo, or Naraku."

"Of course I'm gonna go after the Jewels!" There was still an undercurrent of uncertainty beneath the fierce bravado. "It's how I'll get Naraku, and I need you to help me."

A small, sad smile crept onto Miroku's lips. "I'm glad that you will stay with us, but you don't have to pretend to need me."

It felt like someone had kicked him in the gut. It was all too much, everything with Kikyo and now Miroku, standing there hurt from something that Inuyasha couldn't see, something he wasn't telling him. Something was seriously wrong, and every fibre of his being was screaming at Inuyasha to fix it. He saw Miroku shift, smelled the shame mixing in with the sadness and pain.

"I'm sorry, Inuyasha. Forget I said anything." The smile on his lips was alarmingly convincing. If only his eyes weren't glassy with the hint of tears. "I don't want things to change between us. I'd rather not be alone in this."

"You're not alone," Inuyasha snapped back instantly. "You have me, don't you? I'm right here with you….unless…" Miroku saw an old fear creeping back into Inuyasha's eyes. "Unless you don't want me to be?"

"I would never wish for you to be gone, Inuyasha," he assured, painfully genuine. He breathed a soft laugh. "I wish you could've heard the things I was yelling at you."

"Huh? What things? When?"

"I was there the whole time, Inuyasha. I found Kikyo before you arrived, and I saw everything that happened." He winced, thinking about what he'd been intruding on. "I'm sorry."

The shame, the fear of rejection, everything came back to Inuyasha in a rush. He curled backwards, away from the phantom threats and the monk who stared at him.

Miroku shook his head. This was all wrong. He couldn't let Inuyasha think that there was something wrong with what he'd done, with what he had with Kikyo. He couldn't let Inuyasha think he blamed him. True, their relationship was fraught with toxicity, but not from Inuyasha. "I'm sorry that you lost her. I know how much you love her."

Inuyasha looked away, eyes burning. "Every time I find her, I lose her again. I thought maybe this time- She said- Well, you heard."

"She wanted to stay with you as well." Miroku swallowed. "But Inuyasha…you know that can't be."

Inuyasha closed his eyes, his fists clenched, and he shuddered. "I know."

Miroku took three steps and then his arms were around Inuyasha. For a moment he feared the hanyou would turn away from him, might push him aside, but then strong arms closed around him. Clawed fingers dug into his robes and Miroku held him as he sobbed. He didn't say anything, didn't bother with empty words. He simply stood and let the emotions run their course. Slowly, Inuyasha's breathing quieted and he stilled. Neither of them let go. It was a shame, then, that a violent shudder from Miroku broke them apart. Inuyasha's brows were drawn as he looked the monk over, hands planted firmly on his shoulders.

"What's wrong? What happened back there?"

Miroku smiled dismissively. "Nothing to worry about. I'm just a little tired, that's all." At Inuyasha's suspicious glare, he sighed. "It seems that Kikyo's and my souls are still connected from what Urasue did to us. Kikyo…required more souls than she already had to try and stay with you, so she tried to take mine."

Horror flashed in Inuyasha's eyes, quickly followed by guilt. Miroku rushed to stop whatever he was thinking. "I'm alright. As I said, just a little tired."

With a growl deep in his throat, Inuyasha put his arms around Miroku's shoulders and started leading him back through the forest. He didn't know when the monk had become an essential aspect of his life, but when Miroku had suggested parting ways, his instinctual reaction had been knee-jerk panic. Even now, he couldn't take his hands off the monk. Couldn't fathom why Miroku would ever think that he didn't want him around. Why would Kikyo have changed that?

"Miroku! Inuyasha! There you are!" Shippo's shrill voice stopped them both in their tracks.

Miroku felt Inuyasha tense, and braced himself to be dropped like hot coal. Instead Inuyasha's arms fixed more firmly around his shoulders.

"What happened with Kikyo?" Shippo asked, looking between them in concern.

Miroku felt the twitch that Inuyasha tried desperately to suppress. As Shippo stood in front of them, his eyes taking in Miroku's rumpled state and the pallor of his face, Miroku could see the question building in his eyes. "I'll explain everything later," he said, tone firm and final.

Shippo gave him a long look, but nodded and jumped on Inuyasha's shoulder. Inuyasha avoided eye contact with them both as he led Miroku back towards the village with the mansion. Miroku could feel Shippo's eyes flicking between the two of them, but thankfully the little fox stayed silent. Miroku began to shake with exhaustion, two nights of no sleep catching up to him. Inuyasha just gripped him tighter and continued on. Miroku didn't complain. As much as he longed to lie down and sleep for a month of two, none of them wanted to stay in this cursed forest any longer.

As they approached the village, Miroku thought about Kikyo's words. Why had she been so insistent to know their relationship? What had been the cause of the jealousy that burned in her eyes? Was it just the insecurities of a spirit trying to keep her loved one to herself? But it wasn't just protection or possessiveness he had sensed from her. Suddenly, Miroku wondered if perhaps he wasn't the only one who could reach across whatever bond had formed between them. Had Kikyo seen into his mind as well? Had she seen something which made her jealous? Had she found something which made her think that he posed a threat to her relationship with Inuyasha? Something that even Miroku himself hadn't yet discovered?

* * *

Our boys have some issues. I promise, they'll stop being clueless idiots eventually.


	24. Chapter 24: s1e24

Warnings for this chapter: angst, character death, child death, mass slaughter, familial betrayal, trauma, and discussions similar to those regarding addiction and loss of self

* * *

"It's approaching from the forest!" the man cried out in fear. "Slayer, it's time!"

Sango almost smiled to herself as the crowd of villagers parted before her. Though they were right to fear the centipede demon, she didn't doubt that it would be an easy target. Even if, from what they had described, it was more powerful than it should've been. As the trees shook from the approaching demon, her face slid into a cool mask. No matter what the target, she couldn't afford to let her concentration slip. The centipede burst into view, rearing up on its hind legs and shrieking before charging forward. Sango waited until the villagers ran for cover before slowly lifting Hiraikotsu. Breathe in, breathe out. She tossed the weapon forward with a powerful swing. It easily cut through the demon, severing it in two. Hiraikotsu returned to her hand before the demon had a chance to fall to the ground. Her shoulder jerked back with the familiar weight and she slid back from the impact, never taking her eyes from the collapsing centipede.

Something caught her eye from the falling flesh, glimmering in the morning sun. She reached out and snatched it from the air, only mildly surprised to see the glowing pink shard. It wasn't the first Jewel fragment to appear in the surrounding area in recent weeks, though she had never discovered one herself before. There was a steady thrum of power pulsing from the tiny shard, a spiritual force beyond anything she'd seen before. Father had been right to be wary of it. She needed to keep this out of enemy hands.

"Slayer, what _is_ that?" one of the villagers asked as they crept towards her, now that the coast was clear.

"The cause of the centipede's ferocity," she said, showing them the shard. She could tell by their expressions that a handful of them recognized it for what it was. Not too surprising – this village was only two days' travel from home.

The villagers thanked her profusely. She was pleased the job had gone so smoothly, with no injury or damage to these poor people's homes. After instructing the villagers on how to dispose of the demon's body, she stepped into the storehouse where her travelling clothes were neatly folded. She toed off her boots first, welcoming the cool air on her feet. They were the one part of her battle clothes she refused to wear full-time. Yes, they were very useful, but she wanted firm words with whoever thought that wearing heavy leather boots at the height of Musashi summers was _ever _a good idea. She removed her iron mask next, stretching her jaw from side to side. She quickly pulled her travelling clothes over the rest of her outfit, slipped the sandals onto her feet, and pulled the ribbon from her hair. Thank kami for short battles in the summertime. They usually had to jump in a river afterward, they were so drenched in sweat.

She stepped out of the storehouse and bowed to the villagers, who were busy hacking the centipede to bits. "My job here is done! Please send for me again should you require help."

The villagers exchanged confused looks. "But we haven't yet paid you a fee."

"I shall take this Jewel shard as payment," she responded easily. "It came from my village, after all, and to there it should be returned."

"We must give you something!" another insisted, and Sango eyed the demon thoughtfully.

It was an easy walk back to the village, and Sango smiled at the beautiful day. She would be arriving home early the next morning, a day earlier than anticipated. It had been a busy few weeks, ever since Jewel shards began appearing and demon activity had increased. It was one of the reasons that more and more slayers were being sent out on their own – teams of two were safer, after all. But there was no need for something as simple as a centipede, and Sango didn't mind the time alone.

Sango smiled as she cleared the last of the winding road of the mountain pass, shouting out a greeting to the guards at the wall of the fortress. They waved enthusiastically and opened the wooden gate, allowing her to step through into the village.

"Hello Sango, welcome home!" Natsu called out to her as she walked past with a basket full of demon teeth.

"Thank you!" Sango smiled back, unsurprised to see several children running at her. They were always interested in whatever slayers brought back. "This was from a giant centipede," she told them, untying her blue and white furoshiki to reveal the hide and legs inside, bound with twine. "They will be used to make armor."

The children 'ooo-ed' appreciatively, reaching out to touch the hide with careful fingers. Sango shared an amused look with Eiji as he walked past. The light patter of feet came from her right and Sango looked to see Kirara running towards her. She laughed as the two-tail jumped into her arms, trilling contentedly.

"Hello," Sango cooed, cuddling her close. "I hope you've been a good girl."

Kirara trilled and chirped, nuzzling into her neck enthusiastically. She rubbed her face against Sango's cheek, marking her to renew her scent.

"Sango! Welcome home!" a familiar voice called out, and she looked to see Kohaku running over. "Father said to-" He cut himself off, looking sheepish. "Uh, the chief wishes to see you."

Sango chuckled and rose to her feet, linking her arm with her brother's with Kirara perched on her shoulder. They walked to the chief's house, which stood larger than any other in the village. Kohaku stopped just outside the door, holding his arms out for Kirara and taking the carrying-cloth full of centipede bits from her hand. "I'll send these over to be cleaned."

It wasn't surprising that he didn't want to go inside. Ever since he came of age, Kohaku had been trying to separate his relationship with his father with his relationship with his leader and chief. He figured it was an important distinction. Sango figured it was somewhat idiotic, but she didn't try to dissuade him. He'd figure out soon enough that what made their teamwork so strong was that they were all family as well as comrades-in-arms. The people of their village could play, laugh, and work together as well as fight.

After propping up Hiraikotsu by the door, Sango stepped into the hut, immediately making her way over to the altar. She fished the Jewel shard from one of her pockets and placed it on a cloth in the altar, alongside two others found by other slayers. She said a prayer, somehow doubting that it would do much good.

"I see you've managed to bring home some of the Shikon Jewel," a voice sounded from behind her. "Well done, Sango."

Father stepped up beside her, performing a quick ritual over the shard. As he prayed as well, Sango felt eyes watching them. She turned to see Kohaku peeking around one of the doorways. She jerked her head over, urging him to come in. He did so slowly, but Sango could see the smile tugging at their father's lips. She had no doubt that whichever elder Kohaku had given the centipede parts had shooed him right back to the hut.

"Will this be enough to suppress the evil within the Jewel?" Sango asked, turning her eyes to the glowing pink shards.

"It is unlikely," he sighed. "Fifty years past, the Jewel was supposedly given to a young priestess with unusually strong powers of purification. But in the end, even that miko became embroiled in a fight over the Jewel and died. Until we can find someone with spiritual powers strong enough to purify the Jewel, we must gather the shards and watch over them."

Sango nodded. She remembered the day that news of the Jewel's reappearance reached their village. Everyone had been frantic with discussion, particularly from those alive when it had disappeared. They had grown up knowing the strength and danger of the Jewel, and rumours of its destruction had circulated for decades. No one knew how the Jewel had come to light, or what powerful demon had shattered it for some evil ends. It was agreed that the Jewel must be returned to the village, where it could be kept safe.

"Sango, rest yourself," her father instructed gently. "We'll be needing you on tomorrow's mission."

He guided her outside with a hand at her back, Kohaku trailing dutifully behind. Sango snagged the straps of Hiraikotsu as they passed, swinging it onto her back without a second thought. Kirara was waiting outside, and Sango held out her arms for the twin-tail automatically. The soft _whump_ as Kirara barrelled into her chest caused all three of them to laugh.

"Kohaku, make ready too," their father turned to him, placing a hand on his shoulder. Sango turned to see her brother looking frozen and lost. Father smiled encouragingly. "You are plenty old enough to go into battle. This will be good experience for you."

Sango tried to appear distracted by something until Kohaku caught up. They walked around to the family house, knowing their father would likely be kept with village business for the rest of the day. After snatching a peach from a bowl by the door – likely left there by Natsu for her return – Sango leaned back against the walls and set to cleaning and oiling Hiraikotsu. It was easy, meditative work and part of her ritual after every mission. Kohaku puttered around nervously, tidying the already spotless room and fetching a dried fish for Kirara. He would talk when he was ready. When there were no more chores for him to invent inside, he set up clay bowls on top of the wooden training stumps outside their house. The walls were all pushed back, opening up the room to the fresh summer air. Kohaku stood on the en hallway around the outside of their house and lifted his kusarigama.

The weapon was still fairly new to him, but ever since father had given it to him on his birthday, he hadn't gone anywhere without it. He gripped the kama, adjusting the sickle in his hands before striking out. He hit two of the three bowls and swung the kama back around on its chain, catching it skillfully. He'd obviously been practicing. Sango knew he would be a fine warrior in no time. While he hopped down from the hallway and set up more bowls, Sango leaned Hiraikotsu against the wall and contented herself with playing with Kirara instead. It only took a few more rounds with the kusarigama – with which he hit every bowl from then on – before Kohaku sighed.

"Sango?"

"Hmm?"

He played nervously with his weapon. "Do demons really breathe fire and toxins?"

"Sometimes," she replied easily, tickling Kirara's belly and earning an offended _meep_ from the twin-tail. She saw Kohaku's shoulders hunch and she scooted out onto the en to sit beside him. "Kohaku, what's wrong? You scared?"

"No!" he said instantly. "I never said I was scared!"

He looked away and sighed deeply, and Sango swung her arm around his shoulders. "Don't worry! There are many types of demon, and most of them are pretty easy to fight. Most of the ones that have poison or venom are actually the easiest to kill. Father always says it's the ones with human faces, who masquerade as a person that are the most dangerous. But you have many years to learn all that." She smiled and nudged him with her elbow, drawing out a short chuckle. "All you have to do on the mission tomorrow is hit whatever we point you at. We'll take care of the rest."

The stars shone brightly in the sky, surrounding the waning moon. The night air was clear and crisp, and Miroku found that he had little desire to close his eyes and sleep. The previous day had been tense, recovering from the encounter with Kikyo. Inuyasha had been acting strangely, always hovering nearby but seeming reluctant with the casual touches that had been becoming increasingly frequent between them. He still helped Miroku to his feet when the monk winced in pain from his stiff muscles, and slept with their shoulders pressed together, but he didn't bump their shoulders together or playfully swat Miroku upside the head when he flirted with the women who brought them food. The hanyou was withdrawn within himself, barely speaking and ignoring Shippo's playful prompts.

The next day had been different, though. They had set out bright and early, setting an easy pace across the countryside. Though Miroku could still see the lingering sadness in Inuyasha's eyes, he spoke more freely and chased Shippo up and down the forest path when the fox pulled at his hair. Inuyasha had insisted they stop in the early afternoon, and they washed and played in the river. Miroku may or may not have pushed Inuyasha in at one point. They ate while sat around a roaring fire and now, even after dusk had fallen, Miroku was reluctant to let the day slip away. He lay against a fallen log, his head resting on his hands, a smile on his face.

"So many stars," Shippo breathed. Apparently he wasn't the only one still awake. "Sometimes I wonder which there are more of – stars in the sky, or shards of the Jewel. We have a long way yet to go."

Miroku smirked at the kit's dramatics. True, they had found only a fraction of the Jewel shards, but they had been looking for less than two months, and Shippo had been travelling with them for only a few weeks. Such things took time, and Shippo didn't even have the excuse of a human child's limited perspective. Miroku found himself wondering again just how old the fox demon actually was.

"Not really," Inuyasha shrugged. "Naraku's gathering shards as well. In the long run, it'll save us a great deal of work. He'll get the shards, then we'll get him!"

He grinned and looked between Miroku and Shippo, obviously pleased with himself.

"But the shards make him stronger," Shippo said. "We need to get the shards before he does, or else we won't stand a chance against him."

"We still don't know the limit of his abilities," Miroku added. "We have yet to properly fight him."

"And that slimy bastard will have no problem using the shards for evil," Inuyasha sighed. "I changed my mind – Shippo's right. The sooner we complete the Jewel, the better."

Miroku knew he shouldn't ask. Shippo was curled up and drifting off to sleep, and it was far too late to provoke anything he didn't want to deal with. Still. "And then what? What do we do with it?"

Inuyasha gave him an incredulous look. "What else? I'll use it to become a full-fledged demon."

"Oh."

Inuyasha narrowed his eyes, his ears flicking back at the flatness in Miroku's voice. "What?"

"I thought you might've changed your mind."

"Nobody wants to be a weakling," Inuyasha grumbled, some darkness seeping into his bravado. "You gotta be able to stand up for yourself, to protect yourself and what's yours. You gotta be strong enough to take on all that life throws at you."

Miroku was looking at him intensely, those violet eyes not moving from his own. "When you use the Jewel, do you honestly think you will remain yourself?"

"Why wouldn't I?" Something in Miroku's eyes scared him. He'd seen glimpses of the sincerity he was capable of before. But not like this.

"Think of all the demons we've come across who used the Jewel, or the humans who sought it. None of them were going to use the Jewel for a benevolent end. They lost their hearts in the pursuit of the power it could bring."

"They were all evil bastards," Inuyasha snapped dismissively. "They wanted to use the Jewel for evil because that's what they were."

"It may not come down to good and evil." Miroku sighed, running a hand through his hair. "From what I've witnessed, those who use the Jewel are no longer true to themselves, instead being corrupted by its power. They lose themselves. And I know you, Inuyasha." His eyes burned with intensity. "I know that you don't want to hurt those you care about. The power you gained to protect them might cost them their lives. Once you're a demon, who's to say you won't become like the others we've seen?"

Inuyasha snarled and looked away, away from the piercing gaze of Miroku. He was wrong. All those other demons, they were rotten from the start. They were weak, cowardly. He was nothing like them. Stupid Miroku. It was a coincidence, that's all. He was inu-youkai – he would be better, stronger, smarter than they ever were. He wouldn't lose himself. He wouldn't turn on the ones he loved.

"That won't be me," he said firmly, turning back to Miroku. "I can handle myself."

"Is that why you took the shards from me before?"

Inuyasha startled, leaned back from Miroku's stead gaze. He thought they'd already finished with that. "I didn't steal them for myself."

"I never said you did."

"You were poisoned by those venomous insects." His voice was growing louder, more insistent. "The Jewel makes you a target."

Miroku's eyes hardened slightly and his voice was firm, but calm. "So you took them to, what? Protect me?" Inuyasha couldn't meet Miroku's eyes. "Did you plan on using them then?"

"I don't know."

"I'm glad you didn't."

The words were soft, sincere, and Inuyasha growled in response. "You keep saying that, but you have no idea what you're talking about! I _need_ the Jewel to become whole! To be who I need to be!" He looked away angrily. "You just don't get it."

"Don't I?" Miroku closed his eyes and took a deep breath, calming himself before continuing. "It's true, I have no idea what it's like to be hanyou in such a prejudice world. But Inuyasha, why you do think I stole the Jewel from Kaede the day we met? I was planning to use it on myself, to become strong enough to defeat Naraku. After seeing the corrupting power of the Jewel, what it did to the artist and Royakan, I can no longer justify using it. I can't risk losing myself, and I desperately wish to keep from losing you, as well."

Inuyasha huffed. "You're not gonna lose me, stupid monk. But that's why I gotta do it – I need to be strong enough to protect you. 'Cause I can't lose you, either."

Miroku frowned. "You keep on saying that you need to be stronger, but everything I've seen you do tells me that you're already incredibly strong, and not just physically. You don't need the Jewel to be good enough."

Inuyasha had no response to that. It just…didn't make sense. Of course he needed the Jewel. Of _course_ he wasn't good enough. No one in his life had ever disputed that. Kikyo saw his potential, saw him for what he could be. But even she knew that he needed to change, to become wholly human to be right, to fit in. Becoming a demon was the same idea, just gaining power instead of losing it. It was something so simple and obvious, he didn't even know how to articulate it in a way that Miroku would understand if he didn't get it already. He wasn't sure he wanted to, either.

"Look," he said softly, not meeting Miroku's eyes. "You and Shippo and Kaede, you're my pack. You're mine to protect, and I _need_ to protect you. It's something inherent to who I am. I know it sounds weird, but- What?"

Miroku was smiling at him, a hint of colour at his cheeks. "Firstly, I'm glad to hear you say that," he explained, laughter in his eyes. "And I promise I'm not making fun of you for it. It's just that I've heard so much about dog and wolf demons before and their packs and I may have – accidentally – referred to us as your pack before."

Inuyasha's voice was flat. "You what?"

"It makes sense that we're you're pack," Miroku shrugged. "But I hope you realize that we want to protect you just as much as do you. If I'm not mistaken, that's what packs are all about – looking out for one another."

"So, what?" Inuyasha asked gruffly, still suspicious. "You're saying I don't need to use the Jewel because you'll protect me? _You? _A human who can't go two days without getting hurt?"

"I'm saying we're stronger together than apart," Miroku said, suddenly serious. "And I fear the Jewel will force us apart."

Inuyasha stood and walked over to plonk himself down next to the monk, pressing their sides together. "No luck there. You're gonna be stuck with me forever. A stupid gem isn't gonna change that."

Miroku sighed and rested his head on Inuyasha's shoulder, smiling softly when the hanyou didn't protest. "I hope so, Inuyasha. I really do."

They came across a small village early the next day, drawn by Inuyasha's nose and the scent of demon. Miroku was pleasantly surprised to find the demon already dead and buried, and asked the villagers what had happened. The answer was not what he'd expected.

"A demon slayer?" he asked, intrigued.

"A Jewel shard?" Inuyasha demanded, snagging the villager by the front of his robes.

"A demon!" the man howled, struggling to get away.

"Call for the slayers!" another man shouted, hand hovering over the kama at his hip.

"Let's all just calm down," Miroku said, holding up his hands to the encroaching villagers. "Inuyasha, put the man down. We mean you no harm, and only wish to talk."

"There's nothing to tell!" the first man spat, stepping away from Inuyasha. "If you want the Jewel, your quarrel's with the slayer, not us! She took the shard in lieu of payment, said it originated from her home village in the first place."

Inuyasha's ears twitched. "Miroku, when you were researching the Jewel, did you find out where it came from?"

"No, it wasn't in any of the texts. What about you? Did you know about the Jewel before Kikyo started guarding it?"

"Not at all. When I learned about it, it was already in Kikyo's possession. I never even thought about where it came from or how it was created." He turned to the villagers, determined to play nice. "Would you mind telling us where the village with the demon slayers is? We only want to talk to them about the Jewel."

It took a bit more persuading and some of Miroku's honeyed words, but eventually they were given the directions. It was surprisingly close by, and Inuyasha guessed they should be arriving later the next day if they kept up a steady pace – and if they could actually find it. The directions were, to put it mildly, vague. He shared a glance with Miroku and silently agreed to set off right away. The villagers were still giving them deeply suspicious looks.

Sango knelt in front of the lord, keeping an eye on Kohaku beside her. He'd been subdued all the way to the castle as the prospect of their mission slowly dawned on him. Sango knew that all the others would be watching out for him, but that didn't stop the protectiveness swirling in her chest.

"You have done well to come here, slayers," the lord was saying. "We have been plagued by nightly visits form a giant spider which has already devoured several of our people."

"Fear not, sir," their father assured easily. "I have brought along my best people to serve you."

On their father's other side, Yasuo looked ahead, determined and respectful as always. Eiji, on the other hand, shot them a wink. Sango suspected it was meant to reassure Kohaku, but her brother's eyes were fixed firmly on the ground.

"Oh?" the lord drawled, eyeing them in an almost predatory way. "Perhaps they are skilled, but I see you have brought along a girl, and even a young child."

Sango tried to ignore the way Kohaku was shaking next to her.

"Yes, my lord," their father replied easily. "They are my son and daughter, and the finest slayers in my village. You will witness their skill for yourself this night."

"Hear that?" Sango whispered to Kohaku, keeping her eyes focused on the lord. The masks they all wore helped to disguise the words. "You're going to be fine."

Thunder rolled overhead and they all instinctively looked up, noting the unnatural darkness that had obscured the evening light. The entire castle reeked of youki. No wonder the lord had wanted them here.

"It's coming!" one of the lord's samurai warned.

"Go forth, slayers!" another instructed.

They all had their weapons in their hands before the instructions were through, rising to a low crouch.

"Move out," their father instructed, and they leapt into action.

Eiji and Yasuo darted to the left while Sango and Kohaku took the right. They spread out into a half-circle, their backs facing each other. The sky rumbled and two glowing red eyes appeared from the clouds, quickly followed by the monstrous face of a giant spider demon. Its unearthly shriek rang through the air and it dove towards them. Landing heavily on the ground, it crushed a couple trees under its ginormous bulk before rearing back. Father and Yasuo took point while Eiji dropped back, placing himself on Kohaku's other side. He shared a nod with Sango as they held their weapons at the ready.

The spider shot a stream of silken webs from its mouth, aiming right for them. They easily leapt out of the way, following father's orders to surround it. Eiji and Yasuo darted forward to flank it while Sango threw Hiraikotsu, slicing through the stream of silk. Yasuo followed suit, tearing through it with the mace on one end of his custom weapon. As Hiraikotsu returned to her hand, Sango noticed that Kohaku was no longer right behind her. She turned to see her brother being yanked into the air, web wrapping around his left arm and right leg. He shouted in fear, his kusarigama dangling unused in his other hand.

"Kohaku!" Eiji shouted, slicing through the web with his twin axes. Kohaku landed on his feet, still maintaining his training, but his actions were unnaturally stiff. Eiji placed a firm hand on his shoulder. "Take a deep breath."

With her brother safe in good hands, Sango rushed to help Yasuo, who was facing down the spider while her father flanked along its other side. Yasuo swung his mace in a powerful blow, the steel ball smashing through all the legs on the spider's right side. No longer able to support itself, it crashed to the ground. Father leapt forward, securing the head with the crescent blade of his monk's spade. Yasuo pinned it with the other side of his weapon, a deadly sharp trident blade. At father's nod, Sango threw Hiraikotsu down the length of the spider, the weapon tearing into its head and back. It didn't take long for the twitching to stop.

A faint "Incredible!" came from behind her and Sango turned to see Kohaku, tucked safely behind Eiji and looking at her in undisguised awe. Sango felt blood rush to her cheeks, especially when Eiji chuckled and patted Kohaku's shoulder with one of his axes.

"That's why the chief says you two are the best in the village."

If Sango was pink, then Kohaku was a bright scarlet. Eiji threw his head back and laughed, the scar over his right eye crinkling in the way it only did when he found something truly hilarious. Sango knew that father and Yasuo were probably sour over the lack of professionalism, so she kept from any nasty retorts.

"Alright, let's finish this up," Eiji said casually, walking forward and swinging his axes meaningfully.

Father stepped back to let him and Yasuo work, carving off the demon's head both to ensure that it was dead and make its various parts easier for transport. They hadn't killed a spider for a while, and many in the village would be looking for its fangs and bones. Sango walked over to investigate, unease niggling at the back of her mind. They were dismantling the body efficiently, Yasuo already gathering various parts while father investigated its blood. It hadn't even tried to bite any of them, she realized. It was odd.

"For a demon so large, it was easy bringing it down," Eiji observed, echoing her thoughts as he hacked off one of the spider's horns.

"It was too easy," Sango agreed. "There's something about this spider that rings false."

The others turned to her, concern in their eyes. If there was one thing all slayers knew, it was to trust their instincts, and those of their comrades. They were all looking at her. That's why none of them saw the kama swinging towards them. The blade sliced straight through Eiji before he even had time to scream, came to a rest half-way through Yasuo's neck. The kama was ripped back by the heavy chain it was attached to, swung again and the tip found her father's throat. He cried out and fell to the ground. Sango could only stare, a scream stuck in her throat, as he bled out before her very eyes. The kama jerked back again and her eyes followed the weapon's path, right back into the hands of her little brother. Kohaku's eyes were cold and distance as he lowered the kusarigama with a small sigh.

"Why?" Sango asked, the word ripped from her. "Kohaku…_why?_"

Their eyes met, and she could see none of her brother in those eyes. He ran at her, his weapon poised.

"No, don't!"

He didn't listen. She didn't even know if he could hear her. She barely had time to dodge as the kama soared past her, slicing the fastening on the side of her mask. It fell to the ground with a dull thud. Sango followed suit. Her body was numb, unresponsive. Hiraikotsu slipped from her hands. She couldn't believe her eyes. It couldn't be real.

"Don't you recognize me?"

She could hear the samurai and castle guards shouting, but couldn't make out the words. Kohaku lifted his kusarigama, swinging the kama on its chain to build up speed. Only years of training made her pull the sword from her waist. She knocked the kama aside and the chain wrapped around the blade of her sword. She didn't have time to untangle it before Kohaku was running at her, unsheathing an identical sword. She cast off the chain and blocked his blow in the same swing, the power of it reverberating through her arms. Her left hand pressed against her own blade, giving her purchase to push back Kohahu's sword.

"Why are you doing this?" she asked, but it came out more of a sob.

Faint silver light reflecting off a gossamer silken thread drew her attention. It was a small spider, barely larger than a fingernail, which sat perched on her brother's neck. The silken thread coming from its body was suspended in the air, disappearing back to where the lord sat, watching them with cold amusement. Now that she had a target, Sango could feel the youki seeping from him, disguised earlier by that of the giant spider.

Sango kicked Kohaku hard in the stomach, sending him falling back. She ran for Hiraikotsu before pivoting and heading straight back at the lord. The two samurai in front of him immediately raised their weapons, rushing to meet her. She didn't bother slowing, just caught them in the stomachs with a sweeping blow from Hiraikotsu. It sent them flying, but more stood in her path. Five guards had taken up a defensive position in front of the lord, arrows notched to their bows and ready to fire. That was fine, she could get past them. She only needed one clean shot, then she could kill the demon-lord and everything would be-

Pain exploded from her back.

Her legs carried her forward only out of momentum, the rest of her body seizing into ice even as her back was on fire. Hiraikotsu fell from her hands. She turned to look behind her, fearing what she might see. Kohaku fell to his knees, the chain of his kusarigama slipping through his fingers. He stared at his hands unblinkingly, tremors raking through his body. Slowly, haltingly, he brought his hands to his mask and pulled it from his face.

"Sango," he said, pleadingly. "What have I done?"

There were tears in his eyes, anguish on his face. His name fell from her lips, and his face crumpled. He pushed to his feet, was running to her, hand reaching for her.

"_Sango!_"

A volley of arrows flew at him, four of them embedding themselves in his chest. He stumbled back from the impact, fell to the ground. She crawled for him. What else could she do? He was her little brother. Fire burned across her back, the kama still embedded in her muscle and bone. Every movement was agony. But Kohaku was crying.

"Help me, Sango…" he pleaded as she hovered over him, shielding him as best she could. "I'm so afraid."

"Don't worry," she soothed, hugging him close. "I'm right here."

The arrows that struck her knocked the air from her lungs. She slumped forward, the world going mercifully black.

They had walked the rest of the day and well into the night. Inuyasha had been insistent on them finding the village as soon as possible. However, it was getting late, Shippo had fallen asleep ages ago, and there was still no village in sight. They were still fairly far off from the mountains the villagers had pointed them towards, and after that they likely had a day full of searching ahead. Somehow, Miroku doubted that the secretive armoured fortress of a group of demon slayers would be easy to find.

"We've been walking for some time now. I don't know if we'll reach the village tonight," Miroku observed lightly, earning himself a glare from Inuyasha.

"Stop complaining, will ya?" the hanyou hissed, propping up Shippo more securely on his shoulder. "We need to find these people and get the Jewel shard back."

"If they feel inclined to give it to us, that is," Miroku sighed. "They might be less than willing to do so."

They had to stay on the slayers' good side. Besides the threat of death and dismemberment, the village had a lot more to offer than just a Jewel shard. If they could find out about the Jewel's origin, it could be invaluable in knowing what to do with it once they finally gathered all the shards. Ever since the Spider Heads, all the new shards absorbed into the Jewel once reconnected, so that fixed one problem that Miroku previously had no answer for. Still, the question of what to do with the Jewel once it was completed was a daunting one, and thus far Miroku had tried not to think about it. It was a long way off, regardless. They would burn that bridge when they came to it.

A cold wind blew from the mountains, shaking the trees and bringing with it a sense of ominous dread. Inuyasha stopped, and Miroku took two more steps to stand by his side. They exchanged an uneasy look. As though sensing the situation, Shippo blinked awake and instantly burrowed deeper into Inuyasha's shoulder, clutching tiny fistfuls of his hair. Inuyasha's nose twitched and his eyes snapped to the sky, where a gargantuan mass of demons flew in a thick cloud. They moved against the wind, heading toward the mountains. Dozens of different voices layered over each other, creating a cacophony of sound. Miroku could recognize at least twenty different types of demon, didn't doubt that Inuyasha could see even more. As it was, he had to swallow back a wave of nausea from the sheer strength of the youki flowing from the mass.

"I smell death," Inuyasha growled. "Those demons are charging in to attack!"

They ran after the demons, keeping pace as best they could. But after running for the rest of the night, most of it with Miroku riding on Inuyasha's back, they lost them in the distance. Inuyasha tracked them by smell, but in their hearts they knew they were far too late to do any good. With the mountainous cliffs before them, they began the rough ascent. The trail was long and winding, with several split pathways and dead ends. As the scent of demon faded from the air, Miroku cast his mind out for any trace of youki in the area. Only a faint aura pulled them in a particular direction, deeper into the rocky crest.

Inuyasha's gut was churning the closer they got to the village, a sense of dread creeping into his mind. He tried to brush off his fears. These people were demon slayers, right? They should be more than able to, ya know, slay demons. But there had been a _lot _of demons. A hoard like that didn't just form on its own. No, something was going on, and he didn't like it. His suspicions were horribly confirmed when they rounded the corner of a winding path to reveal black streaks of smoke across the sky. Slowly, a fortress came into view, still smouldering. He and Miroku exchanged a nervous glance and took off running.

The smell reached him before they even made it through the gate. Blood, demon guts, and singed flesh permeated the air. He ducked through the partially-opened gate and froze, blocking the entrance in a futile effort to keep the others from seeing. It was a horrific scene. Demons were littered absolutely everywhere, arrows, spears, and pikes sticking from them at regular intervals. Others were dismembered or burned, all their weaknesses targeted by opponents with skill and knowledge. Still, it hadn't been an easy fight. Human bodies were scattered amongst the demons, some in armour with weapons in their hands, others in simple kimonos who looked like they were attempting to flee. It looked like some demons had turned on each other as well, tangled up together in their death throws and draped over the huts and watchtowers.

Inuyasha had never seen anything like it.

"How could this have happened?" Miroku breathed, looking wanly over the scene.

"I don't know." Inuyasha's gruff voice was unusually soft.

"I don't sense any Jewel shards. Someone managed to escape with them." He looked to Inuyasha, silently asking what to do next.

Inuyasha shook his head to the unspoken question. "We need to lay these people to rest. They deserve that, at least."

A slight growl came from behind one of the huts and Inuyasha instantly reached for Tessaiga. A demon emerged, the head of another clamped in its jaws. It was big for a nekomata, though not nearly the size of the giants they'd faced in the past. It was about the size of a black bear but had long, sabre-like fangs and two long tails. As it began moving toward them, growling menacingly, Inuyasha unsheathed Tessaiga and sensed Miroku gripping his staff tighter. Just because it was a survivor, didn't mean it was powerful – it could easily have arrived later or been lucky in the fight – but they weren't taking any chances. The beast moved ever closer, and he lifted his sword to strike.

"Lord Inuyasha, is that you?" A voice asked, seemingly coming from the demon.

Inuyasha froze in place. "Uh… Sorry, do I know you?"

"Down, Kirara," the voice instructed, and the cat demon turned its head to listen to the voice. "These people are not our enemies!"

The demon blinked at them and dropped the head it was carrying. A flash of fire grew from the ground at its feet and quickly grew until it consumed the neko's entire body. When it dissipated, a tiny twin-tale cat sat in the neko's place. It scratched absently at its cheek with a tiny black-tipped paw and a flea jumped from its fur. It landed on Inuyasha's nose, and he growled with grim recognition.

"Ah, how I've longed for your blood," Myoga said wistfully while biting down, hard.

Inuyasha smacked the flea off his face. "Still irritating."

"What are you doing here, Myoga?" Miroku asked, eyeing the neko, who was sitting and watching them with keen eyes.

"I knew of this village from my travels, and have met several slayers in previous years. I wanted to confirm my suspicions." Myoga eyed the carnage around them. "This might be a conversation better suited to outside the walls."

"Are there any survivors?" Miroku asked before moving, sad eyes trailing over the many huts.

Inuyasha shook his head. "No heartbeats, human or demon."

He placed a gentle hand on Miroku's shoulder and guided him outside. Shippo had curled up into his neck and refused to open his eyes until they were safely outside. They sat against the log walls of the fortress, the neko coming to sit at their feet.

"First things first," Inuyasha said. "What's with the cat?"

"This is Kirara, an ally of the demon slayers," Myoga explained, and the neko chirped in agreement. "From what I understand, she has lived in the village alongside them for many years. She fought hard in its defense."

Miroku surreptitiously offered his fingers for the neko to sniff. He had to admit, she was pretty cute. Shippo surveyed her keenly, and slipped off Miroku's shoulder onto his lap to get closer to her. They blinked at each other and touched noses gently before Kirara obviously decided that this kit was hers now. She rubbed up against him, marking him with her scent before plopping down beside him on Miroku's knee.

"So you searched out the village," Inuyasha prompted Myoga.

"Indeed. It was somewhat of a fabled area. The people here have been fighting demons for generations, becoming skilled and proficient slayers. They are said to know more about it than anyone, and take work across the province to help whenever a demon causes trouble."

"Makes sense why the demons despised them," Inuyasha grumbled, thinking of the murderous glee in the voices of the demons as they flew overhead the night before. If only they'd gotten there sooner.

"True, yet it's strange that they would choose this time to attack," Myoga mused. "A number of their warriors had been summoned to a distant castle, and this village was left with few to protect it. I cannot help but wonder if those that travelled to the castle are indeed safe."

As Shippo began playing quietly with Kirara, Miroku pulled Inuyasha aside. "We cannot burn all these bodies – we don't have nearly enough trees for fire, and the smoke would be a signal for every demon in the province."

Inuyasha's ears twitched. "So what do we do? I thought humans were pretty set on their rituals."

Miroku sighed, running a hand down his face. "We can bury the bodies. I can still perform most of the rituals, and it will allow any members of the village who may have survived to give them a proper funeral later."

They came up with a long list of tasks for Shippo to do while they attended to the bodies. They wanted to keep him occupied, in mind as well as body, and they didn't want him having to see the corpses, especially the dead children they had seen lying around. They began by separating out the human from the demon, which was more challenging than it should have been on more than one occasion. They laid out woven mats to place the bodies on. Miroku mostly dragged the bodies onto them, lining them up one-by-one while Inuyasha piled the demon corpses in the far corner of the village to deal with later. Miroku tried not to count, but he knew the bodies were approaching forty. While Inuyasha sniffed through the rest of the village, ensuring they had left no one behind, Miroku began digging graves. None of them were as deep as he would have liked, but unfortunately they lacked the luxury of time.

Once he was done, Inuyasha joined Miroku in the digging. He abandoned the concept of a shovel and just used his hands, needing to take out some of his frustration on the packed earth. The scent of death was cloying and ever-present, sitting in a thick layer over the village. Shippo had given up all pretenses of his usual chatter, fetching them water in buckets and laying discarded weapons in a pile, Kirara walking beside him the entire time. His latest task had been collecting all the arrows embedded in the fortress walls. Inuyasha didn't doubt that he had figured out what they were doing – the kid wasn't stupid, after all – but he didn't complain.

Despite having walked through the night, Inuyasha was burning with energy born from helplessness. He refused to rest throughout the day, even as they finished the dozens of graves needed and his arms began to shake from digging. Miroku's face was closed-off, an impassive mask that hadn't slipped since they first set foot in this cursed village. It made him want to scream, to rip apart a tree or smash rock – to kill something.

He buried each of the bodies as Miroku prayed for their souls. As much as he tried not to avoid it, Inuyasha found each of their faces seared into his mind. They would probably be haunting him for a long time. As he smoothed the dirt over the last of the graves, he saw Miroku watching him with sad eyes. He walked over and wrapped the monk in an embrace, holding tight for a long time. Neither of them cried, they just looked at each other with the grim detachment they'd been forced into all day. They washed themselves, trying in vain to get rid of the lingering smell of death and decay. Then they sat down beside Shippo, Myoga, and Kirara at the edge of the village.

"I had hoped to speak to someone of the village about the Jewel," Miroku murmured with a far-away look in his eyes.

Inuyasha growled and looked away. "Talk to me, Myoga. You must know something!"

"About the Shikon Jewel?" The flea blinked. "Indeed, that is why I sought out this village. I understood that it might provide information on the Jewel's history and origins. Unfortunately, I discovered little else during my travels. Very little is known about the Jewel in all the places I searched. However, there is still one thing that disturbs me. During my journey, a white baboon continually slipped in and out of my sight."

Inuyasha and Miroku exchanged a look. A white baboon? That could only mean one thing. Naraku had to be nearby.

When Sango woke, she found the vacant eyes of her father staring back at her. It immediately caused everything to come rushing back, both memories and pain. She grimaced, the agony in her back spreading across her entire body. But that couldn't be it. If she was to die, it should have been embracing her little brother. Now the moment had passed. She would not die. She refused to. If she lived, then she was going to avenge her family.

She clawed her way forward, startling a shriek from the guards preparing their bodies for a funeral. Voices shouted all around her, but she ignored them all. Where were her weapons? She couldn't slay without her weapons. Light spilled onto her face, coming from the hallway where a door had just slid open. A young man stood in the hallway, a look of curiosity on his face.

"You're still alive?" he asked mildly.

Sango glared. She tried to speak. Instead, the world went black.

When she awoke again, she was inside the castle. Her wounds had been cleaned and bandaged, and a soft lilac blanket had been draped over her. She was vaguely aware of three human-shaped figures floating vaguely around her.

"I'm relieved that at least you are alive," a soft voice said.

She blinked and tried to make sense of the words. Why on earth would he be glad? Was she even really alive?

"Slayer," one of the other figures urged. "Show the master some respect with a response!"

"That's enough," the master, the young lord, admonished. "My lady, you have my deepest apologies for the loss of your father and brother, and your comrades."

Sango refused to meet his eyes. There was still the faint hope in the back of her mind that if she didn't acknowledge it, if she just kept her distance then somehow it wouldn't be true. Because it couldn't be true. None of it made any sense! How had the best slayers in their village been taken out by- And how could Kohaku have- None of it made any sense.

"You should know that the demon who manipulated your brother is dead," the young lord continued, and that drew her attention. "It had possessed my father without my knowledge. I apologize for not realizing sooner."

She slumped on the woven mat she was laid upon, some of the tension slipping from her body. The demon was dead. Her family was avenged. …Then what? Was that really all there was to it? A simply manipulation from an unremarkable demon? It didn't seem right. That couldn't be everything. There had to be some rhyme or reason to why this had happened.

"Young lord," a voice called from outside the room.

Sango watched as the lord rose to his feet and opened the door to the chambers, stepping outside onto the en. He spoke to someone, greeting them as Naraku. The words floated over to her, of this Naraku's orders to notify the village. Sango sat up, ignoring the fire shooting through her back as she strained to hear.

"…of this terrible development. Sire, I regret to say that the village had been attacked. It was completely annihilated."

"Tell me everything you saw," the lord instructed.

"The slain bodies of countless villagers and the half-demon who attacked them. His name is Inuyasha. I have heard of him in recent weeks. He seeks the power of the Sacred Jewel to transform himself into a full demon. He must have believed that he would find the Jewel at the village and thus attacked it."

Sango stumbled clumsily to the entrance, bracing herself on the wooden panels. She ignored the startled exclamation from the lord, her eyes fixed on the strange figure dressed in the pelt of a baboon. "Return my weapon and my armour. I shall avenge my village. I will kill this half-demon Inuyasha!"

* * *

Lots of notes for this one. First of all, I was on the fence about writing Sango's portion of this, because there's no difference between this version and the anime, but I figured she deserved her own proper into. Oooooh boy, I was not prepared for this level of angst. I'm amazed at how the creators managed to make you care about the two slayers in their group at the castle in such a short amount of time, especially the one who comforted Kohaku (the one I named Eiji). Naturally, I had to try and dump on the feels even more. I'm not sorry.

Does anyone know what the other slayer's weapon is? (The one I called Yasuo) It's like a Morningstar on one side and a trident on the other, and I can't find a proper name for that or any weapon that really looks like it.

On Sango's outfil/armor: I know that the anime shows her regularly stripping and completely changing outfits, but I find it very difficult to believe that Sango, I-Live-To-Fight, Always-Prepared, 15-Secret-Pockets badass slayer, would put herself in the position of having to completely change from her travel clothes at the start of a battle. Even if she's mastered the quickest of quick changes, it just doesn't resonate well with me.

Also, I totally forgot how much violence, gore, and angst is in this entire series. I now totally get the strict rating (14-A here in Canada, I don't know about elsewhere). I thought I was doing the gritty reboot, but apparently not!

Finally, I just started another Shakespeare class today and found out that "ye" is an entirely made-up work created by shenanigans with printing presses in the 16th century and is not, in fact, a form of "you", so now I'm questioning everything Kaede has ever said.


	25. Chapter 25: s1e25

Warnings for this chapter: threats of death and violence, trauma and post-trauma responses, and oh look, more angst

* * *

Sango collapsed against the trunk of a tree, struggling to keep her breathing even. The morning spent on horseback had left her shaking and sweating as pain radiated from her back. When Naraku drew their horses to a stop, saying their mounts would be able to go no further, she had slid to the ground and stumbled away before collapsing, leaving Naraku to tend to the horses alone. She closed her eyes, Hiraikotsu clutched under her arm, and focused on driving the fuzziness from her vision.

"Is Sango dead?" she heard a murmur from nearby.

Her eyes snapped open and she glared at him. "I will not die. Not until I kill Inuyasha!"

She could imagine his eyes boring into her from behind his mask, the hollowed-out head of a baboon demon. "Good, but can you fight decently in that condition?"

Sango ground her teeth and pushed to her feet, bracing herself on Hiraikotsu. "Slaying demons is what I do."

It's what had convinced the young lord back at the castle to allow her to go. He could see her determination, and instructed his advisor Naraku to help her. He had offered her a home as well, telling her to come back to his castle. She was fairly certain that wouldn't happen. Even if by some miracle she survived long enough to find, fight, and kill Inuyasha, there was no reason to go. There was nothing left for her there but the bodies of her family.

As she followed Naraku along the mountain path, she could sense her strength failing. Hiraikotsu weighed her down to the point where she could barely even hold the weapon. She wouldn't last long at this rate. She prayed it would be long enough. But as they walked, her breath came in increasingly sharp gasped and her back was sticky with a combination of sweat and blood. Her knees gave out and she fell to the ground, bracing herself with her hands. Naraku stopped in front of her and turned to survey her coolly.

"Are you in pain, Sango?" he asked.

"I'm fine," she ground out, not looking at him.

"Poor thing. You couldn't die even if you wanted to, could you?" He held up a hand, a Jewel shard held between his thumb and forefinger. "Would you care to try this?"

"How did you get that?" she asked as he came to kneel in front of her.

"I've had it for some time," he said dismissively. "I'm willing to lend it to you. It can help to heal your wounds and give you the strength you need to fight properly."

Sango frowned and shared at the tiny shard. She had heard so much from the elders in her village, of the Jewel's corrupting power and dangerous nature. But she'd also heard of the power it granted, of the wondrous things it could do to even the lowliest of demon. She was doomed to die no matter what. There was no harm in doing what needed to be done so she could complete her final mission.

They stood at the entrance to the village, contemplating their next mood. They had spent the night outside the village walls, feeling uneasy sleeping inside. Inuyasha hadn't slept much, and knew Miroku hadn't either. At least Shippo had been able to drift off, curled around Kirara. Inuyasha couldn't muster any distain for the fact that they'd adopted a new member into their group without discussion. Whatever. She was cute and could take care of herself, and Shippo seemed quite taken with her. Myoga also seemed to trust her, which was interesting. He seemed to have more of a history with the slayers than he was letting on.

Even with all the villagers buried, it seemed wrong to simply leave. Inuyasha began sorting through the demon carcasses he'd piled together the previous day, while Miroku cleaned up the various youkai body parts lying around. Some of the demons had already turned to bones, while others remained slowly rotting masses.

"There is a cave at the edge of the village where the slayers dump the demon parts they don't use," Myoga said, jumping on Inuyasha's shoulder. "We should put this there."

Inuyasha exchanged a glance with Miroku. "Use?"

"Indeed. The slayers used the bones and hides of demons in their weapons and armour. Whatever couldn't be used was discarded."

"And how do you know about the cave?" Miroku asked, piling demon parts onto a wagon he'd brought over. "I thought you'd never been to this village before?"

"I haven't, but I've heard of the cave many times before and sought it out upon my arrival," Myoga said. "It's where the Shikon Jewel was created."

"Do you know _how _it was made?" Miroku asked, but the flea shook his head.

They followed his instructions to the edge of the village and the mouth of a large cavern. The cave ran deep, far enough that Inuyasha couldn't make out the end of it. They dumped the demon parts in and watched as they slid down a slight incline. Inuyasha pushed the wagon to the side and surveyed the tunnel, his ears flicking as a damp breeze flowed from within.

"Good work, Myoga."

"Thank you, Master," Myoga bowed. "Anything to help. I'm more than just a parasite!"

"Yeah, I'm actually surprised you stuck around. Seems a little dangerous for your taste."

Myoga scoffed in indignation. "Master, how could you doubt my loyalty?"

"Right – how could I?"

Miroku frowned. He had an uneasy feeling about this cave, but important answers lay within. "Do you think we should venture in?"

"Yeah, let's go."

They all started forward, but Myoga instantly cried out "Wait, hold on, Master Inuyasha!"

Miroku instantly stopped, surprised that Inuyasha didn't.

"What now?" the hanyou asked, irritated. He was stopped in his tracks when a strong barrier sprung to life at the mouth of the cave, painfully knocking him off his feet.

"A barrier has been placed to prevent trespassers like us from wandering in," Myoga supplied helpfully.

"By quicker with that kind of information next time!" Inuyasha snapped, climbing to his feet. He shot a dirty look over his shoulder at Miroku. "And where were you?"

"Don't look at me. I'm watching the children!" Miroku insisted, indicating Shippo on his shoulder and Kirara in his arms.

"Heh, some useless monk you are," Inuyasha huffed, drawing Tessaiga. "Alright, stand back. I'm gonna break through this barrier!"

He charged, he swung, and he bounced off the barrier like a fly. He was flung to the ground hard and wheezed slightly at the impact.

"You alright?" Miroku asked, leaning over him.

"Damnit!" Inuyasha swore. "So forcing our way in is a no-go, and any villagers who could tell us how to get past the barrier are dead. Great."

"Not all of them were killed," Miroku reminded him. "Myoga said the best of their slayers were at some castle during the attack."

"Right!" Myoga chimed in. "The demons were only successful here because it lacked their most talented slayers."

"Okay, so we gotta track down this castle and the surviving slayers," Inuyasha sighed and turned to go. "Come on, we don't have all day."

Miroku stared into the cave for a moment, oddly feeling as though the darkness were pulling him in. He shook his head and followed Inuyasha. They made their way down the mountain path, deeper into the forest. It wasn't until Inuyasha asked where to go next that they realized that none of them, in fact, knew where they were going.

"You're the one who knew about the castle!" Inuyasha accused Myoga.

"I assumed you knew where you were going," Myoga countered.

"Can you smell any hint of a human settlement?" Miroku asked, then Kirara chirped in his arms.

He glanced at the twin-tail then followed her gaze deeper into the forest. On his shoulder, Shippo stiffened and peered into the trees as well. One of Inuyasha's ears angled in the direction they both were looking, and Miroku was reminded how painfully human his own senses were. However, even with his human limitations, the sound of splitting wood and crashing trees was unmistakable. Miroku ducked instinctually, and Inuyasha just as instinctually crammed the monk's head even further down with his hand. A large weapon flew over their heads, cutting clean through the trees. It spun and turned in the air, its kinked shape sending it flying back in the direction it originally came from.

It was caught easily by the young woman who threw it.

Miroku stared in shock. He recognized her clothing as the unique armour he'd only ever seen in a few of the bodies from the village. It was a strange style more reminiscent of paintings he'd seen from the mainland. Her weapon was unusual as well, a thick bent slab of demon bone with a sharp outer-edge. But it wasn't just the strange attire that surprised him. Though the lower half of her face was obscured by an iron mask, there was no mistaking that she was also very young, maybe a few years younger than himself.

"Are you Inuyasha?" she asked, levelling a stony gaze at the hanyou. "I've come to gain my revenge."

Inuyasha growled, stepping in front of Miroku. "Yeah? And who are _you_?"

"Sango!" Myoga exclaimed on his shoulder. "Master, trust me, you must not fight her!"

Inuyasha glanced from the flea to the deranged slayer who lifted her weapon in preparation to strike. Just great. She threw the strange weapon, sending it flying at him. He pulled Tessaiga from its sheath and used it to block the spinning hunk of bone, giving Miroku enough time to run to the side behind him. The force of the impact sent him sliding back, feet digging into the ground. He deflected the weapon with a shout, sending it flying to the side, but the slayer ran after it and caught it deftly.

"What're you coming after me for?" Inuyasha called out to her. Not that he was strictly complaining, but it would be nice to know.

"Silence!" the slayer spat. "I'm here to avenge my people!"

Sango seethed as she threw Hiraikotsu again, this time swinging low enough that the hanyou wouldn't be able to block it. How _dare_ he? How dare he act so nonchalant after what he'd done? How dare he feign ignorance- Feign _innocence!_

Inuyasha jumped back from the strike, the earth shattering beneath his feet. He had to do something about her weapon. There was no way to figure out what this crazed slayer was on about while she was trying to kill him! There was movement from his left then Miroku was standing in front of him, opening the wind tunnel. The weapon hovered in midair before slowly spinning back towards them, being sucked in by the void. He almost had it, but a buzzing filled Inuyasha's ears. He looked over the treetops to see a swarm of Naraku's venomous insects flying at them.

"Look out!" he warned, grabbing the monk by the collar of his koromo and pulling him back. Miroku wrapped the mala beads around his hand and looked over his shoulder, eyes wide. The fear in those violet eyes prompted Inuyasha's own realization – Naraku! The insects hovered around the slayer, and behind her, a figure came into view draped in the pelt of a white baboon. He couldn't believe it.

He ran, swinging Tessaiga above his head. The slayer threw her weapon and he jumped over it, leaping over her dead to destroy Naraku- But a chain wrapped around his ankle, jerking him back, and he went crashing to the ground.

"I am your opponent, not him!" Sango challenged. Cowardly hanyou, going after a defenseless advisor! He wouldn't kill anyone else. She would make sure of it.

He snarled and turned on her, kicking off the chain as he did so. "You keep interfering and I'm gonna have to take care of you!"

"Just try it!" she hissed. "Maybe my defenseless village was quick for you to slaughter, but I won't die so easily!"

His eyes widened and his ears flattened on his head. Suddenly everything made sense. Naraku had played another deceitful trick, with the cost of even more lives. He watched the slayer grab her weapon, throwing it at him with more power than a human should have. Especially a human that reeked of blood.

"Inuyasha," Miroku called out from behind him. "She has a Jewel shard in her back!"

Inuyasha blocked her weapon with Tessaiga and deflected it to the side. With it gone, he finally had a chance to take her down. Then he could focus on Naraku, and worry about explaining everything to her later. He ran for her but she dropped to a crouch, one hand reaching into the hollow inside of the armour at her shoulder. She threw a handful of green powder at him, which quickly spread into a thick cloud. He gasped and coughed as the substance entered his lungs, the powder stinging his eyes. The slayer let out a short, humourless laugh.

"It's easy to overwhelm the delicate senses of a dog-eared mongrel like you."

Miroku was loathed to leave Inuyasha to the slayer, but Naraku was still close by. He ran around the edge of the poison cloud, easily finding the white of Naraku's pelt. The baboon mask slowly turned to face him, and he could feel Naraku's eyes on him.

"Naraku," he growled, holding his staff out like a sword.

"My apologies, but I have more important things to focus on right now," Naraku's silken voice replied.

"It's over," he said, rushing at the demon.

Naraku pulled a thin sword from under the baboon pelt, blocking Miroku's strike with his staff. But he wouldn't be so easily deterred. Driven by a ferocity he had never before known from himself, he struck again and again, driving Naraku further back. He saw his opening and he took it mercilessly, swinging the sharp head of his staff through Naraku's sword-wielding hand and severing it clean from his body. Naraku stumbled and fell. He levelled his staff at the demon, trying to control his racing heart. He couldn't use the wind tunnel, not with the insects still hovering all around them, but that wasn't his only weapon. It wasn't all he could use to hurt him.

"Miroku!" a warning shout came from behind, and he turned just in time to see Naraku's severed hand flying at him.

The severed limb grasped the front of his robes, pulling him from his feet. For a moment he thought Naraku was trying to drag him to his body. Then he realized that he was grasping the Jewel shard around his neck. He struggled and tried to break free, but the hand snagged a finger around the rope from which the shard hung. The thin twine snapped, and the hand returned to Naraku's arm clutching its prize. The appendage reattached with a faint pink glow.

"This shard is not for the likes of you," Naraku chuckled. "Now that I possess it, there's no reason to linger. I bid you farewell."

Miroku sensed Inuyasha running at them from behind him, rushed forward in kind. A purple-black miasma burst from Naraku's body, stopping them both in their tracks. The smog rushed into his lungs, instantly making him dizzy and nauseous. He could hear Inuyasha hacking beside him. Damnit, Naraku was getting away again! Even as he watched helplessly, a whirlwind of miasma surrounded the demon and lifted him into the air, surrounded by his swarm of insects.

"Sango," his voice called out to the slayer. "I will await you at the castle! I trust you will not fail to kill Inuyasha."

Sango watched him go, unease burning in her gut. She hadn't sensed any youki presence from Naraku the entire time they were travelling together, but that was clearly not a human. What was going on? What else had he been hiding from her?

A familiar chirp came from behind her, and to her utter amazement, she saw Kirara running towards her. She knelt down and opened her arms, the twin-tail instantly jumping into them. She took a brief moment just to hug her close, relishing her warmth and _life_. Then she narrowed her eyes at Naraku's form flying in the distance.

"Kirara, I want you to follow him," she instructed earnestly. "And if he does anything strange, kill him."

With a growl, Kirara jumped out of her arms and transformed, rising into the air in pursuit.

As the miasma cleared, Miroku rushed forward again, Inuyasha by his side. But the slayer's weapon struck the ground between them, forcing Inuyasha to jump back.

"Prepare to fight, Inuyasha," the slayer called. "Or die on the spot."

Inuyasha huffed and shot a glare at Miroku.

"Don't kill her!" the monk instructed before resuming his chase after Naraku.

"Yeah, yeah," Inuyasha muttered, turning to face the slayer. "Listen, why don't you back off? I'm not interested."

Sango ran and threw Hiraikotsu again. She knew she didn't have long left. The initial rush of battle was fading, leaving her feeling weak and drained. She had to finish this while she still could.

Inuyasha dodged the weapon, the strike having much less force than usual. The stupid slayer was killing herself. He threw Tessaiga at her like a spear, the sword connecting with the earth at her feet and sending her careening back. It was barely enough to distract her, but it meant she couldn't grab her weapon as it returned to her. She ran for it but he was faster. He'd almost reached her when she threw another fistful of poison powder at him. He jumped, swiped, and his claws connected with her iron face mask. Her eyes widened and her face went pale, her hand instantly coming to cover her mouth. Humans. Grabbing her arm, Inuyasha jumped, bringing them both safely out of the poison cloud that formed.

She couldn't believe it. What was this idiot trying to do- He wasn't trying to save her, was he? What kind of move was that? They landed on the ground, and though he wasn't looking at her, he hadn't yet let go of her arm. Well, if he thought she was some defenseless prey, he had another thing coming. She drew her sword and, before he could react, stabbed him clean through the upper arm. His reaction was…not what she expected.

"You idiot," he grumbled, looking down at her with more annoyance than anything else. "Haven't you realized that maybe Naraku has been tricking you?" He ripped the sword from her hands and pulled it from his arm, unflinchingly. "Give it up! I haven't even gotten started and you're covered in blood."

Her hand instinctively reached around to her back. It came away red. She hadn't even realized she'd been bleeding, let alone lost that much blood. Her leather tunic was soaked. The Jewel shard must have been blocking her pain. She had no doubt that without its power, she wouldn't just be unconscious – she'd be dead. She'd have died without completing her mission – but what even _was_ her mission? The hanyou was right. He wasn't acting at all the way a murderer should. He'd had dozens of chances to kill her, yet he chose to save her life. And Naraku… She was so confused. So tired. Nothing made sense anymore. Nothing mattered anymore.

Inuyasha stared down at the dazed slayer. Despite his better judgement, he almost felt sorry for her. He couldn't imagine what Naraku had put her through. He glanced up to see Shippo running toward him.

"You alright?" the kit asked, glancing between him and the injured slayer.

"I'll live."

He watched as the slayer keeled over, finally unconscious. Took her long enough.

"Is she dead?" Shippo asked nervously, scuttling closer.

"Nope, not yet," Inuyasha sighed, reaching to sling the slayer over his back. "Come on, let's go after Miroku. That bastard Naraku isn't getting away again."

Miroku ran like he'd never run before. Each step was a step closer to Naraku. There was no way that he would get away so easily- Cliff. There was a cliff. A deep ravine. A far-away edge. No, nononono- Miroku stood back, preparing for a jump he didn't think he could make, when he heard something behind him. Kirara was flying at him, lowering her head as she approached. He instantly understood, jumping into the air so she could duck under him. He flattened himself against her back, winding his hand into the scruff around her neck.

"Thanks! I appreciate the ride."

With Kirara's speed they quickly approached Naraku and his swarm. She flew up alongside him, giving Miroku a clear shot with his staff. He swung at Naraku, catching the demon across the face of his baboon mask. Naraku tumbled through the air before righting himself, then a dozen root-like arms sprang from his body. They shot through the air, most of them splitting into grasping hands at their tips. Kirara dodged and weaved through the air and Miroku clung on for dear life, batting away at the arms that came too close to grabbing the twin-tail. But there were too many. As one closed around her throat, he didn't notice another reaching for him from the side. He was thrown to the ground, the breath knocked from his lungs. He barely managed to roll to the side before Kirara's body slammed down where he had been lying a heartbeat earlier.

"Do not take me lightly, monk," Naraku warned, looming over them before attacking again.

Inuyasha followed Miroku's scent, hoping against hope that the monk hadn't done anything stupid. He almost missed the change in the slayer's heartbeat as she woke. This was followed by a spike in the beats as she gained awareness, clutching to his shoulders with strong fingers and pressing herself almost imperceptibly against his back. He could smell a tinge of fear in her scent, knew that she was probably formulating an escape plan. Riding on his back as she was, he guessed whatever she came up with wouldn't go to well for either of them.

"Awake, are you?" he asked over his shoulder, saving her the trouble of trying to hide from him.

"Put me down!" she demanded instantly. "What're you up to?"

"It's okay," Shippo informed her cheerily from his perch beside her. "We're going after Naraku because he stole our Jewel shard."

Sango stared at the tiny fox demon – the one wearing her mask on his head like a hat. They were both being carried by the hanyou, who had also brought along Hiraikotsu. There was a stiffness around her middle when she breathed, and she looked down to see the hanyou's red suikan hastily tied around her torso, staunching the flow of blood. What the hell was going on? Was she being abducted? It certainly didn't feel like she had a choice in the matter, but why bother bringing her weapon along with her? And the hanyou… He had said Naraku tricked her. Was that true? She only had Naraku's word for what Inuyasha had done, and the hanyou and his strange companions didn't act as she'd anticipated.

"He called you Sango, right?" the hanyou asked. "Well Sango, keep bothering me and I'll dump you off right here."

"Inuyasha, you're so rude!" the fox chided instantly before turning to her and whispering conspiratorially. "He's actually pretty nice, but don't tell him I said that. He's just worried about Miroku. He really seems to like you humans."

"Sango," a voice came from her other side, and she turned to see a flea demon on her shoulder. "Inuyasha and the rest of us didn't want to leave you behind. Your wounds are deep!"

She couldn't believe it. Everything just kept on getting stranger and stranger. She knew this flea! "You're Myoga!"

Inuyasha ignored them and quickened his pace. He could hear noises coming from up ahead, and it didn't sound good.

Miroku stuck as close to Kirara as he could, trusting her to watch his back as he watched hers. But the root-like appendages just kept coming, reforming again and again after being struck apart with each blow. Even if Naraku didn't have their Jewel shard, Miroku wouldn't have had time to even open the wind tunnel. First one job and then another struck right where he had been standing, forcing him away from Kirara as he jumped back. A clawed hand grabbed his foot and another shot out, striking him in the abdomen. With the hand on his foot holding him in place, the root which pierced him began burrowing its way into his body. He was going to die.

Inuyasha unceremoniously dumped the slayer and the others as soon as he saw what was going on. He leapt forward, unsheathing Tessaiga just in time to slash through the root about to sever Miroku in half. The monk flew back from the root's momentum, sending him crashing to the ground.

"You alright?" Inuyasha asked.

"Not dead!" Miroku reported back instantly, not bothering to investigate further than that. "Behind you!"

Inuyasha spun around to see several more appendages shooting at him. He hacked away at them, soon joined by both Miroku and Kirara. Slowly, Naraku began to laugh.

"So, you're still alive, Inuyasha?"

"You think a mere human can kill me, think again!" he growled back.

"The last time I looked, you were losing to a wounded slayer," Naraku taunted.

Inuyasha's ears flicked, seeing his chance to resolve this once and for all. "Admit it, Naraku. You're the one who set that pack of demons onto the village."

The demon chuckled. "All I did was mention to the demons that the village guard happened to be thin that day."

Miroku clenched his teeth. "And let them destroy each other so you could take the Jewel shards there."

"You're not as slow as you look, monk. The villagers should've been prepared to defend such a valuable bounty."

"You could've just taken them," Inuyasha growled. "You didn't have to kill everybody!"

"Naraku!" the slayer shouted from the edge of the battlefield, propping herself up on her weapon. "The demons at the castle were also part of your trap, weren't they?!"

"Trap?" Naraku mused. "Is that what you call my simple diversion? I thought the slayers of your village could handle _any_ sort of demon. They literally did not live up to their boasts."

Sango snarled and ran for him, lifting Hiraikotsu over her head and preparing to strike. She felt a sharp tug at her shoulder blades and suddenly pain exploded across her back, sending her tumbling to the ground. She watched in horror as one of Naraku's root appendages slithered up to her and grasped the Jewel shard which had flown from her back.

"Fool!" he scoffed. "No use in having this if all you do is choose to defy me. It would've been easier for you to die believing that Inuyasha was your sworn enemy, not me."

"You really like to mess with people's feelings, dontcha?" Inuyasha growled as he ran at Naraku, leaping up to bring Tessaiga swinging down on his head. To his vexation, Naraku dodged the blow.

"Are you thinking about Kikyo when you say that?" Naraku smirked. "Or perhaps the impending death of the monk?"

Inuyasha yelled in fury as he struck the demon's head from his body. He stared at the severed head in shock. Was it really over? Was it really that easy? He heard Miroku rushing to his side and shot an uneasy look at the monk.

"Too easy," he said, settling Tessaiga over his shoulder. "He couldn't have had the power to make all those people suffer so much."

Miroku nodded in agreement, involuntarily clenching his right hand. He glanced to his companion, only to catch movement in the corner of his eye. "Watch out!" he shouted, barrelling into Inuyasha and knocking him out of the way of one of Naraku's shooting arms. They watched in horror as the previously lifeless body of the demon began reanimating. Then the head began to laugh.

"I will not die so easily," Naraku's head informed them, rolling upright of its own accord.

Miroku startled at the sudden movement and, acting on pure instinct, kicked the head as hard as he could. It flew through the air and landed on the other side of Naraku's body, slowly rolling to a stop. Inuyasha stared at him in wild disbelief, only snapping out of it when the dozen arms began reaching for them again. They stuck close together, slicing through each appendage as it struck at them. The limbs continued to regenerate, giving them no chance for respite. Kirara helped as much as she could, but she had positioned herself in front of Sango and Shippo and couldn't stray far or risk exposing them.

Unable to wield Hiraikotsu, Sango knelt on the ground feeling utterly useless. How had she been so blind? How could she have been so easily deceived by Naraku? How could she have been traveling with a demon for so long and not- Wait. There was no way she couldn't have noticed. Not unless- She reached out with her senses, but still found no trace of youki within him. That didn't make sense, unless-

"Inuyasha, that's not him! It's a puppet!" she shouted at the hanyou. "It's being controlled by something buried inside its body – his heart! Aim straight for his heart!"

The hanyou and the monk looked at her but quickly nodded. Through some unspoken agreement, the monk slashed his staff along the various limbs supporting the puppet's body, knocking it off balance. The hanyou jumped, bringing his sword slicing straight down through the puppet. Both the body and the head shuddered and began crumbling to dust.

Miroku approached the tattered remains of the baboon pelt, clearing it away to reveal a simple wooden statue underneath wound with a long black hair. He picked it up and examined it, Inuyasha coming to peer over his shoulder.

"What is that?"

"This is demon puppetry," he explained, turning the thing over in his hands. "The hair wrapped around this doll belongs to Naraku, allowing him to control it from afar."

"That was more than a doll we just fought!" Inuyasha huffed incredulously.

Miroku picked up their shard of the Jewel and the much smaller fragment that had previously been in Sango's back. As he did so, the remaining venomous insects began to fly away. He shot them a glare for good measure. He knew little about demon puppetry, but he knew enough not to trust Naraku. He placed a sutra on the wooden doll then took the agate and striker from his robes and set the wood alight. Once it was sufficiently burned, he ground the ashes under his foot.

Inuyasha nodded in satisfaction, turning back to the others before freezing. The slayer did _not _look good. She was pale and sweating, and reeked of pain and blood. She was barely keeping upright. He groaned and walked over to her.

"You're not looking so good," he sighed. "Look, why don't you let us take you somewhere safe? You won't survive out here on your own."

She glared back at him, eyes burning brightly. "I need to find Naraku."

"Yeah, well, get in line. We all want to destroy him for one reason or another, but you're not gonna get anywhere near him while you're bleeding out."

"There are some villages nearby we could take you," Miroku offered, walking over as well. "Though the nearest place would be your home."

She looked away, biting her lip. Home. She hadn't thought she would ever see it again. Somehow, going back would make it all real. She didn't know if she could face an empty village full of ghosts. Then again, she wouldn't find peace with herself if she didn't go back. She owed it to her people to lay them to rest, to restore their legacy as much as possible. And practically speaking, it was a good place to lay low while she recovered. It had food, water, and weapons. She could stay there while she got stronger. Because she had to. She had to recover enough to hunt down Naraku. And kill him.

She turned back to the odd pair, giving them a piercing look. "Take me home."

* * *

I will say that when I had the idea for a certain deviation from the original episode, I was sitting on my bed for a good five minutes, cackling. It's probably a very stupid addition. You can't convince me to go back and write it out. All I can say in my defense is, if the evil head of an enemy I just decapitated started talking to me, I would do the same.

Since summer classes are getting into full-swing, I'm probably going to have to go back to once-a-week updates for a while. Since our main crew is together now, chapters are also going to be a bit looser with the canon material, especially in mostly filler episodes. Prepare for tender moments, character development, and family bonding!


	26. Chapter 26: s1e26

Warnings for this chapter: discussions of death, discussions and depictions of serious injuries, and more negative self-perception from Inuyasha

* * *

"Why should I trust you?"

"Well," Miroku said slowly, thinking. "We have a common enemy. It would make no sense for us to harm a potential ally. Furthermore, we're not going to let you needlessly die, no matter what. We're somewhat against that."

Sango's eyes narrowed but she finally nodded her consent. They had returned to the slayers' village, Sango making the journey draped over Kirara's back. Both Inuyasha and Miroku had offered to carry her, but she adamantly refused. Even after they brought her to her house, she was reluctant to let Miroku tend to her wound. He could understand why she might be wary after everything, but she was covered in a truly frightening amount of blood.

She sat with her back to him as he helped her peel the leather tunic from her back. It was not a pretty sight. Blood-soaked bandages were around her torso, and once he cut them away, the remnants of broken stitches. He didn't ask her who had attended to her before, though it was obvious from the position of the wounds that she wouldn't have been able to stitch herself. Inuyasha, Myoga, and Kirara were all outside, under the watch of the twin-tail as per Sango's instructions. However, Miroku convinced her to let Shippo help as well. The fox was as non-threatening as they came, and he could sniff out the supplies they needed from around the village.

The injuries on her back were both worse than and not as bad as he'd feared. There were four puncture wounds, three smaller ones that appeared to be from arrows, and one much larger gouge right between her shoulder blades. The injuries were deep and had bled profusely, but showed no signs of infection and were already partially healed.

"When were these made?" Miroku asked as he cleaned out dirt and grit from the wounds as gently as he could.

"Two days ago," she replied, her voice tight with pain.

He bit his lip in surprise but didn't stop his ministrations. The Jewel shard in her back must have sped along the healing. It had also performed some measure of purification, judging by the lack of infection. He had no doubts that the wounds would have been fatal if not for the shard's power. Even now, the pallor of her skin worried him. Shippo's face drained of colour when he burst into the room with the bottle of sake he found and his eyes landed on the wound. Miroku thanked him and sent him off, noticing the tight smile that Sango sent after the fox.

After cleaning and bandaging the wound, Miroku was loathed to have her put on her filthy tunic again. "Do you have any other clothes?" he asked. "Or are there some in the village you would feel comfortable wearing?"

"I brought my travel clothes with me," she said hesitantly. "But I cast them aside before fighting with you. They're a fair journey from here."

"I'll get 'em," Inuyasha said, appearing at the outside hallway and sticking his head through the door. "Miroku will wash your current clothes, though honestly, I'd suggest just burning them."

Sango frowned slightly. "You don't have to go all the way out there just to find me some clothes. It's not worth the effort."

Inuyasha shrugged and looked away, shuffling uncomfortably from side to side. "S'not any real trouble. I can run fast. I'll be back before dark."

He left before either of them could say anything more. Sango looked after him, a troubled expression on her face, while Miroku hid his smile. He'd suspected that Inuyasha had been listening in to their conversation. He had also anticipated the hanyou's desire to help, if not his eagerness. There was a growing sense of kinship between anyone whose life had been corrupted or destroyed by Naraku.

Miroku rose to his feet and made for the door. "I'm going to prepare some food, if that's alright. You should rest."

By the time Inuyasha returned, Miroku was stirring stew over a fire he had built outside Sango's house. It was mostly rice, beans, and dried fish from the storehouse they'd found, with some mushrooms Shippo had scavenged from outside the village. Inuyasha walked over to them, sniffing the air as he did so.

"She alright?" he asked, sitting down beside Miroku and placing a blue and white carrying cloth full of clothes on the ground.

"The wound is healing well and I believe she's resting," Miroku replied. "I see you were successful."

"Mm. Easy to sniff out."

"Is your arm alright?" Miroku asked, eyeing the red stain on Inuyasha's white hadagi.

"Yeah. She stabbed me, but it's fine. Already stopped bleeding." He smirked as Miroku's mouth opened and closed as he thought better of it. "How about you? You were injured."

The monk's hand brushed across his abdomen where Naraku had struck him. "Mostly just bruises. Nothing more."

"Naraku needs to learn to send better opponents after us," Inuyasha grumbled. "First Royakan and now a dying slayer. I'm starting to feel insulted."

"If you're saying you want our enemy to send stronger, more threatening adversaries to murder us, I might have to kill you."

Shippo began eating the moment the stew was done, none of them having eaten that day. Miroku brought a bowl in for Sango and a dried fish for Kirara. They slayer lay wrapped in her bedding on the floor, Kirara curled up in the hollow of her stomach, but neither were asleep. She took the food from him with a nod of thanks and he left to rejoin the others. Myoga began recounting his travels, which mostly consisted of no-doubt exaggerated adventures and little information gathered. As Shippo countered with his own highly-embellished version of their travels, Miroku looked at Inuyasha.

"What next?"

The hanyou shrugged. "That's up to her. She'd be useful to have around, so long as she'll collect the Jewel shards with us instead of trying to run after Naraku all the time."

"She may not even want to travel with us," Miroku pointed out.

"Why the hell not? We're offering to help her get revenge! She should consider herself lucky!" He stopped and thought about what he said for a moment. "Okay, yeah, so maybe not _lucky,_ but you know what I mean."

"We'll just have to wait and see what comes to pass."

It was well past dark and the others were settling down for the night, but something urged Miroku to check on the slayer one more time. She had finished her meal and was still in bed, but she had yet to fall asleep. That confused him at first, as she looked absolutely exhausted and was likely still in a great deal of pain. But when she looked up at him, he recognized the fear lingering behind her eyes. He knew the feeling well – the dread of sleep for what may come in one's dreams, the fear of letting your guard down enough to sleep at all…

"Inuyasha and I were discussing whether or not the demons may attack again," he said, kneeling down by her bedside. "It's unlikely, but we should still be on our guard. Would you mind terribly if I slept in the same room as you, so we may have a more defensible position?"

She nodded hesitantly and he settled himself against a wall. There was a light shuffling outside as Inuyasha, no doubt having heard their conversation, organized the others. This was followed by a soft thumb on the roof of the house. A few moments later, Shippo hesitantly poked his head inside, Myoga on his bow. Miroku waved him over quietly, as Sango seemed to be finally drifting off. Miroku slept fitfully, waking up often to check on the others and their surroundings. Though he knew that Inuyasha was keeping watch on the roof, it still felt odd not having the hanyou within eyesight. At least Sango was sleeping. She needed it.

Things were quiet the next day. Inuyasha cleaned up the remaining debris around the village with Shippo's help while Miroku washed and mended their various clothes. The monk said that Sango needed rest and wouldn't be moving around much, but Inuyasha couldn't help but feel like they were sitting targets. Naraku knew about the slayers' village. He may have guessed they were there. It was a mistake to come here, they needed to- No. They needed to find out about the Jewel. The slayer needed to sort herself out and tell them what they needed to know. They could hang on until then.

When Miroku brought food to Sango that afternoon, he was surprised to find her sitting up and oiling her weapon. Her movements were slow, stiff, and cautious as she navigated the limited mobility of her back. Kirara was curled beside her, purring contentedly. "Keeping busy?" he asked, sitting on Sango's other side and placing the bowl down next to her.

"It's important to maintain one's weapons," she replied a little stiffly.

"Indeed," he nodded sagely. "So… what is that thing?"

"Hiraikotsu. I've wielded it since I was a little girl."

"That's very impressive!" he grinned. "I tried to carry it when we came here yesterday. I can't imagine fighting with anything that heavy, especially as a child."

She shrugged. "You get used to it." She slowly lowered her hands, glancing over at him. "Miroku… You're human, right?"

He blinked. "Of course." He saw her eyes flicker to his right hand and smiled softly. "It's a curse placed on my family by Naraku. I promise, I'm just a regular, dashing and charming monk."

Sango's lips quirked before she could stop herself. He certainly seemed like a nice enough man, but that's what confused her. She couldn't make heads or tails of him. He wore the clothing of a Buddhist monk, yet had the tekkou and skills of a warrior. And he had strange small golden hoops hanging from his ears, one on the right and two on the left. And his hair wasn't shaven off. But all of that paled in comparison to the company he kept. "Then, if you don't mind me asking, how did you end up travelling with demons, hoshi-sama?"

"That's a bit of a long story," he mused, leaning back and propping himself up by his hands. "It was only Inuyasha, initially. I helped him out of a bad situation, and after the Jewel….broke, we decided to travel together to try and repair it. The others simply happened to come along. Myoga is Inuyasha's servant and Shippo was orphaned and needed someone to look after him."

"Myoga is known to my village, and I can see that Shippo's no threat," she said slowly. "But Inuyasha doesn't seem too fond of humans in general."

"He's leaning," the monk shrugged. "The world isn't too kind to hanyou. He had to learn to be defensive." He paused, looked at her with piercing violet eyes. "He's no threat to you or any other human. He's a good person. I hope that you won't treat him improperly because of his heritage."

She was surprised by the intensity in his gaze. "I've never met a hanyou before," she said truthfully. "My world mostly consists of humans to protect and demons to kill."

"Yet not all demons are your enemy," he pointed out. "There are many benevolent youkai, such as Shippo and Kirara and Myoga."

Sango hummed and ran her fingers over Kirara's ears, earning her a trill and a sleepy blink. "I suppose so."

"I know it may be difficult to trust us," he continued quietly. "But Inuyasha is a friend to humans and a worthy ally. I hope you will be able to put your faith in him."

After they ate, he quickly changed the bandages on her wound and left her with instructions to get more rest. He found Shippo outside, chasing a butterfly. Inuyasha was nowhere to be seen. Tampering down the immediate unease that rose within him, Miroku searched around the village. He found his friend sitting in front of the limestone cave they tried to access before.

"Find anything interesting?" he asked, noticing how both ears flicked at his approach.

"There has to be some way to get inside," Inuyasha growled, staring hard at the invisible barrier.

"We can ask Sango if she knows how to get inside once she's healed," Miroku said. "There's nothing to be done until then."

"So what, we wait around forever?" he snapped, turning a surprisingly angry gaze on the monk. "Just sit around for Naraku to send someone else to attack?"

Miroku instantly frowned. "What's wrong? Just yesterday you were practically daring Naraku to come after us. Why the sudden urgency?"

Inuyasha looked away as the anger was replaced by shame and what almost looked like a flash of fear. Miroku's frown deepened. Inuyasha huffed, glanced at him, and huffed again. He then turned his eyes to the darkening sky. Miroku followed his gaze.

"Oh."

Though the faintest hint of stars were appearing in the dusk, there was no sign of a moon.

"I don't like being tied down, especially when my enemies know I'm here," Inuyasha muttered, staring hard at the ground and kicking at a rock with his foot.

"What can we do?" Miroku asked, coming to stand closer to the hanyou. "You don't need to tell the others if you don't feel comfortable. Shippo and Myoga can stay with Sango and we can find a different house to sleep in."

"No, you should stay with Sango. Keep her safe," Inuyasha shook his head. "And I'm going to tell Shippo before nightfall. He's going to find out sooner or later. But…"

He trailed off, looking apprehensive. Miroku nodded. "I won't say anything to Sango."

Inuyasha clapped Miroku over the shoulder, appreciatively if a little awkwardly. They walked back to Sango's house together, and Inuyasha could already feel his senses fading. He hated this. So much. Though not the worst situation he'd been in during the new moon, being trapped in a desecrated human village with a demon slayer who mutually distrusted him was not his idea of safety. Not to mention that this place had already proven vulnerable to demon attacks. Though, he supposed, he'd never had people he could count on, either. Miroku nodded to him before slipping into Sango's house, and warmth spread across Inuyasha's chest.

He could trust people.

What a strange concept.

He beckoned Shippo over from where he was playing with Kirara. The kit followed eagerly, eyes bright and alert. Inuyasha smiled to himself. Yeah, things could be a whole lot worse. They walked along the inside of the fortress wall, Shippo watching him questioningly the entire time. Eventually, Inuyasha sighed and sat down cross-legged on the ground.

"Shippo, what do you know about hanyou?"

The kit blinked and wrinkled his nose. "Not a lot. My father didn't like the idea of youkai and humans breeding – he always said they weren't right. I never met one before you."

Inuyasha nodded to himself and ruffled Shippo's hair, seeing the slight apology in the kit's eyes. "Yeah, a lot of people think like that. Can't say I blame 'em. Anyway, there's this thing that happens to hanyou, this time where they change. They can't control it, and it's kinda scary because they lose their powers and basically become mortal. For me, it's the night of the new moon…"

As much as he tried not to, Miroku found himself staring wordlessly out the door of Sango's house. She was asleep, as was Myoga. Kirara was watching him with narrowed eyes, one tail flicking every so often. He smiled reassuringly at her and she blinked in return. Eventually, Shippo slipped through the door and slid it closed behind him. He walked over, an uncharacteristically serious look on his face. His eyes met Miroku's and he nodded solemnly, standing a little taller with the weight of his newfound responsibility. Miroku smiled and patted his lap. The little fox instantly scampered over and settled down, curling up with his tail over his nose. Miroku knew from experience that he'd be sprawled out on his back the instant he fell asleep. As for himself, he doubted much sleep would come to him that night. He needed to keep watch, to make sure his friends were safe.

Inuyasha sat on the roof, staring up at the stars. It had been harder to clamber up there as a mortal, but there was no way he was gonna be trapped on the ground all night. As he settled in for a night of keeping guard, he focused his human hearing on the faint bustle coming from inside the slayer's house. With the door open to let in the summer air, he could just make out Shippo's quiet snores and the occasional trill from Kirara. Alone with his thoughts, he looked over the blunt nails of his human hands. He was so weak. Defenseless. Powerless. With more and more members in his pack to protect, how the hell was he supposed to be a good leader if he was so utterly useless? He knew that Miroku only wanted the best for him, but that was precisely why he had to get better. He couldn't let his new family down.

"How long have you been after Naraku?" Sango asked as Miroku tied off the last of her bandages.

"We saw him for the first time only a few days ago," a bleary-eyed Inuyasha shrugged. "But both of us have been after him longer than that, knowingly or not."

"What about yourself? Did you know him long before coming here with him?" Miroku asked, walking around her to sit in front of her with Inuyasha.

Sango shook her head. "I only met him the day before. He was the advisor at a castle where my team had been summoned. The people there had a long-standing relationship with him. He was the one who told me that Inuyasha had attacked my village, and offered to travel with me and aid me."

"I was aware that a group of slayers had been called to a castle," Myoga said from his perch on Miroku's shoulder. "Though it is surprising that Naraku would allow a survivor to know about his hiding place."

That piqued the interest of the others. "You believe the real Naraku may be staying there?" Miroku asked.

"It's possible," Myoga said slowly.

Inuyasha stood abruptly. "Who cares? Even if he's never actually been there, he has to have chosen that castle for a reason. We need to go down there and see what those people know!"

"Sango's not recovered enough to travel long distances," Miroku protested.

"I'm perfectly able," Sango snapped before huffing and looking away. "But I can't remember where the castle is."

"_What?_" Inuyasha asked incredulously. "You travelled there and back – how the hell do you not remember?"

"My memory of everything that happened there is fuzzy," Sango said, her eyes hard. "Almost as though someone doesn't want me to remember."

"That would make sense," Myoga mused. "If Naraku truly valued that castle as a place to stay, he wouldn't want his enemies knowing about it. He probably cast a spell over the entire area to prevent exactly that."

"Great, just great!" Inuyasha growled, storming out of the room. Miroku shot Sango an apologetic look and followed after him.

Sango sighed and watched them go. She hated that she couldn't remember. Every time she tried, it was like she was grasping at something just out of reach. She knew it was there, but she just couldn't get it. And as much as she protested, she knew Miroku was right – she could barely move around the house, and the pain in her back had yet to fade. She wouldn't be able to ride Kirara to the castle, let alone fight anyone.

And she hated it.

She _needed_ to focus on recovering and finding Naraku. Because if she didn't focus on that, then there would be nothing to distract her from the grief that crashed into her without warning. And she couldn't face that. Not yet. The cold numbness into which she had drawn herself was all that was keeping her going. And if she lost that, she was sure that she would drown.

Shippo ran around, chasing Kirara and being chased by her and laughing the whole time. Miroku smiled as he and Sango watched them, sitting on the en hallway outside her house. She had been particularly quiet for the past two days, and he figured that after six days of rest, it would be good to get some fresh air. She still had trouble moving around and was worryingly pale, but the little fox's antics made her smile for the first time since they'd met.

"He lost his family?" Sango asked after a while, her eyes following Shippo.

"Mm. His father was killed just before we found him. I don't know about his mother." He didn't miss the grimace that passed over Sango's face. "We weren't originally going to have him travel with us. There's a village that we're familiar with who have become quite taken to him. Can't see why."

They both smiled at that as Shippo and Kirara wrestled in the dust.

"I haven't come across many fox demons before," Sango said. "Or hanyou, for that matter."

"And how many unbelievably handsome monks?" he asked casually, and she huffed out a small laugh. "I imagine you've come across many fearsome demons in your line of work."

"Yes, though there are many others I've only ever read about, like the Saimyosho. I was surprised to see them in person."

He blinked at her. "The what now?"

"Saimyosho. The poison insects of hell that accompanied Naraku."

"Ah." He nodded. "I don't like those. I was unfortunate enough to make their acquaintance before, and safe to say it did not end in my favour."

Inuyasha dropped down from the roof and walked towards them. "What about Naraku? Had you heard of him before you met him?"

Sango's eyes narrowed. "I already told you I didn't."

"What about at the castle? What happened there?"

"Inuyasha," Miroku said firmly, staring down his friend. Beside him, Sango had gone rigid. As Inuyasha's eyes darted from Miroku's to hers, she stood and walked away, back into the house. Miroku sighed.

"I don't get it," Inuyasha grumbled. "Doesn't she get that any information will help us track down Naraku?"

"Don't push her," Miroku warned. "She needs time to heal. And we're still strangers to her, after all."

But he couldn't stop thinking about Inuyasha said. That evening, as he was re-wrapping Sango's wounds, he had to ask. "Was this from demons?"

"No," Sango said, scooting away from him slightly. "I got this…from my younger brother. He died."

"I'm so sorry."

"If only I had realized some things earlier, I could have prevented his death. Kohaku was always such a gentle, tender-hearted boy. Perhaps he wasn't suited for the life of a slayer."

They were silent for a moment, but Miroku felt that there was something else going on. "I know it's not my place, and I don't mean to pry, but how did your brother inflict such damage?"

"It wasn't his fault. He was being manipulated by a spider demon. He had no control over his actions." A small, fragile smile formed on her lips. "Before he died, Kohaku reverted back to his old self. I still mourn for him, but that thought helps ease the pain of his loss. We were both strong slayers – I'm proud of that."

He sat against the wall near her bedside as she fell asleep, as he had every night before. Her back was to him, and in the quiet of the night, he thought he could hear her crying. He knew better than to try and comfort her – she needed to feel her grief, and they did not yet know each other well enough for him to intrude. So far as he could tell, she had yet to truly cry – a few tears here and there, but not the deep, gut-wrenching crying he would have expected from someone who lost everything all in one day. It worried him. Inuyasha's obsession with finding Naraku was already challenging to navigate; he didn't know how Sango would act if they ended up travelling together. Though, there was nothing he could do about it at present. Only time would tell, so he firmly told himself not to worry. After all, they had many other things to worry about instead.

Miroku was meditating in the afternoon sun when he heard Inuyasha come up behind him. The hanyou had been pacing for the better part of the day, stopping occasionally to pick up debris or sniff the air. Miroku had been keeping his senses turned outward, as he had every day, in case of another attack. Therefore he was keenly aware of every glare, huff, and sigh Inuyasha had produced since morning. Suffice to say it was starting to infect his calm.

"Damnit, what's going on?" Inuyasha asked, looming over him. "Is she still in bed?"

"Yes, she is," Miroku replied levelly. "I suggest being patient."

"She can't sleep all day! Get her out of bed. We've been here for way too long. Even if she can't remember where the castle, we can at least tour around the area and see if something jogs her memory. We've been waiting for ten days, for fuck's sake! I would've been up in three!"

"Not me. I would be bedridden for at least a month." Miroku reluctantly rose to his feet, abandoning all attempts at meditation. "You need to adjust your expectations when travelling with us mere humans. Besides, Sango's not just suffering physically. She's lost her entire family and village. Her heart's been deeply wounded."

"Which is why she needs vengeance! Which is why we need her to help us find Naraku! Miroku, it's like you're not even listening!"

"Leave her alone and let her rest for as long as she needs," Miroku advised. "I know you mean well, but not everyone deals with their heartbreak the way you do. I guarantee that time will be the best medicine."

Inuyasha growled and stormed off, and Miroku left him to it. Instead, he went over to Sango's house to check in on her. He found it empty. The spike in his heartrate must have alerted Inuyasha to danger, as the hanyou dropped to his side the instant Miroku ran from the house. He looked around frantically for a moment before his eyes landed on Sango, sitting in front of the row of graves at the edge of the village. Inuyasha started forward angrily but Miroku stopped him with a hand on his chest. After sending him a calming look, Miroku cautiously approached the slayer.

"Are you alright? You shouldn't be moving too much."

"The graves…" Sango murmured, looking down the long row of burial mounds. "You buried everyone and you marked their graves."

Miroku sat down beside her. "It was the only thing we could do."

They sat quietly for a while. Miroku's heart went out to Sango. She was all alone in the world. She had no one. He couldn't imagine what that was like. Even after his father had died, he'd at least had Mushin – as imperfect as he was. There had to be something he could…

"When your wounds heal, won't you consider joining our group?" he asked gently. "Inuyasha's a lot less grumpy than he looks, and Shippo would love to have someone else to pamper him. We help a lot of people, sometimes against those with Jewel shards, or simply those with demon trouble. It will also give you a better chance to stand against Naraku. What do you think?"

"That Jewel shard around your neck," she murmured. "It's bigger than any I've ever seen. Naraku will come after it. So yes, I will go with you." She sighed, looking over at him with sad eyes. "Besides, I can't let the Jewel shards fall into the wrong hands. The Shikon Jewel was born here, and I have a responsibility to fix it."

"We initially came to your village hoping to learn more about the Jewel's origins," Miroku admitted, reaching out to tickle Kirara under the chin.

"Then call your friends," Sango said decisively, painfully climbing to her feet. "I will tell you about the limestone cave, and how the Jewel came to be."

Miroku helped Sango over to her house to sit down and rest for a moment. When he came back out to find Shippo, he saw Inuyasha hovering nearby and knew the hanyou heard everything. "Don't get overexcited," he warned as he passed.

"I got this," Inuyasha growled in response.

"Good. Then you're carrying her."

His ears flicked back in distaste. "Huh? What- Why?"

"It's hard to do anything reckless when you have an irritated slayer on your back."

Sango, as it turned out, was even less thrilled at the idea than Inuyasha. She even tried to insist that she was more than capable of walking over on her own, but even the short trip to and from the graves had left her pale and shaking. She didn't look Inuyasha in the eye the entire time. They made their way to the far end of the village, where the cave stood in sharp contrast to the cliff face where it resided.

"So tell us Sango," Inuyasha grumbled to the slayer clinging to him. "How do we get rid of this stupid barrier?"

"Precisely," Myoga nodded from her shoulder. "We need to know the age-old incantation to pass through safely."

"There isn't any incantation," Sango said, puzzled. Inuyasha rolled his eyes and blew Myoga off her arm before gesturing for her to continue. "This place is a graveyard. At first, my people thought that demons had paced a curse to keep anyone from entering, but eventually realize that she was keeping intruders out."

"She?" Inuyasha asked, intrigued.

"A priestess named Midoriko, from whom the Shikon Jewel was born. Her spirit is full of sadness and regret, and it prevents others from entering. That's what I sense, at least. It will be easier to understand once we go in. Go ahead, step through the barrier."

"You sure about this?" Inuyasha asked, shuffling toward the mouth of the cave. "If I go flying again, I'm pretty sure I'll crush you."

Sango smirked slightly before sobering. "Countless people have been killed because of the Jewel's power, and it is the sympathy that you show for the victims that leads me to believe that she will allow you to enter."

Inuyasha closed his eyes and pushed through the barrier, surprised when he passed through unimpeded. Miroku and Shippo quickly followed suit. They walked down the long tunnel with the slight downward slope, passing countless decomposing and decayed bodies of demons amongst even more bones. The numbers only increased the deeper they went. Eventually they passed into a large cavern, full of twisting youkai figures made of stone. They formed a mountain, merging and twisting into one another, with the largest in the centre holding the stiff form of a woman.

"The hell is this?" Inuyasha asked, eyeing the scene as unease rose in his gut.

"There was a time where ogres, dragons, and other youkai merged their bodies together to battle against a powerful human." He followed her pointing finger to the woman clamped in the jaws of the largest demon. "Midoriko, a priestess who lived many centuries ago."

"Look at the number of demons surrounding her!" Inuyasha breathed, letting Sango climb down from his back. He never broke his gaze from the awe-inspiring statue. "She must have had immense spiritual power."

"The court nobles controlled the country at that time," Sango continued. "Wars and famines dragged on for decades, and countless people perished. Demons devoured the dead and dying, and grew in great numbers. Many priests and warriors set out to slay them, but only Midoriko was able to purify their souls and render them harmless. She was considered the most powerful human of her time."

Inuyasha's eyes darted to the slayer. "She could purify youkai souls?" he asked, unable to hide the tremor of fear in his voice. It had already frightened him, fifty years ago, to consider giving up his powers to join Kikyo and become human. He couldn't imagine facing down a demon-fighting human with the power to do just that.

"Mmhmm." Sango looked up at the woman reverently. "In this world, humans, animals, trees, and even stones are all created through the four souls."

"I've come across that philosophy before," Miroku murmured. "The four souls are called Aramitama, Nigimitama, Kushimitama, and Sakimitama. When they're combined, they become the soul of one person, housed inside the heart. Aramitama is courage, Nigimitama is friendship, Kushimitama is wisdom, and Sakimitama is love. When the four souls, or spirits, work together in harmony, it is called Naobi, and the human heart is filled with goodness." He smiled gently at Inuyasha's lost expression. "It's easier to grasp on paper."

"When a person does wrong, the four spirits energize evil," Sango explained. "And they lose their way. If they do good, then good is created."

Miroku nodded. "A soul can turn good or bad, depending on the choices made during their life. This transformation can happen within a human soul or a youkai soul."

He exchanged a glance with Inuyasha. His reverent tone combined with the surreal stillness of the cave and the majesty of the statue caused a shiver to run up Inuyasha's spine.

"Midoriko was such a formidable foe for the demons because she was able to purify their souls and make them powerless," Sango concluded."

Inuyasha growled deep in his throat. "So she fought off some demons by turning them into a bunch of weaklings. So what? They got her in the end. She's pretty useless now."

"She hasn't lost the battle yet." Sango's soft voice reverberated through the cavern, and Inuyasha followed her gaze to the gaping hole in the middle of Midoriko's chest. "After battling for seven days and nights, a demon got its fangs into her. With the last of her energy, she reached within her own body for strength, and seized the demon's soul, taking it into her own. In the process, both souls were forced from her body."

Miroku gazed at Midoriko with new eyes. Not a stone carving then, but the petrified remains of a gruesome final battle. With him and Kikyo, there had been no visible marks left on their bodies from the souls stolen from each other. He couldn't imagine such a violent act as to leave so prominent a wound. He shuddered at the thought, and Inuyasha took a step closer to him.

"The hole in her chest was from forcing out her soul?" he asked, just to be sure.

"What flew out of her was the Shikon Jewel," Sango said mildly. "She wasn't able to purify the demon's soul. All she could do was seize and imprison it along with her own. Although the flesh is gone, inside the Jewel, a battle still wages between Midoriko and the demons. That's why the fight isn't over yet."

Miroku's hand clutched at the Jewel hidden safely inside his robes. It made sense, in a way. The turmoil in the Jewel was reflected in the destruction it wrought.

"Heh! It's not like this complicates things," Inuyasha drawled. "We just have to worry about hunting down the shards and getting them before Naraku does. Once we complete the Jewel, I'm gonna use it to become a full-fledged demon, and then Midoriko can rest in peace!"

Miroku caught the frown flashing across Sango's face. He couldn't say he blamed her. Inuyasha turned with a huff and stalked out of the cave, and the others had no choice but to follow him. At the mouth of the cave, they found Myoga angrily hopping up and down and shouting at them. It seemed that Midoriko had prevented those she deemed unworthy from entering. Myoga was not pleased at that assessment.

That evening, Miroku took up his customary position beside Sango's bed while Inuyasha resumed his post on the roof. Though Sango was exhausted from the exertions of the day, she didn't sleep.

"My people have worked as slayers for generation upon generation," she mused, playing with Kirara's ears. "And it likely has something to do with Midoriko's influence. Over the centuries, the Jewel passed through the hands of several humans and demons, and returned here in my grandfather's time. He and many others were slain fighting a demon that possessed it. The Jewel was recovered but it had been defiled, and the slayers did not possess the means to handle it safely."

"So they entrusted it to a priestess, Kikyo," Miroku added thoughtfully.

"Kikyo?" Sango asked. "Was she the one with the ability to purify the Jewel?"

Miroku nodded slowly, knowing that Inuyasha was listening in from above. "Yes, but Naraku found her and killed her."

"In the presence of evil, the Jewel becomes defiled. When a pure-hearted soul possesses it, the Jewel transforms and becomes pure." Sango glanced at him, sorrow in her eyes. "Yet from the little I've seen, the former is far more common."

"It's all very complicated," Miroku sighed. "Despite having the capacity for good or evil, I've never heard of an instance where the Jewel has been used for good. And as long as Naraku is after it, there will only be more bloodshed. We must put an end to the Jewel's bad karma." He looked up at the ceiling. "Nothing good can come of those who seek to use the Jewel for selfish gain."

Inuyasha glared into the sky. Miroku was wrong. Kikyo had said that turning him into a human would use up the Jewel's power, so turning him into a demon would do the same. That would stop the karma or whatever it was Miroku was going on about. First, though, he needed to kill Naraku. That was his main goal.

Miroku didn't sleep well that night. He felt uneasy, as though something ominous lurked in the air. He couldn't relax, so he started to meditate. Slowly, his muscles unwound enough for sleep, though some part of him remained alert. With his mind so open, he felt the energy of the world prickle along his skin and curl around his mind. That was why he didn't notice the gentle tug, the almost imperceptible shift in weight, and the patter of tiny paws. When a tremor shook the earth, he jumped to his feet in an instant. His first instinct was to check on the others. His second was to feel for the Jewel shards around his neck.

Inuyasha jumped down from the roof, claws at the ready. He heard Miroku's steps fast approaching. "What was that tremor?"

Miroku shot straight past him. "Shards are gone! Something in the cave!"

Inuyasha swore and took off after him. They both passed through the barrier unimpeded and the sounds of a fight rose from deep within the cave. Inuyasha sprang forward, Miroku following close behind. Inuyasha could feel the youki emanating from the cave, and he heard Kirara roaring. He leapt, slicing through the ethereal form of the youki that emerged from the stone figures and had wrapped around Kirara. He heard Miroku approaching from his right and sensed the other spirits in the cave starting to stir. The presence of the Jewel must have reawakened them.

"Hurry, Miroku!"

The monk scrabbled through the rocks, eyes darting around for the telling pink glow. "Found it!" He glanced over the shifting spirits of the demons. "I cannot linger here with the shards. I _have _to leave the cave."

He sounded like he was trying to convince himself as much as the others. Inuyasha wasn't having it. "_Go!_" If another of those monstrous demons was going to wake up, then Miroku would be far out of reach. He held Tessaiga at the ready, waiting to see what else would stir. Nothing did. The light from the Jewel began to fade, and the glow of the stone disappeared. Once Miroku's footsteps faded from the cave, he breathed a sigh of relief and sheathed his sword. He narrowed his eyes as his gaze landed on Kirara, stalking over to the twin-tail's flank. She may have been the one fighting, but there was only one creature stupid enough to pull a move like that. Sure enough, his fingers combed through the fur at her side and revealed a quivering flea demon.

"Oh, it's you!" Myoga exclaimed, trying and failing to sound pleased to see him. "Thank goodness you came, Master! And thank goodness nothing too serious happened, eh?"

"Aw, cut the shit, will ya?" he growled, fishing the flea from her fur. "Why'd you drag the shards out to a place like this in the middle of the night?"

"I was asleep on Kirara's back and before I knew it, she had taken me here!"

Kirara let out the most offended-sounding growl Inuyasha had ever heard. "You liar!"

"It's true!" Myoga insisted. "And when we got here, all the youkai that still lived reacted and revived with the light from the Jewel!"

"I coulda told you that would happen, idiot!" Inuyasha huffed. "Tryin' to smooth over the fact that you were nearly killed. Heh! I should never've bothered saving you."

He marched out of the cave to where Miroku stood waiting. He sniffed over the monk instinctively, catching the scent of the others as he did so. Thankfully they were safe. As stupid as Myoga was, he was pack, and pack needed to be protected. They'd be having words later. For now, he wanted to check on the others. "Everything alright?"

Miroku nodded. "Jewel's fine and no one died, so no harm done. I take it Myoga was behind this?"

"Lying little parasite. I don't know why I bother keeping him around."

"Come on," the monk prodded, throwing an arm over his shoulders. "Let's go back to bed."

As Miroku sat down next to Sango and filled her in on what had occurred, he noticed that Kirara hadn't come back with them. He reached out with his mind and felt her presence in the cave, seemingly peaceful. He wondered if fighting demons was the only thing that the slayer village had inherited from Midoriko. He knew that demons could live for hundreds of years, maybe more. Perhaps there had been a guardian here, after all.


	27. Chapter 27: s1e27

Warnings for this chapter: mild swearing, discussions of revenge and mourning, references to and attempted child sacrifice

* * *

They gathered around the fire Miroku had built, waiting for Inuyasha and Kirara to come back with fish from the nearby river. Sango ran her fingers through Shippo's hair, untangling the knots that had formed there since who-knows-how-long ago. Miroku sat across from her, appearing to meditate. Myoga had disappeared two days earlier to find what information he could about Naraku. Sango regretted letting him go.

It wasn't that she didn't want to journey with Miroku and Inuyasha, or that she thought their mission was unimportant. There was simply less…direction than she'd anticipated. It was their first day of travel, and they had set out bright and early to the direction Shippo had chosen because he was chasing a butterfly. Throughout the day they had followed the path of the river, and made camp when they were tired. It wasn't as though their methods were unsuccessful – the large chunk of Jewel which hung from Miroku's neck attested to their achievements – but Sango was used to hunting down the issue and solving it within three days, tops. The prospect of facing down months or even years for revenge honestly frightened her. She didn't know if she could last that long.

She looked up to see violet eyes surveying her through the fire. She held his gaze evenly. "Is this what it's usually like on your travels?"

His face broke into one of those dazzling smiles that she couldn't tell how real they were. "Much of this, unfortunately. It was significantly busier shortly after the Jewel broke, when the shards were being newly discovered and problems were popping up across the countryside. Now, most of the shards are in the possession of those who know how to be discreet." He must have seen her face fall, because he shrugged. "Supposedly, others are collecting the shards just as we are. That means fewer opponents to track down."

"And Naraku," she prompted. "He's seeking the Jewel as well?"

"Mm. He wants it to be tainted by malice first, but yes."

"And what about you?" Sango asked cautiously, adjusting the bow in Shippo's hair. "Why do you want to collect it? You seem to be against using it, though I'm not sure about Inuyasha."

Miroku nodded, a flash of apprehension crossing his face before a neutral mask descended. "He has wanted to use the Jewel for many years – it's somewhat complicated. As for myself, I originally sought the Jewel's power before realizing the harm it could do. I continued to pursue it after it broke because…" His eyes darted away and he grimaced. "I may have…unfortunately…beentheonewhobrokeit."

Sango blinked. "You what?"

"It was entirely accidental," he rushed. "And there were demons and children in danger and unfortunate timing involved."

He shrunk back slightly from her blank stare. Eventually she shook her head, a wry smile forming on her lips. "Everyone in my village thought some powerful demon must have done it, especially since it had disappeared so long ago. No one knew what caused it to resurface."

He grinned sheepishly. "Ah, yes, that was me as well." Her eyebrows shot up. "A story for another time, perhaps."

She was still staring incredulously at him when Inuyasha and Kirara returned. He eyed them both suspiciously before grabbing the sticks Shippo had gathered and skewering the several fish he carried to roast by the fire. Shippo scurried over and eagerly started helping. Kirara blinked at Sango but surprisingly stayed by Inuyasha's side, watching over Shippo and the various proceedings. Kirara's trust in the odd group was, admittedly, one of Sango's primary reasons for agreeing to go with them. Miroku seemed like a decent enough person, but she was still unsure about Inuyasha. She would just have to keep on her guard and make sure they were tracking down the Jewel for the right reasons. Besides, having a hanyou as an ally would be beneficial, especially when facing down Naraku. He wouldn't get away again.

Miroku leaned against a tree with Inuyasha by his side, looking over their strange group. For their first journey together, it hadn't gone terribly, but there had been an undeniable tension in the air all day. Neither Inuyasha nor Sango had said more than five words, none of which were to each other, and he hadn't missed how Sango had a hand on one of her weapons at all times. He glanced over at Inuyasha, who had his hands tucked in his sleeves and his eyes closed. Only his ears, which followed every sound that drifted through the forest, indicated that he was still awake.

Eventually, the hanyou opened his eyes and nodded slowly at Miroku, glancing significantly at Sango. The slayer lay with her back to them, and Miroku guessed she must finally have drifted off to sleep. She had been clearly exhausted by the day's travel with her still-healing wound, but Miroku wasn't surprised that she had been hesitant to actually fall asleep. He found himself relaxing in turn, leaning deeper against the tree.

"She's not going to last long like that," Inuyasha murmured, crossing his arms firmly.

"She's healing," Miroku countered. "Travelling is never easy while wounded."

"I'm not talking about her wounds," Inuyasha shook his head. "She was wound tight as a bow all day, and she's not relaxed even when she's asleep. She's gonna run herself ragged long before we find this castle." He glanced over at Miroku. "The woman needs to kill something."

Miroku sighed, looking up at the stars through the canopy of trees. "I suppose our pace might be a bit slow for her. Finding Naraku is going to be no easy task, though."

"We've faced him twice since we found out he was back," Inuyasha argued, a bit of heat rising in his voice. "He obviously wants us dead as well, or he wouldn't keep seeking us out. Once we find this stupid castle, we'll be able to track him down and be rid of him once and for all."

Glancing unintentionally at his covered right hand, Miroku couldn't find it in him to argue. Instead, he shot Inuyasha a smile. "It's certainly a fair difference from when we started out. We actually know what we're doing, now."

Inuyasha snorted. "Wouldn't go _that _far." His eyes softened as he looked over Shippo and Kirara, curled up together on top of Sango's side. "Different isn't bad, though."

The next few days brought little success, though. Despite searching practically every area within a day's ride of the slayer's village, they found nothing. On the third day, Shippo volunteered to scout the area. Miroku was hesitant to let him go, but Inuyasha urged the kit off. He was already pissed at the situation. It had been fifteen days since Sango left the castle with the Naraku puppet. Since then there had been no sign from the demon, and the likelihood of him sitting around waiting for them was slim. Every day that passed had him slipping further through their fingers, and it irked him. He wasn't the only one feeling it, either. Agitation rolled off Sango in waves, and it was putting them all on edge.

"I suppose even a large castle can be difficult to find," Miroku sighed, looking out over the surrounding landscape. "Hopefully Shippo comes back with something."

"He'd better," Inuyasha grumble before looking over at Sango. "And what about you? You sticking around?"

"My duty is to slay Naraku and repair the Shikon Jewel," Sango replied flatly, her eyes hard. "No matter how long it takes."

After sending Inuyasha a questioning look – which he staunchly ignored – Miroku knelt down in front of Sango. "It's possible that we may not find Naraku for some time. I know you're hungry for revenge, but you must pace yourself. We will come across him sooner or later if we keep collecting the Jewel shards." He shifted slightly, earnest sincerity in his eyes. "Please believe me. I understand how you feel."

Sango looked back at him, reading something in his expression. She nodded curtly and looked away. Miroku smiled tightly and retreated. Inuyasha remained skeptical. Hopefully they would be able to work together until they came across that monster. Then, they wouldn't stop until that bastard was dead. Before that, though, there was no use in running themselves ragged. There were plenty of other battles to fight in the meantime.

"Shippo!" Miroku called out in greeting as the bulbous pink globe of the fox floated toward them. "What were you able to see out there?"

The kit transformed and dropped to the ground, out of breath but waving his arm eagerly in the direction from which he'd come. "There's a large lake just over that hill to the north, and there's a _huge_ shrine right in the middle of it!"

"A shrine?" Inuyasha asked, ears pricked. "Is it Naraku's castle?"

Sango salt bolt upright beside him and Miroku sighed inwardly. It wasn't that he wasn't pleased at the possible discovery – _obviously_ he wanted to find Naraku as well – but they'd just relaxed on the issue. They climbed onto Kirara's back and followed Shippo's directions. When it became clear that there was a town surrounding the lake, they set down just outside its borders.

It was difficult not to stare at the devastation of the surrounding countryside. Uprooted trees littered the muddy ground amongst the remnants of broken houses and ruined crops. Farmers worked sullenly to till the ground and clear away debris, but Inuyasha could hear the disheartened mutterings and occasional swears. Apparently this wasn't the first time something like this had happened in the region. The devastation only grew the closer they got to the lake, and a prickling sensation began crawling up the back of Inuyasha's neck.

"Must've been a flood," Miroku commented, his eyes flashing over the destitute nature of many of the farmers.

The chiming of a bell sounded through the air, drawing their attention to a solemn procession across the ruined field. A collection of more than a dozen men walked in a line, sporting white banners and carrying an ornamented mikoshi between them, the portable shrine made of rich red silks. Inuyasha narrowed his eyes and craned his neck to get a better view. He had a bad feeling about this.

"There it is, then," one of the nearby farmers remarked wanly.

"It was a devastating flood this year," another agreed. "I pray the sacrifice will save us."

"I wonder whose child it is?" a third whispered mournfully.

"A child sacrifice?" Inuyasha spluttered, recoiling even as his companions' heartrates spiked in unison.

"That's utterly barbaric!" Miroku gasped, glancing back at him to confirm that yes, they were going to do something about this.

Inuyasha growled. And they said that demons were bad… He left the others standing on the road and jumped across the field, coming to a rest on the back of the mikoshi as one of the men was pleading for the Headman to reconsider his decision. Probably not the child's father, based on the lack of screaming and crying, but at least someone was against killing kids.

"Why do you even ask?" the Headman said, resigned. "It is only natural we give up our firstborn to protect the town."

"What's natural about that?" Inuyasha asked casually, eyeing one of his new least favourite people. "This sacrifice is for your water god? I bet it's just some demon hyped-up through the power of a Jewel shard." He hopped down in front of the flabbergasted procession. "Don't even bother hiding it from us."

"Who are you?" the Headman asked haughtily, looking him up and down.

A series of murmurs rose from the rest of the procession, commenting on his ears and eyes and claws. Inuyasha ignored them with practiced ease and focused his attention back on the irritated Headman.

"Listen well," the main was saying. "This is a peaceful town protected by a great Water God! Demons are not welcome here!"

"You talkin' to me?" Inuyasha growled, leaning into the man's space.

"Stop it!" a commanding voice sounded from behind him, and Inuyasha sighed and allowed Miroku to step up beside him. "Our company is not hostile! Our mission is to travel around the country and assist those who are in need of help." Inuyasha barely resisted rolling his eyes at the monk's silky smooth tones. "We've heard of your misfortune. If you allow me, I will exorcise your town."

"Are you really that powerful?" one of the men asked.

"I think an exorcism is an excellent idea!" another added.

"Silence!" the Headman commanded, and Inuyasha's ears flicked back in response. "Don't be so easily deceived. They are conniving imposters!"

Miroku's lips pressed together and Inuyasha hid a snort. The humour quickly died as the first man continued. "I beg of you, Headman. At least hear what they have to say!"

"If we indulge the whims of conmen and rely on their trickery only to raise the ire of the Water God, who knows what else might befall our town," the Headman shook his head. "How can I justify angering the Water God with a false exorcism when it's my son's turn to be sacrificed?"

Miroku rocked back as though struck and Inuyasha instantly bared his teeth. What the _hell?_

"How can I risk undoing all the sacrifices made by all the children who went before him?" the Headman continued, looking _far_ too calm for the situation. Inuyasha eyed him incredulously. Was the man insane?

Miroku felt someone watching him, and out of the corner of his eye, caught a small masked face peering out from the flaps of the mikoshi. Was that the child sacrifice? Though he couldn't make out any features under the clay mask, it was obvious from the boy's tiny frame that he was still very young – not that it mattered, when people were being sacrificed. It only served to fuel his ire at the Headman.

"We must deliver the sacrifice before the sun sets," the Headman ordered his followers. "Hurry up! Continue the procession!"

Inuyasha and Miroku stepped to the side of the road to where the others were waiting as the men continued past them. They watched them go with matching stony expressions. Inuyasha didn't need to see Sango's hand on her sword or Miroku's white-knuckled grip on his staff to know how they felt about the affair. Shippo, meanwhile, was not quite up to speed with the situation.

"The guy with the mustache is weird," he said decisively, looking after the procession. "I don't trust him."

"He's acting as though he wants his son to be sacrificed!" Inuyasha spat.

"He was strangely upset with our interference," Miroku mused, looking thoughtful.

"Well, I guess we move on and let 'em dunk the kid," Inuyasha grumbled, not happy about the situation.

Miroku turned to look at him with narrowed eyes. "Try again."

Inuyasha crossed his arms. "We to a job that we don't want to do for people who told us not to."

"Closer."

"Fine!" he sighed, throwing his hands and marching off after the procession. "We'll be heroes. Damn!"

"Are you serious?" a voice sounded from the flooded ditch beside them.

Inuyasha decidedly did _not _jump. He stared incredulously at the small boy, who wore a woven straw mino and was poking his head up to the road. The boy turned and began running down a nearby path which cut across the fields, yelling back "Follow me! Hey, you wanna be left behind?"

"Bossy kid," Inuyasha commented, taking the lead as they followed him.

He led them to a forested area at the edge of the town, not saying another word all the while. Finally, he reached a particular area behind a large tree, from behind which he pulled a bundle of items wrapped haphazardly in a blanket. The boy let everything drop to the ground, a collection of coins, rolls of silk, ceramics and other items.

"You can have 'em," the boy said as Miroku and Sango examined the goods. "Take your pick."

"What is this garbage?" Inuyasha asked, eyeing the kid rather than the junk.

"Ooh!" Miroku exclaimed delightedly, turning over a beautifully painted pot in his hands. "There are some valuable articles here."

"I've never seen such fine silk before," Sango added, running her hands over a light blue spool.

"You done choosing?" the boy asked impatiently. "Good! Then consider yourself hired!"

"Whaddya mean, hired?" Inuyasha grumbled, glancing between the boy and his wayward humans.

"I heard you bragging to the townspeople – coming to people's aid is your mission – so I want you to live up to your reputation." He glared at each of them in turn with a fierce expression. "You're working for me now to destroy the Water God. Got it?"

Miroku and Sango exchanged a glance while Inuyasha stalked up to the boy, looking him up and down. The boy held his gaze evenly, even though he could smell the fear rolling off him. Feisty little thing. He bared his teeth and the boy shrunk back a bit.

"Fine, we'll do it, but we ain't working for you. Got it? You tell us what we need to know, and then we take care of things and you stay out of the way."

"Whatever," the kid huffed, crossing his arms. "This way."

Miroku hurriedly gathered the most choice looking items and stuffed them into his robes and Sango's waiting carrying cloth. Inuyasha eyes them both with distain. "These are stolen goods. I just know it!"

"That's none of our concern," Miroku replied easily, shoving a handful of coins into his robes before following after the boy.

They followed him through a reedy marsh to the edge of the lake. "The human sacrifice is taken to the shrine on a boat. So, we'll follow the boat and attack it when the Water God surfaces to devour him."

Miroku eyed the boy skeptically. "And whose child are you? Why do you care so deeply for this sacrifice?"

"Humph!" the boy scoffed, looking away. "My family is none of your business."

"Is that because you're the son of the Headman?" Miroku asked easily, smiling knowingly when the boy balked. "You have the same eyebrows and forehead."

"And the same attitude," Inuyasha grumbled under his breath.

"So the boy in the procession was an imposter?" Sango asked, tucking the goods safely against a tree.

"Yes," the boy said. "My name is Taromaru, and I'm the Headman's firstborn."

"And you're so eager to do this because…?" Inuyasha prompted.

"The Water God started demanding human sacrifices from our town about half a year ago. We've had heavy rains and flooding. The Water God said that in order to lift the curse, a human sacrifice was necessary. A child was selected when a white arrow landed on the roof of his home. Father would always say to bear the loss for the sake of the town, but when the arrow landed on our roof, he told me to go and hide."

"So he found another child to take your place, and meanwhile you're in hiding," Inuyasha concluded, grimacing.

"What a selfish man," Miroku shook his head.

"I agree with you there."

"Though, I imagine that explains why you want to save him," Miroku added, sympathy colouring his voice.

"He's one of my best friends," Taromaru nodded. "We grew up together. There's no way I'm going to let him take my place."

"Well, I hope you have a boat," Sango said, folding her travel clothes on the roots of the tree next to the goods. She hoisted Hiraikotsu over her shoulder and smoothed out her armour. "That demon has to be exterminated. I have a reputation to uphold, after all." She glanced at Inuyasha and Miroku. "I'll take care of the Water God by myself."

"You're still recovering," Inuyasha instantly countered. "Stop trying to act so tough, you show-off! I bet you can't even lift that heavy weapon over your head yet."

"Is that a challenge?" Sango growled, her eyes narrowing.

Inuyasha smirked, rolling up his sleeves. "Bring it on, anytime!"

"We all received payment for our services," Miroku pointed out, stepping in between the two. "So, let's band together and finish the job, and you two can try to kill each other later." He paused. "Again."

Inuyasha harrumphed and turned his back on the pair, only to have Shippo tug insistently on his sleeve. "You should really stop trying to pick a fight with everybody," the kit advised solemnly.

"Tell that to her, not me!" Inuyasha snapped, shaking the kit off and making no effort to lower his voice. "She's the one trying to shirk the rest of the team."

Sango scowled and looked away. She could hear Miroku murmuring something to Inuyasha, but she ignored them. She wasn't trying to be difficult, and it wasn't that she didn't trust the others – though, she had to admit, that was part of it. Her team had been her family, and she didn't know if she was ready to let that go just yet. She would work with Inuyasha and Miroku, with Kirara faithfully by her side as ever, but it wouldn't be the same.

Taromaru did indeed have a boat for them to use. He also insisted on coming with them. At first they were adamantly against this plan, but every moment they spent arguing had the child sacrifice coming closer to death. As Inuyasha scolded the boy for being pushy and warned him to run and hide from any danger, Miroku exchanged quiet words with Sango. If the battle turned or there was simply too much risk, she and Kirara would take Shippo and Taromaru and drop them off somewhere safe.

While Sango rode on Kirara's back, the twin-tail swimming strongly through the water, the others followed on the boat. The lake was cold and covered in mist, growing ever darker as dusk fell. Taromaru explained that the Water God had demanded the sacrifice be delivered just before sunset. They pushed along, quickly but quietly, not wanting to alert whatever was inside to their presence.

"There's the Water God's shrine gate," Taromaru whispered, and Miroku adjusted their course accordingly.

"That's the shrine I saw this afternoon," Shippo breathed, glancing back at Miroku with wide eyes.

For his part, Miroku kept his gaze fixed ahead of them. The whole place had a sinister air surrounding it, and the ever-thicker fog obscuring their vision didn't help any. They passed through the wooden tori gate and slowly the shrine was revealed. It was incredibly large, as Shippo had described, with covered hallways stretching out to either side. Two lanterns cut through the mist with a warm yellow glow, guiding them in to the entrance. Sango looked over her shoulder and caught Miroku's eye, pointing to a small boat docked just outside the shrine. He nodded in agreement. The child sacrifice had already entered. They had to move fast.

Two youkai stood outside the doors to the shrine, holding trident yari spears. Taromaru ducked down in the boat, telling them to hide with a fierce whisper. Inuyasha rolled his eyes at the kid and jumped from the boat. He kicked one of the guards in the face before landing, punching the other out cold. They both went down too easily to have ever seen a real challenge. Inuyasha snorted in derision and kicked them both out of the way before punching through the wooden doors.

"Is he ever strong!" Taromaru breathed, staring in awe.

Miroku winked at Sango. "And oh, so subtle."

"So very subtle," she agreed, climbing off Kirara and catching the bow of their boat to bring it in.

Inuyasha crept through the shrine, ears pricked for a young human heartbeat. The place stank of demon and fish, leaving an awful taste in his mouth. Soft voices filtered through the thin walls, followed by a frightened child's cry. Inuyasha ran, shoving aside the various guards that appeared to try and stop them. He was gratified to see Hiraikotsu and Miroku's staff flashing out of the corner of his eyes, covering his sides. They burst into the room in time to see a youkai holding up a child by his face with an incredibly long arm. A collection of fishy-looking guards stood between them, but Inuyasha wasn't interested in stopping. He battered them to the side, trusting the others to take care of them and focusing on reaching the child before it was too late.

"The guards are fish and crabs under a spell!" Miroku shouted after him, and Inuyasha spared a glance to see a fish flopping out of a guard's clothes, covered on foam.

The supposed water god's eyes narrowed as Inuyasha came to a stop in front of him, the child still suspended in the air. "Did I interrupt dinner?" he asked, reaching for Tessaiga.

"Master Taro?" the child mumbled through the youkai's hand, his arms flapping ineffectually through the air as he struggled to gain purchase.

"Suekichi!" Taromaru shouted, scrambling off Kirara's back and stumbling forward. Inuyasha caught him easily by the scruff of the neck.

"Calm down," he advised harshly, holding the struggling boy back.

"You're dressed like a dirty urchin," the youkai remarked, eyeing him. "But you are the Headman's son, aren't you?"

"That's right!" the idiot responded fiercely. "Now that you've got me, release Suekichi! I am the real human sacrifice."

Inuyasha shot Miroku an exasperated look over his shoulder. He lifted the boy up with a sneer. "Why'd you hire us if you're just gonna throw yourself at him?"

He threw the boy back for Miroku to catch and leapt forward, aiming Tessaiga for the youkai's head. Instead, he was met with the clash of metal as the water god's Trident stopped his sword midair. A powerful force rippled from the Trident, sending him flying back. He landed hard on the ground and Tessaiga pulsed once before transforming back, leaving not even the faint golden glow of its power behind.

"A petty demon sword like yours is no match for the power of the Trident of Amakoi!" the water god pronounced, holding the golden Trident aloft with a glowing blue light. "You have committed a grave crime in defacing my shrine. You will pay for this with your lives!"

Water filled the room, submerging all of them in a gigantic wave. It took a moment for Inuyasha to register the danger they were in. The currents were taking them all in different directions, dragging them away to who knows where. There was no telling which way was up, and it was hard to see what was going on through the dark churning waters. Inuyasha scrambled for purchase and his hand hit something solid – the ground! Well, at least he knew which way was up, and he clung on to the rocks with all his might. He saw Miroku with Shippo clinging to his robes use a few strong kicks to reach the Headman's son. He clutched the boy to his chest and his eyes met Inuyasha's. They were being carried quickly away from him. He had to do something! Just as he pushed off from the rocks, something slammed painfully into his back and he cried out, valuable air disappearing in bubbles floating away. He felt himself sinking, the pressure around him building ever stronger, and the edges of his vision turned black.

Miroku clung to the boy. He had no idea where they were going, but he guessed that Taromaru's chances would be better with him than floating alone in the water. He'd lost sight of Sango, Kirara, and the other boy, and silently prayed that they were safe. His lungs began to burn, crying out for air, but the powerful waters were moving too fast for him to have any say in where they were going. Inuyasha might be able to navigate the currents, but- The image of Inuyasha speeding to the lake floor with a boulder weighing him down flashed before his eyes. Even as he clutched Taromaru closer to his chest, he cast out with his mind, finding the nenju beads at the edge of his consciousness. He tugged sharply, remembering how it had pulled Inuyasha off balance before. He had no idea whether it would be enough to pull him free from the boulder's grasp, or even if Inuyasha needed help, but it was all he could do.

The current tugged them sharply in one direction, then suddenly they were crashing to the ground in the shrine again. Miroku gasped for air, the sudden rush making him lightheaded. A wild glance saw Shippo coughing and gulping down air, the Headman's son stirring, and the false water god glowing in anger. Part of Miroku was screaming for him to find a way back into the water, to find where Inuyasha had been taken, but he knew that he had to protect the children from this demon. He didn't know how well dog demons could swim, but he had to trust in Inuyasha's strength and overwhelming stubbornness.

With the water god so close to him, the overwhelming youkai washed over him, but there was no accompanying Jewel shard. Disappointing, but it meant that they could fight unrestricted. He watched the other boy – Suekichi, Taromaru had called him – grab hold of a tōrō and swing the floor lamp at the demon, only to be seized and flung to the ground. He needed help. Miroku had never slapped a demon with a wet sutra before, but there was a first time for everything. It ended up being two or three of them, stuck together in a wad, that he chucked at the demon's face. The demon blocked them, but his arm transformed, changing back into something wriggling and slimy. Miroku followed it with a whack to the head with his staff, buying him enough time to pick up Suekichi and run back to the others. Shippo was smacking the Headman's son, trying to get him to respond. Miroku didn't have a chance to see if the boy was alive or not-

"Suekichi!" Taromaru exclaimed.

Mystery solved. The boys crawled toward each other but there was no time for a touching reunion. Miroku steered both of them out the doors, needing to get them to safety if he was to face the false god alone. The demon was already clambering to his feet, his eyes glowing red. He shepherded the boys and Shippo towards the boathouse, casting a frantic gaze around the lake as he did so. There was no sign of the others. He had no idea where the waters may have brought them, or what condition they were in. Suddenly, stranded in the middle of the fog-covered lake, cold and in the dark, he felt very alone.

When Inuyasha came to, he was surrounding by fish. It wasn't his favourite way to wake up, but better than not waking up at all. His head felt too heavy for his neck and his chest burned with fire. Hands grasped him by the shoulders and began dragging him out of the water. They turned him on his side, and suddenly his instinct kicked in. He coughed and hacked, expelling a good chunk of the lake from his lungs. His vision blurred and was fading in and out, and he tried to focus on breathing. His muscles were shaking from the strain of fighting against the current and the boulder, exacerbated by his chest-rattling coughs. He could vaguely make out voices around him, and tried to focus on the words.

"The Water God is nothing but an imposter!"

"He used to be a simple water sprite like us and lived here in the lake, but he resorted to trickery to gain power."

"He sealed the real Water God in the craggy rock over there."

"Then he took the Trident of Amakoi and with a great declaration, fooled the townspeople into thinking _he_ was the water god!"

Inuyasha's eyes snapped open. Sango was leaning over him, talking to some fish, who had been talking back. He scrambled to his feet and growled. Sango's hands were at his back, helping him upright. The two fish, or water sprites or whatever, were looking at them with their beady little eyes.

"The fuck?" he asked eloquently. The sprites kept staring at him, and he supposed he owed them thanks for saving him, but honestly he couldn't be bothered.

"Inuyasha, you're alive!" Sango smiled grimly. "Good. Come on, we need to rescue the real Water God."

"Not on your life." He tore his arm from her grasp. "Miroku's facing that demon alone!"

And with that he took off, back to the shrine where he could hear Miroku's rapid heartbeat.

Miroku crouched inside the small room of the boathouse, praying that the sutra he had slapped on the door would be enough to hide them from the water god, at least until he could figure out a more permanent solution. The boys huddled close to him, shaking and terrified. Shippo had his face pressed to the bottom of the door, listening intently.

"The footsteps have stopped," the fox whispered, not taking his eyes from the gap of the door.

Creaking wood was his only warning before the hut shattered under the force of the demon's constrictions. Miroku had a hand on the back of each boy's head, pressing their faces into the ground as he shielded their bodies with his own as best he could. Shippo had buried underneath him.

"I will destroy you first, monk," the voice of the water god sounded from behind him.

A tentacle wrapped around his leg, knocking him off balance and dragging him away from the boys. He looked up to see the Trident coming straight at his chest and he braced for impact. Instead there was a grunt and a clang, and a very pissed-off looking Inuyasha standing over him.

"Inuyasha!" he gasped out, unable to keep the relieved smile from his face despite the dire situation.

"You alright?" Inuyasha asked, dragging him to his feet and quickly glancing over him. Tessaiga had transformed back from the strike and he shoved it back in its sheath before tugging Miroku a little closer.

"The demon's trying to eat the children," Miroku admitted.

"The real Water God's sealed in a rock. Sango's heading towards it."

"Trade?"

"Trade!"

With that, Miroku took off down the walkway, yelling back "No Jewel shard!"

"Damn it!" echoed back to him and he grinned.

He ran to the end of the walkway, coming to a stop to a splashing sound. He saw Sango riding Kirara just a little ways away. "Sango!"

"Miroku, you're still alive?" she called out as Kirara angled towards him.

"Somehow! Can I get a ride?"

Kirara paddled over, coming to a stop parallel to the end of the walkway. He lowered himself into the water before clambering onto her back, his sodden robes a dead weight. Kirara sunk a little deeper into the water and huffed in indignation, and Miroku wrapped his arms automatically around Sango's waist.

"Hold on," she warned as Kirara set out again. "You're letting Inuyasha deal with the demon alone? What about the children?"

"He'll take care of them," Miroku assured. "Don't worry about Inuyasha in that respect. He can handle the demon and he won't let the boys die."

"You sure?" Sango glanced back at him, concern written over her face. "I get that he's strong, but he doesn't seem to care much for unfamiliar humans."

"He's not usually so hostile to be around, but I'm guessing that it's his way of having sympathy for you." He smirked at her incredulous glance and rushed to explain. "He thinks that fighting will ease your pain, and that's why he's acting so aggressive. He's seeking vengeance for you." Sango was staring at him, maybe reading the fond note in his voice. He shrugged, nonchalant. "Or he could just be having a bad two weeks. I don't know."

They landed at a rocky mound rising from the waters of the lake. The tallest of the rocks, which rose far above their heads, was bound with a shimenawa seal. Dozens of craggy outcrops formed dozens of possible caves.

"Which one, do you think?" Sango asked, eyeing them all. Time didn't appear to be on their side, and she'd rather not chance angering a God with their tardiness.

"It has to be around here somewhere," Miroku reasoned, moving closer to the main rock.

"Is someone there?" a young, feminine voice sounded from one of the rocks.

"A young woman?" Sango asked Miroku quietly, exchanging a confused glance.

"Who's there?" the voice demanded, haughtier this time.

"Oh, I see!" Miroku said suddenly, standing taller. "Water God, we're here to save you!"

"Just hurry up and unseal this save and set me free!"

"Right away!"

Miroku bowed before peering closer at the rocks. Sango could just make out a worn sutra covering the unnaturally flat surface of a nearby boulder. Miroku shot her a tight grin and reached for the seal, pulling it back with a wave of spiritual power. Warm light burst from the newly revealed cave, causing them both to step back. Sango covered her eyes and was mildly alarmed to find Miroku pressing against her, placing his back to the cave and shielding her with his body. She pushed him away and he went easily, turning back to the Water God's cave.

"Hello?" Miroku asked tentatively when no one appeared. "Goddess?"

"In here!" the voice directed them, and they obediently moved closer. A tiny woman the height of Sango's palm crouched inside a cave that was somehow lit from the inside. She looked human enough except for her pointed ears and striking beauty. There was also an aura of power around her that could only be ascribed to the kami, powerful in a way no other youkai were. Beside her, Miroku shifted uneasily.

"You're so beautiful but so tiny!" he breathed. "It would be a first for me, but I'm certainly willing to give it a try."

"Try what?" Sango asked in disbelief. After the stunned horror of his suggestion wore off, she was almost impressed with his gall of flirting with a God, though it didn't quite make up for how wildly inappropriate the whole thing was. Was he even serious? She honestly couldn't tell.

Inuyasha gathered up the kids and shoved them away from the demon. Shippo squirmed out from under his hand, pointing frantically down the walkway. "Hey, the water god is escaping!"

"Where are you, you bastard?" Inuyasha shouted before turning back to his charges. "Shippo, get the boys outta here! Head towards Miroku and Sango."

He ran to the edge of the walkway, peering out over the water. A dark form crashed into the walkway from below, splitting the wood and clamping down on one of his legs. He was dragged into the water, the coils of the water god sliding around him as he took his true form, that of a giant water snake. He slammed the coils away from his body and fought his way to the surface, gasping in a breath before being dragged under once more. Slashing at the snake with his claws made the demon rear back, enough for him to claw his way back to the surface. The water god surfaced in front of him, still maintaining a human-like appearance above the waist.

"You're no god," Inuyasha spat. "And without that trident, you're back to the bottom of the food chain."

He slapped the snake's coils to the side and leapt from them into the air, past the head of the water god as he struck. But the demon's tail was still wrapped around his leg and it dragged him back into the water again, this time bringing him down, down, deeper into the depths. The body of the demon wrapped tightly around him, squeezing the air and life out of him. His struggling slowed as darkness began to seep across his vision. He was going to die! Then Shippo would be in real danger, and those stupid kids would die, and- What was that? Two more heartbeats- Miroku and Sango!

"Shippo!" Miroku shouted, seeing the fox and the two boys huddled outside the remains of the boathouse. Neither Inuyasha nor the false water god were anywhere to be seen. "Are you alright? What are you doing here? Where's Inuyasha?"

"He told us to run, but the water god dragged him underwater and he hasn't come up!" Shippo's voice was shrill as he ran over to cling to Miroku's robes.

"Let me down!" the Water God demanded from her perch in Miroku's cupped hands. "I shall subdue this imposter."

"Whatever you say, Goddess," Miroku breathed, gently placing her down on the ground and ignoring the way Shippo's eyes bugged out of his head. Yes, he hadn't been expecting her size either, but it was rude to stare.

The Water God moved to the edge of the walkway and reached for a collection of tiny jewels that hung from one of her ears. She tossed it into the swirling lake, calling out "I command these waters to part!"

Inuyasha glanced up as a powerful pink glow split through the inky blackness at the bottom of the lake. The demon glanced up, fear ripping across his face. Power burst from the source of the light, pushing the waters back in all directions and exposing them to sweet, sweet air. Inuyasha coughed weakly, barely able to catch a breath with the demon's coils still constricting around him.

The waters parted reveal Inuyasha, trapped on the ground in the clutches of false water god. He was pale and his lips were tinged blue, and he weakly pushed away at the demon's body wrapped around him. Miroku immediately ran to the edge of the walkway, preparing to jump down to the rocky lake bed and help. Instead, the Water God's Trident slammed into the walkway, shattering the wood and spraying them all with foam. The false god caught the weapon as it fell and reared back, rising far above their heads.

"I don't know how you freed the Water God, but it doesn't matter," he hissed down at them. "Now _I'm_ the real Water God!"

"She needs the Trident back," Miroku said to Sango as she herded the children away from the edge of the walkway.

"What do you suggest?" she asked, glancing at the demon.

The false god dove for them, preparing to strike with his Trident. Miroku slammed his staff against the walkway, summoning a quick barrier. The snake bounced off it and reeled backwards, almost falling back into the surrounding waters. But he hissed and raised the Trident again, and Miroku knew that even in the best of times, he couldn't hold a barrier against the weapon of a God. The demon prepared to strike again, but was stopped as Inuyasha's claws tore down his sides. He cried out in pain and veered off to the side as Inuyasha clung on tight.

"Kirara!" Sango shouted, jumping off the walkway and trusting the twin-tail to catch her.

Miroku watched as Sango threw her weapon, aiming to slice down the demon's side, only to be blocked by the demon's Trident. He ground his teeth, knowing that he couldn't use his wind tunnel with Inuyasha and Sango so close to the demon. Instead he put himself in front of the children, staff at the ready.

The demon raised the Trident and clouds began swirling into a thunderstorm. A twister formed in the clouds, pulled towards the weapon. Sango ground her teeth and nudged Kirara with her foot to bank left. She threw Hiraikotsu again, but this time it was caught up in the twister that rushed towards them. The force threw her from Kirara, sending them both flying through the air. Sango instinctively flattened her body and spread out her arms and legs, making it as easy as possible for Kirara to catch her again. If she didn't, then Sango would at least be hitting water, but belly-flopping from that distance didn't sound like something she ever wanted to do. A flash from above warned her of more imminent danger. The false god dove for her, the Trident aimed for her exposed back.

"Sango!" Inuyasha shouted, springing from the side of the demon's body to slam into him, shoving the Trident's trajectory away from her as he did so. Kirara circled around, catching Sango and angling them towards the falling Hiraikotsu.

"You okay?" Inuyasha called down, one hand closing around the demon's neck even as he peered down at them. She nodded, both in answer and in thanks, and he turned his attention back to the demon. "I'm tired of looking at your scaly hide, you big faker!"

Pushing the demon's face away from him with one hand, Inuyasha grabbed the Trident and tugged it out of his grasp. The snake demon's tail whipped against him, throwing him off the demon's body and slamming the air from his lungs. He barely caught a hold further down the demon's flank, just in time to see him cast off the last remnants of his disguise, absorbing his limbs and transforming fully into a giant water snake. The demon hissed and struck, his fangs sinking deep into Inuyasha's arm. He heard Sango and Miroku's cries for him mingle into one. Growling, he tore at the demon's eyes with his claws before kicking at the corner of his mouth, trying to pry open his jaws. They both fell back into the water, neither willing to give up the fight.

"The winds're gonna blow the town apart!" Taromaru cried, watching as several twisters travelled ominously across the lake, heading for the houses already damaged by floods.

"Calming a twister is a simple matter," the Goddess remarked coolly from Miroku's hand. "I could do it in my sleep."

Exasperation washed over Miroku, but the Headman's son beat him to a retort. "Then don't just talk about it, do it!"

"I would be happy to, young man," she shot back. "As soon as you retrieve my sacred Trident."

Inuyasha and the demon burst from the water together, the hanyou's arm still locked in the snake's jaws. He shot a feral grin at them before punching the demon's face again. "Inuyasha!" Miroku called after him.

"Don't worry! It'll take more than this pathetic reptile to get rid of me!"

"We need the Trident or the town will be destroyed!"

Well, fine then. Never a dull moment. The demon dropped them both back into the water and he kicked against his jaws several times, finally struggling free. Inuyasha broke the surface and threw the Trident over at Miroku. "Here! Take the stupid thing!"

The serpent's tail struck the Trident from its path, sending it crashing back into the waves.

"I'll get it!" Taromaru shouted, diving into the water after it. Miroku reached out to grab him, but with one hand on his staff and the other holding the Water God, he couldn't catch him in time. He shouted after the boy, but to no avail.

Inuyasha broke the surface, still struggling with the serpent, and Miroku shouted after him. "Inuyasha, child in the water!"

Inuyasha swore and immediately dove down. Miroku waited for an agonizing moment but, sure enough, the boy came flying from the water with the Trident grasped in his hand. Miroku caught Sango's gaze as she flew down on Kirara and they nodded in understanding. They moved in synchrony. The demon's tail whipped over to catch the boy but met Sango's weapon instead, slicing the appendage cleanly off. After tossing the Water Goddess at Shippo – he might be going to hell for that – Miroku leapt forward and caught Taromaru as he fell. They landed safely on the walkway, and Miroku turned just in time to see Sango and Kirara diving into the water after Inuyasha.

As Sango's hand clamped around his wrist, Inuyasha shot her a feral grin, all teeth and exhilaration. They broke the surface and Sango dragged him behind Kirara, suspended in the air. "Pretty slick maneuvering there, Sango!"

"That's nothing!" she shot back, looking like she was enjoying herself for the first time.

He smiled to himself before narrowing his eyes at the serpent demon. "Okay, I'm aiming for its head."

"Gotcha!"

She swung him forward with more power than he'd expected from the human, sending him flying towards the demon. The serpent rose from the water to meet him, mouth gaping open. He sliced Tessaiga down its side, splitting the demon open.

Miroku paused on his way back to the others, shoving Taromaru behind him and opening the wind tunnel. He sucked in the falling body of the demon before it could crash into where Shippo and Suekichi stood. Inuyasha burst from the water and landed beside Miroku. He grabbed Taromaru and Miroku followed him as he ran towards the Water Goddess. Shippo placed her gently on the ground as Inuyasha dropped Taromaru in front of her, Trident and all. Miroku held the Trident steady in front of her as she walked toward it. She placed her hands against it and a warm glow enveloped her. They watched as she grew, standing tall and proud before them. She held the Trident up in the air with the command "Clouds disperse!"

And that was it. The storm broke and starlight poured down on the sodden group. They exchanged relieved glances, checking for injuries. Kirara landed next to them and Sango slid from her back, bowing respectfully at the Water Goddess before sending a dazzling smile at the others. Inuyasha returned the gesture with a satisfied smirk, bumping his shoulder against Miroku's and slapping him companionably across the back.

They escorted the Water Goddess back to her shrine and apologized for trashing the place. She was gracious enough to say it didn't matter, especially when her sprite servants began cautiously emerging from their hiding places around the lake, summoned by the false god's death. She thanked them for their assistance and assured them that the town would be well taken care of, no child sacrifices necessary.

They piled back into Taromaru's boat and steered it safely to shore. After taking a moment to rest, exhausted by the long battle, they gathered the goods they'd stored away earlier and wrung some of the water from their dripping clothes. They picked their way through the forest and fields towards the Headman's house as the sky lightened with dawn. Miroku suspected that there would be an interesting scene waiting for them upon their return.

Sure enough, the Headman burst from his house as soon as they approached, shouting and waving angrily at them before embracing his son. The commotion drew quite the crowd, none of whom seemed to know exactly what to make of the situation. Some were even muttering about killing the demons before Taromaru began loudly proclaiming how Inuyasha and the others had saved them. He told the story in broad strokes, embellishing several aspects and drawing gasps and cheers from the gathered crowd. Soon enough, a man and a woman pushed through the gathered bodies and flung their arms around Suekichi. From their frantic conversation, it became clear that they had no idea where their son had been for the past day. Miroku's face darkened in response. His eyes met those of the Headman's, and he saw fear there.

"The town is saved!" the Headman proclaimed grandly to his people, earning a series of cheers. He turned to Miroku and squared his shoulders. "As I said, demons are not welcome here. We thank you, monk, and you, slayer, for ridding our home of such vermin."

Sango balked at the man's rudeness. She saw a stony mask slide over Miroku's usually serene expression, and Shippo shrunk back against his leg. Behind them, Inuyasha growled low in his throat, his ears flattening against his head. He huffed and turned, marching away from the crowd. Sango rounded on the Headman.

"How dare you show such disrespect!" she scolded, barely keeping her voice below a shout. "We risked our lives to save your town and these children – all of us! Including two demons and a hanyou! You should be thanking him on your knees."

With that, she huffed and followed after Inuyasha, Shippo and Kirara trailing after her. Miroku lingered behind, levelling a cold gaze at the flustered Headman. When the man met his eyes he smiled sweetly. "It's true, my companions and I fought hard for your town, but we're not the only ones who should be celebrated. Why, your son displayed great bravery and cunning! You should be very proud!"

The man's face drained of colour and he harrumphed. He pushed Miroku towards his house with a hand on his back. "How right you are, hoshi-sama. And I would feel remiss about letting you leave without some _recognition_ of your efforts here!"

Inuyasha was fuming as he walked along the crumbling path from the town. After all that, _all that_, it still boiled down to his parentage. His arm stung from the snake's teeth, though the bleeding was slowing to a stop. No doubt Miroku would fuss over it. At least the others weren't hurt. And, to be fair, they did save two children, a Goddess, and a town. What was that karma garbage that Miroku was always going on about? He felt like they'd earned some of that today. It still didn't remove the sting of the Headman's words, his scornful tone. Inuyasha was so deep in his thoughts that he barely registered Miroku catching up with them amidst his grumblings.

"Man, we spent all our time fighting and overgrown snake and we didn't even get a Jewel shard to show for it!"

"It wasn't all a waste," Miroku said sagely. "We helped out the needy."

As Inuyasha turned to glare at him, Miroku saw the precise moment that he registered the cart he was sitting on and the horse that drew it. His ears flicked and his eyes widened, and his jaw dropped open.

"The hell is this?" Inuyasha asked, sniffing suspiciously over the supplies piled high in the cart.

"Well, I mentioned to the Headman that I wouldn't be opposed to telling the villagers of his son's tremendous bravery," he glanced over the goods, maintaining the innocence in his voice. "And for some reason he gave me these gifts."

"You blackmailed him into it, didn't you?" Inuyasha spat.

Miroku blinked at him with wide eyes and he growled, stalking away grumbling to himself. As he threw a few light insults over his shoulder, Miroku caught Sango glaring at him. She wore an expression of skepticism and disgust, but something must have shown in Miroku's attempted smile, because her face softened in understanding. She gave an exaggerated sigh and nodded her head. Miroku returned the gesture with a genuine smile and turned to face the road ahead.

"I think we should sell these off in the next village and have a big party to celebrate!"

Inuyasha stopped in his tracks, turning to sneer at him over his shoulder. "Aw, this is the last time I do any acts of human kindness with you!"

He immediately betrayed this sentiment by hopping onto the cart next to him and looking over the goods. He soundly ignored the monk, but Miroku could see his lips tugging into the barest hint of a smile when Shippo and Kirara joined him in sniffing through the "gifts." Sango threw Hiraikotsu and her bundled carrying cloth onto the cart as well, and that was that.

"Why'd you have to get all this, Miroku?" Inuyasha finally asked, sounding sincere and a little defensive.

"I had no qualms in showing the Headman the error of his ways," Miroku shrugged. "Besides, these goods will come in handy. We could use the extra money."

"Why are you always so worried about money?" Inuyasha grumbled. "It's not as though we need it."

"Our group is growing bigger, and we need to address the practicalities of that. We need more medical supplies and food to travel with if there's not a river available for fish. If we need to pay for lodgings then it's far more expensive than if it was just the two of us." He looked seriously over the produce, and Inuyasha could see the calculation in his eyes. "Things are a little more complicated now, and I want to make sure we're prepared."

Inuyasha had to grudgingly admit that he was right. The combination of fighting, endless travel, murderous enemies, and a small child had already been tough to navigate without two new bodies. But Sango had proved that she was willing to be a team player, and Inuyasha would be loathed to let her and Kirara leave before their journey was over. With a group of five, they were a force to be reckoned with, but they also had greater needs. And, to his own surprise, Inuyasha was fine with that. He found that he cared about this oddball collection of his, and he wanted to keep them all safe and healthy.

And what a weird feeling that was.

* * *

And so ends season 1! Don't worry, season 2 will start next week with no delays. Thank you all for sticking with me through this journey so far! It's been fun!

(Out shopping at the teammate store)

Miroku: *pointing at Kirara* What about that one?

Inuyasha: Fine, it's cute and useful

Miroku: *pointing at Sango* What about that one?

Inuyasha: Fine, whatever

Miroku: *pointing at Sesshomaru* What about-

Inuyasha: No. No. We're done here. No


	28. Chapter 28: s2e01

Warnings for this chapter: strong language, threats of death, suicidal-ish tendencies, references to familial death, alcohol abuse, references to and examples of abusive parenting, negative self-perception, and buckets and buckets of angst. And a horny Miroku. A horny Miroku is always dangerous. Stay safe everyone

* * *

Sango held Hiraikotsu at the ready, waiting for the demon to crawl out from under the house. The smoke billowed past her face and she kept her breathing even through her mask. Unfortunately, those around her weren't so lucky. Many of the villagers had retreated to a safe distance against the overwhelming smell of incense. Miroku was behind her, standing guard over Inuyasha. The hanyou had insisted that he could handle it, but Miroku's expression warned Sango otherwise. Sure enough, Inuyasha was curled in a ball on the ground, holding his nose with his eyes crammed shut. Sango hoped this would be over quickly, for all their sakes.

There was one person enjoying themselves immensely, though. When Sango had suggested that he be responsible for fanning the bundle of incense, Shippo had been utterly ecstatic. He'd adopted a serious look of responsibility which was frequently interrupted by excited smiles. Kirara sat next to him on the other side of the house, supervising. It was adorable and she was happy to let him help.

"Eugh, it stinks!" Inuyasha moaned, and Miroku patted his back sympathetically. He glanced around the gathering crowd, most of whom were watching keenly for the demise of the rat demon that had been destroying their crops and livestock. A few were grumbling about the smoke and there were also a few unkind glances being thrown at Inuyasha. The familiar feeling of eyes watching him raised his instincts and he sought out the one responsible. His stomach clenched.

An absolutely stunning woman was watching him, the hint of a smirk on her lips. As their eyes met she dipped her head slightly, peering at him through her lashes. It didn't take a genius to figure out what she wanted, and he was more than happy to oblige. The familiar urge rose in his gut, driving him forward. He glanced at Sango as the demon was flushed out from under the house. She dispatched it easily, as he knew she would. She could handle whatever came next. Now was his chance to slip away.

With one last reassuring pat to Inuyasha's back, he made his way through the crowd. He caught sight of Shippo and Kirara coming around the side of the house, carrying the doused bundle of incense. The crowd pressed closer to see the dead rat demon, now that the smoke was finally clearing. No one paid him any mind as he followed the gorgeous woman to the edge of the town. She glanced back at him periodically, smiling shyly and blushing. His head spun with arousal as he followed her, not believing his good luck. It had been _months_. Not that the opportunity hadn't presented itself before, mind, but he was wary of taking anything too far with any of the women in Kaede's village, and there hadn't been an opportunity with anyone else on their travels. He was more than ready to change that.

Once they were a safe distance from the village, she turned to face him. He stopped a respectable distance from her, not wanting to appear too pushy. Or needy. Even though he _needed_. Her coy smile was driving him mad. She took a tentative step towards him, and he stuck his staff into the ground, leaving both hands free for whatever may come.

"I appreciate you following me out here, hoshi-sama," she said shyly, not meeting his eyes. "I spied you in the crowd and just knew I had to meet you."

"I'm glad you did," he replied smoothly. "It's not often I meet such a radiant woman."

She blushed and looked away. "Nor I such a handsome monk. I must confess, I'm quite new to this. I only recently came to this village, after my castle was destroyed."

He took a step forward, concerned for the note of pain in her voice. "You're here alone?"

"I used to be the heir to a prominent House," she smiled sadly. "But it was not to be. Famine, war, and disease drove us to poverty. My once mighty clan was brought to ruin. Now I am all that is left."

"I'm so sorry," he breathed, and she shifted closer.

"It was indeed painful, but that is why I wanted to meet you. In order to restore my family, I wish to bear the child of a strong lord."

That surprised him. Despite his usual line, most women weren't looking to have a child out of wedlock with a complete stranger. He'd had to delicately navigate the few who'd been willing. Desire burned in his stomach and a familiar voice sounded in his head, reminding him of his family duty. His family's situation. His family's curse. The well-worn debate raged in his mind. He knew what he was supposed to do, but once again he hesitated. It wasn't as though he could settle down with her to raise his child. There was no guarantee that he would have defeated Naraku – or still be alive himself – by the time the child was born. Was that what he wanted his legacy to be?

He shook his head, clearing the melancholy thoughts. Now was not the time for such things. He had a beautiful woman of high birth telling him that of all the men in the area she'd chosen _him_. That wasn't an opportunity that presented itself every day.

"I must admit," he grinned charmingly. "You have great taste."

She breathed out a laugh and took another step closer, reaching out tentatively to run a hand down his chest. "Will you do me the honour?"

As she pressed close to him, Miroku wrapped his arms around her, hardly believing his luck. Indeed, if life had taught him anything, it was that situations like this were simply too good to be true. But he wanted desperately to believe it. It was exactly the situation that Mushin always described, the perfect way to fulfill his duty. The child of a princess would be well looked after, and _kami_, he would enjoy the process of making that child. It was his own stupid inhibitions getting in his way again, nothing more. He could do this. He _would_ do this.

He honestly didn't know if it was a relief or not when the clawed forelegs of a giant mantis burst from her back. He opened his senses and yes, sure enough, a strong wave of youki washed over him. He shoved the faux-woman away from himself, reaching out and bringing the head of his staff slamming down on her face. The mantis shrieked and reared back, bringing one of its bladed forelegs crashing to the ground where he stood. Miroku leapt back easily, holding his staff out protectively. The mantis convulsed and shifted, the rest of its giant body emerging from the tattered skin of the woman. Her body hung limply from the mantis's head before dropping to the ground.

"So you disguised yourself as a woman," Miroku called up to the mantis. "I'll have you know, that's rude and _very_ inconsiderate!"

"I devoured the innards of the real princess," the mantis hissed, bringing up a foreleg to strike at him again.

Miroku danced back, avoiding both the limbs and the head as it lunged down to bite at him. He jumped, rolling over the demon's head and sliding his way down its back before landing on his feet. It bought him enough distance to cast his staff aside and pull the mala beads from around his hand. As the mantis turned to face him once more, he braced himself and opened the wind tunnel. The mantis shrieked as it was pulled into the void, stretching out its forelimbs to try and gain purchase. Miroku's stomach dropped at the flailing limbs and the dagger-like spines that protruded from them. They shrunk from the force of the wind tunnel, as everything else did, but his instincts were screaming at him that it wasn't enough. He felt them slice through his palm like a red-hot blade, sending burning lines up fire up through his arm.

He swore and stumbled back, hastily sealing the wind tunnel again. He waited for a long moment, every muscle in his body going rigid as a freezing dread seeped through him, clashing with the fiery pain reaching up his arm. But nothing happened. There was no burst of wind from his hand, no sucking void vying to claim his life just yet. He let out a shaky breath, grasping his aching wrist with his left hand. Not today, then. But those claws had torn at his skin, marred the edges of the gaping hole in his palm. Nothing like that had ever happened before. What did it mean? Was he alright? Were the others safe? Would the wind tunnel burst open without warning and catch them all off guard?

He ground his teeth and slid the purple cloth stuffed into his tekkou back over the hole, tucking it into the ring on his middle finger. The cloth wasn't strictly necessary, nor was the tekkou covering his arm. The mala beads sealed the wind tunnel away, and the rest was essentially decorative, but Miroku found that he preferred not having the source of his death staring at him every day. At least this way he could ignore it, keep up the pretenses that he was an actual person and not a walking deathtrap. He picked up his staff and began making his way back to the village, carefully rebuilding the walls around himself. No need to concern the others with something like this.

Sango deposited Inuyasha on the floor of their room at the inn, easing his weight off her shoulders. He was still nauseous and disoriented from the smoke, though Shippo assured her that he was simply overwhelmed and would be fine later. The villagers had kindly offered them a place to stay for the night in exchange for their services, so they could take the time they needed to recover. Not that it had been at all a difficult job, mind, but it was still greatly appreciated. It saved them having to use their emergency funds, as Miroku deemed them. Speaking of which… Sango glanced around, but the monk was nowhere to be seen. Odd. He'd been standing right beside Inuyasha earlier.

Inuyasha was mumbling something through the hands still clamped over his mouth, and Sango leaned in to hear better. Most of the words were garbled but she could make out a familiar name. She rubbed his back awkwardly, trying to be reassuring. "I don't know where he is. I was just wondering that, myself."

"Who, Miroku?" Shippo asked, glancing up from the bowl of dumplings the villagers had gifted them with. "He followed after some strange woman."

"What?" Sango asked, glancing between Inuyasha and Shippo's calm expression. "He left while we were slaying demons? Why would he do that? Do you think there's some trouble with the woman?"

Shippo shrugged, chomping down on another dumpling. "Not trouble in terms of fighting, no. She was _really_ beautiful. He probably gave her the line about having his firstborn child."

"What? Have his child?" Sango grimaced, trying to come to terms with this unsavory bit of news. Shippo seemed unconcerned, which made her think that this was not new behaviour. And that made her decidedly uneasy. She thought the flirting with the Water Goddess had been a joke! Wasn't he supposed to be a monk?

Inuyasha groaned pitifully again and Sango frowned. She couldn't exactly leave him like this, but something felt off about the whole situation. Shippo was busy devouring the bowl of dumplings, so she beckoned Kirara over.

"I'm not saying anything's wrong," she started slowly. "But can you check up on Miroku? Just make sure he's safe." She frowned, considering. "And no need to stick around if he's…otherwise occupied."

Kirara's ears flicked back and her upper lip curled, but she turned and slipped out the door. Sango leaned back on her heels, feeling a little better. Miroku was probably fine, anyway. He'd let them know if there was anything to be worried about. She focused on getting Inuyasha to drink some tea and keeping Shippo from eating all the dumplings. The innkeepers came by to thank them, promising that more food would be brought to them food. They were an old couple, full of wrinkles and kind smiles. They praised Sango for her slaying abilities and remarked that Shippo was a handsome young lad. They offered their sympathies to Inuyasha, as well, as he lay sprawled across the floor. He groaned loudly and they let him be.

It wasn't too long after that the door slid open and Miroku walked in, Kirara at his heels. He looked healthy enough, not wounded or dirty from a fight. He smiled charmingly at her and Sango was instantly frustrated with the man. He sat down next to Inuyasha, earning a grumble in acknowledgement, and turned his serene smile back to Sango.

"So the exorcism was a success," he said slowly, obviously catching something in her expression.

"No thanks to you," she snapped.

The smile fell from his lips and his brows furrowed. "I apologize. There was a situation-"

"I'm sure there was." she cut him off. "Here." She tossed a small sliver of a Jewel shard at him. "It's what caused the rat's ferocity, not that it would be a mystery to you if you'd stayed to find out. I'm going to wash. You can stay here and keep Inuyasha company."

Miroku watched her stalk out of the room, his heart leaden in his chest. He felt dirty, even though nothing untoward had happened, and his arm still burned. Shippo was strictly staying out of the issue, staring intently at his dumplings, while Kirara trotted after Sango. So he turned to Inuyasha, who was glaring at him half-heartedly from the floor.

"Do you want the story?" he asked, tucking his hands safely into the sleeves of his robes.

"Not especially," Inuyasha grumbled, looking away and closing his eyes.

He really didn't look well. He was pale and nauseous from the overwhelming scent. Miroku, too, had no stomach for food for the time being. He was drained from the battle and his skin crawled from the looks the others had given him. Needing to do something, he scooted closer to Inuyasha and gently placed a hand – his left hand – between his ears. Inuyasha hummed lightly but didn't open his eyes. They stayed like that for a long while, with Miroku's thumb occasionally brushing over Inuyasha's brow. Sango returned shortly before the innkeepers brought their food, a simple meal consisting of a bowl of rice, edamame, and miso soup. It wasn't much, but it was plenty considering the devastation caused to the village's food supply by the rat demon.

Inuyasha reluctantly hauled himself upright and shuffled over to one of the four trays of food, grabbing the extra bowl of chicken parts and placing it on the floor for Kirara. Shippo and Sango sat across from them, both eagerly starting on their meal, but neither Inuyasha nor Miroku did little more than pick at their food. Miroku was unusually quiet, but Inuyasha guessed that he was feeling guilty for abandoning them. Serves him right. It had hurt more than he cared to admit when, after Sango had killed the rat demon, he'd reached out for the monk and hadn't found him there. His sense of smell had yet to recover, leaving him off-kilter and uneasy. He'd wanted his friend nearby. Miroku could stew in it for a while longer.

Shippo cleaned his bowls quickly and began blinking between the three adults in a not-so-subtle way. Miroku immediately handed over his bowl of rice and Inuyasha exchanged a glance with Sango. Definitely a guilty conscience. Sango's eyebrows raised but she returned her attention solidly to her own food. Finally, Miroku sighed.

"I know you're upset-" he started, hands raised in a sign of peace.

"Not upset," Inuyasha instantly retorted.

"Just disappointed," Sango added.

"You've been glaring at me all evening," Miroku argued. "I'd appreciate a chance to explain myself."

"Not interested," Sango said firmly, setting down her empty bowl and walking over to the other side of the room where a bed was made up for her.

Inuyasha glared a hole into the floor and tried to figure out why he was so upset. It wasn't just that Miroku hadn't been there. He'd heard what Shippo said to Sango about the "beautiful woman" and it had set his stomach churning. He settled on disgust. Miroku's flirtations with women had always been an overzealous show of desperation, and the fact that he had left them in a fight to perform his mating ritual was simply rubbing salt in the wound. Inuyasha was almost glad that he couldn't smell anything, so he wasn't subjected to the scent of whatever Miroku had done.

Miroku lay beside Inuyasha in their half of the room, knowing that sleep wouldn't come. He hadn't been able to settle all evening, fear still creeping into his mind that the tear in his hand would spread during the night. That he would wake up to screams before they were all consumed into cold, black nothingness. On the other side of the room, separated by a screen, Sango lay sleeping with Shippo and Kirara. He knew that Sango was still angry with him – as she had every right to be – but Shippo and Kirara had sensed that something was wrong with him. Both had been sending him worried glances since his return, and more than once he'd caught them sniffing the air. He wondered if they had caught the scent of blood from the nick, or if it was his fear they smelled.

As much as his hand burned, it wasn't enough to distract him from the cold numbness that seized his chest. He remembered that day. He had known that something was wrong, even though Mushin tried to hide it. He remembered calling out, reaching desperately to where his father stood. He remembered Mushin's strong arms around him, remembered kicking and struggling to be let go, and then… The rush of wind, the pull of the void, and the final, terrified expression frozen on his father's face. He was left reaching toward nothing, unable to comprehend that his father had been taken away so suddenly, leaving only a gaping hole in the ground, his palm, and his life. Miroku stared at the swath of purple cloth, at the unseen hole that lay beneath. A familiar fear gripped his heart in its icy claws. He knew what he had to do.

When Inuyasha opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was the Jewel shard and a coin purse lying in his lap. He instantly sat bolt upright, turning to where Miroku was supposed to be lying next to him. The spot was empty. A thrum of cold, hard panic washed over him and suddenly he was on his feet, tearing to the other room where Sango was sitting up, one hand reaching for Hiraikotsu even as the other rubbed sleep from her eyes. Inuyasha spun back around, taking in Miroku's scent and following down the hall. The scent trail went out the door and into the village. Inuyasha followed it as far as he could, making it as far as the edge of the forest before it suddenly mingled with another. Hachi, his mind supplied. Then the trail was gone. His ears flattened to his head as unease prickled along his back. When he stalked back to the inn, he saw Sango standing by the entrance, dressed in armour, a sleepy-looking Shippo on her shoulder. Her gaze fell on the Jewel shard grasped in his hand and her eyes widened.

"What happened?" she breathed, taking a step towards him.

"He left!" Inuyasha shot back, marching past her and into the inn. "He summoned Hachi and he left!"

"Hachi?" Sango asked, following him into their room as he began tearing through their bedding, looking for a hint as to what had occurred.

"He's a tanuki demon and Miroku's friend," Shippo whispered to Sango, both of them watching Inuyasha intently.

"Excuse me." They all whipped around to one of the old innkeepers coming in. "I hate to intrude, but that nice young monk who was with you left me a message."

"He what?" Inuyasha asked, immediately walking up to her. "When did you see him? What did he say?"

"It was some time before dawn," the old woman said. "I had just helped a late-night traveller to their room when the monk approached me. He said that he was going on a long journey, and he asked me to wish you well. He added not to worry about him, and that he may find you again in the future." She smiled up at him. "Now, isn't that nice?"

"Damnit!" Inuyasha swore, turning to pace the room. "He'll be long gone by now. _Damn! _What do we do?"

"Is there any way to know where he went?" Sango asked, wisely keeping her distance. "Or some way to track him?"

Inuyasha shook his head. "I can't follow a scent through the air. We could ask around, see if anyone saw what direction they went in, but if it was before dawn then I doubt anyone was even awake. Damnit!"

"He did say not to look for him," Sango pointed out, not really believing her own words. "It's possible that he was called away suddenly and will find us again once he's through."

"He wouldn't leave without saying goodbye," Inuyasha snapped. "We've been travelling together too long for that. He wouldn't… He just wouldn't."

His breathing grew harsh as he stared out the door. Miroku wouldn't. They were friends – Miroku had _said_ they were friends. Even if he'd left to chase after some woman the day before, Miroku knew the importance of their situation. He was as committed to finding the Jewels as any of them, and he'd been the one to push them to work as a team. He wouldn't just leave without a word, without at least saying goodbye. He wouldn't do that to them.

"It _is _odd for him to do something like that," Sango agreed. "So what do we do?"

"I don't know. I don't know!" Inuyasha began pacing once more. "We don't even know why he left. There's no reason for him to go, especially to not tell us about it! It makes no sense!"

"I don't think he was doing alright," Shippo said, moving in from the corner of the room. "He was acting pretty weird when he came back yesterday, and he smelled like he was hurt."

"What do you mean?" Sango asked, kneeling down beside him and shooting a worried glance at Inuyasha. "You think he was injured while he was away?"

"I don't think it was bad," Shippo said uncertainly. "But there was the faint scent of blood – not a lot, but a little – and it seemed like his hand was hurting. He couldn't hold his chopsticks properly so he didn't eat, and he didn't hold anything with it even though it's his dominant hand."

"That's it!" Inuyasha announced, stalking past them and out of the inn. "We're going through every person in this village until we can find someone who can tell us where he went! Come on!"

The others wasted no time in following him.

Miroku tried to meditate and slow his breathing as Hachi flew him through the air, but his mind was in turmoil. He was going home, finally after so long. It felt like a lifetime, made longer by things driving him away. He knew that Mushin was alive – he'd had Hachi fly over the temple several times in their acquaintance, just to be sure – but he hadn't seen him in years. Not since he'd left. Not since the wind tunnel had driven him away, the same problem that now brought him crawling back. He didn't even know if Mushin would be able to help him, but he had to try. He couldn't risk travelling with his friends in his current condition. He couldn't put them in danger like that.

The thought of his friends sent him further into dark thoughts. He'd been torn with indecision and guilt all night, even after summoning Hachi. He didn't know how much to tell them, if they'd even let him go if they knew. In the end he'd chosen the coward's way out, as always. He'd spent the night listening to the soft breathing of his companions and, as soon as he sensed Hachi's presence, he'd left them all that he could. The coins would keep them going for a while, if they were careful, and the Jewel was safer in their hands, anyway. His few words to the innkeepers would ensure they didn't worry about him or come looking. They didn't need him, anyway. Inuyasha and Sango were more than capable of tracking down Jewel shards, and he trusted them to complete the mission if he couldn't be there. Still, the sight of Inuyasha's face, relaxed in sleep and utterly peaceful, wouldn't leave his mind. He hoped they could forgive him.

"Miroku!" Hachi said, startling him out of his thoughts. "We're getting close! I can see it from here."

Miroku hummed, his eyes instantly finding the patch of grass amongst the forest, a perfect circle clearly visible from the sky. Mushin's temple lay just beyond, set in the plateau between two great mountains. It had been such a long time since he'd been home. Hachi set them down at the treeline and transformed back into his regular form. He peered curiously at the large crater in the ground.

"You never told me what this thing was," he said, glancing coyly over at him.

"This?" Miroku smiled, though it turned out more of a grimace. "This is my father's grave."

He turned and walked to the temple, unable to stand by the site even after so long. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught Hachi bow and say a quick prayer, and warmth blossomed in his chest. He toed off his sandals before stepping into the temple. The smell of incense greeted him, along with the stink of sake. He sighed.

"Master Mushin, are you there?" he called out. "It's Miroku!"

He followed the tell-tale sound of snores deeper into the temple and, sure enough, there was Mushin. The old monk was asleep on the ground, head propped up by an empty jug of sake. Miroku took a moment to look over his old master. The man hadn't aged well, face melted by years of drink and overeating. He stank of sweat, rancid food and old vomit. But he still sported his age-old moustache – the only hair he could grow on his face these days – and he looked strong, if a bit rotund. Miroku sighed and nudged the jug out from under Mushin's head, letting the short trip to the ground wake him up.

Mushin opened his eyes and blinked blearily up at him a few times before tentatively asking "Miroku?"

"Mhmm." He knelt down on one knee in front of his old master, taking in the achingly familiar face.

"I'm surprised you're still alive," Mushin continued, tactful as ever.

"I could say the same," Miroku shot back. "You're not going to live very long if you keep drinking like that."

Mushin glared up at him craftily from below his rather impressive eyebrows. "Did you come here after all this time just to lecture me?"

"No," Miroku admitted, holding out his covered hand for Mushin to inspect. "A giant mantis nicked the sides of my wind tunnel. I was wondering if you could repair it."

Mushin hummed thoughtfully, pushing himself further upright and grabbing hold of Miroku's outstretched hand. He turned it over, sharp eyes peering at the covered palm. He looked up at Miroku, brows drawn. "Too late. You're going to die tonight."

Miroku's heart stopped. Tonight? No, nonono- Not yet! It was too soon! He still had so much left to do- Inuyasha! He couldn't leave it this way, not having left with no explanation. And Sango – would they work together? Would they finish repairing the Jewel and defeat Naraku? He'd promised he'd help her avenge her family and her village. He couldn't break another promise, not like that. He had to go to them, to say goodbye – but no, he couldn't go near them. He needed to stay as far away as possible. He couldn't let them see him die this way. Inuyasha was so stubborn, and Sango was still in such pain, and little Shippo, what would- Why was Mushin smiling?

"Relax!" Mushin chided, waving a hand in his face. "I was just kidding around."

Miroku seriously considered murder. He glared daggers at the old monk and reached threateningly for his mala beads. Mushin wasn't buying it, and instead chuckled again.

"Now, now, calm down!" He reached behind him and picked up a fresh jar of sake, his face deadly serious. "I'll stitch you up, but I'm warning you – you must keep the wind tunnel covered and not use it until it is completely healed."

"And what happens if I do?" Miroku asked, thinking of all the situations in which his wind tunnel made the difference between life and death.

"The wind tunnel will spread from the nicks and will eventually consume you entirely. I will no longer be able to help you then, young man."

Miroku's lips twitched despite himself. For years, he had been "boy" – never Miroku, just boy. It seemed that Mushin had seen fit to upgrade him to "young man." What an honour.

"Now then," Mushin grumbled, pushing himself to his feet with obvious effort. "I will start gathering my medicinal herbs. Go and thoroughly purify your dirty self. Kami knows you need it."

Miroku smiled after the old monk, fond despite all reason. He'd truly missed Mushin. He walked to the back of the temple, Hachi trailing behind him. He stripped his clothes and changed into a white koromo before making his way to the waterfall which fell down the cliff behind the temple. The water from the mountain stream was as cold as ice, but at least it was fresh. He waded through the pool at the base of the waterfall to the familiar rock, which sat right underneath the full force of the falls. With Hachi plunked down safely on the nearby bank, he maneuvered onto the rock and crossed his legs, taking a deep meditative pose.

"So that drunken old man is the high monk who raised you?" Hachi asked, laying his staff across his shoulder as Miroku often did.

"That's right," Miroku smiled. "He taught me everything I know, the good and the bad."

Hachi chuckled. "He's a little rough around the edges, that's for sure, but he seems kind-hearted."

"Hm. I guess so." Miroku glanced out over the temple grounds, memories of his childhood rising in his mind. Mushin _had_ been kind, at times. He'd certainly tried his best, raising a child that wasn't his and shouldn't have been his responsibility. Miroku knew he hadn't been easy to handle, especially when he began to question his father's habits and whereabouts. It had been worse after his death. Once the wind tunnel appeared in his hand, his childhood had essentially been over. Mushin had tried his hardest to prepare him for the harsh world. It hadn't been his fault that Miroku left. It hadn't been his fault that he stayed away for so long.

Through the heat of the afternoon, Miroku fell into a deep meditative state. The water washed away everything else until he simply existed, freezing but calm. Mushin's voice calling from the temple drew him back to himself. He made his way back inside, leaving Hachi by the door with his staff. Unease still thrummed through him, but some of the urgent fear from before had dissipated. Mushin dropped off a bowl full of crushed herbs and directed him to drink up while he gathered the tools he'd need. Miroku hesitantly sniffed the bowl, feeling some of his anxiety return. He knew this medicine, knew how quickly and deeply it induced sleep. There was a chance that he might lie down and never wake up, with one miscalculation on Mushin's part leaving them all sucked into the void. He would be uncomfortable with how much the old monk had had to drink, but he knew from experience that Mushin was safer drunk than sober. It would be fine.

The medicine was already taking effect by the time he lay down. He shivered slightly, the damp koromo clinging unpleasantly to his skin. He drifted in and out of awareness to Mushin bustling in the next room over. Thoughts moved sluggishly and unbidden in and out of his mind, most of them unpleasant. He closed his eyes and focused on breathing.

"Did you drink your medicine?" Mushin asked, suddenly by his side.

"Mm, yes, but I'm starting to feel very groggy." His tongue was thick in his mouth, words hard to form.

"Sleep," Mushin said, placing his hand over Miroku's eyes. "It will be over soon."

"Glad to hear it," Miroku murmured, already being dragged down into sleep. "'Cause I don't feel like dying just yet…"

He forced himself to let go of consciousness, to stop struggling and sink into sleep. He was safe here, after all. He was safe. But even as the world was slipping away, something deep inside, an instinct born from years on his own, whispered of danger. He cracked an eye open, just to make sure that all was well. Instead, he saw a knife falling towards him. He moved on instinct, mind heavy with black tar. Dive, roll, up! The meat cleaver bit deep into his shoulder but missed his head. He splayed across the floor, struggling to push even his upper body off the ground.

"Oh, are you still awake?" the figure of Mushin asked, but Miroku rejected the idea out of hand. Mushin would never do this. He focused his blurring vision on the old monk, vaguely making out the wispy white tendrils that floated from his mouth. Eugh.

"You're…not Mushin," he gasped, tongue unresponsive in his mouth, his vision growing foggier. "Who…who are you?"

"I am a demon worm charmer," the figure responded. "Naraku sends his regards."

"Naraku?" Oh, no. Oh, he was in trouble. He should have known that Naraku had been too quiet of late. If this had been his plan from the beginning, it was a devious one. The others were half a day's travel away and Miroku could barely move. The cold numbness that had spread throughout his body made his limbs heavy and unresponsive, and he could barely think. The combination of medicine and pain swirled in his mind. It was all he could do to push himself back against the wall, his arms struggling with the pressure of holding himself upright.

"Go now, in peace!" the demon proclaimed, swinging the meat cleaver down towards him.

Miroku threw himself backwards with all his strength, breaking the wood panel he leaned against out of the wall and crashing out onto the outside en hallway. He heard a squawk from underneath him and realized he'd landed on Hachi. Pain shot down his side as his shoulder screamed from the impact.

"Staff!" he gasped, reaching out for Hachi. The tanuki caught on immediately and shoved his staff at him. Miroku swung around just in time to block another strike from the meat cleaver. His arms shook from the impact as he fought against Mushin's considerable strength. Hachi crawled out from under him and assessed the situation with a few garbled noises. He threw a leaf at Mushin which instantly multiplied and the world was suddenly white. Miroku thought that perhaps he'd died or simply gone blind, until he felt Hachi's hands dragging him off the wood panel and hauling him over his back. He clung to the tanuki with uncooperative muscles as Hachi ran down the en and out of the trickster's smoke. Mushin was shouting after them, saying they wouldn't get away. Miroku was inclined to agree.

"Hurry," he urged as Hachi carried him away from the temple, through the clearing and heading towards the forest.

"I can't go any faster," Hachi gasped, already breathing rapidly.

"Oh no…" Miroku peered back over his shoulder as a wave of youki washed over him. Sure enough, hundreds of glowing white spheres had descended from the surrounding mountains to gather around the temple, each the curled form of a young worm demon answering the worm charmer's call. Hachi drew a shuddering breath, frozen in fear.

"Save yourself," Miroku instructed him firmly before pushing himself off the tanuki's back. He landed hard on the ground and his vision went white from pain. Hachi was reaching back for him, calling his name, but he pushed him away. "Go! I can keep them at bay myself until the medicine wears off, Hachi."

"B-but…" Hachi glanced at the hundreds of demons and back to his bleeding master, shuddering on the ground. Miroku had to admit it didn't exactly look great.

"Just _go!_"

"Okay!" Hachi scrambled away, making his way into the forest to escape detection from the demons. Miroku smiled at the tanuki's loyalty, but it quickly fell from his lips. He knew that he was in no shape to fight even one demon, let alone a solid hundred. There was a little time before the demons would break out of their dormant infant forms at the worm charmer's behest. He needed to use that time. With a deep breath he tried to focus the torn shreds of his consciousness, to force his mind to actually _think. _He needed to find a place to lay low, to wait out the paralyzing effects of the medicine as he'd told Hachi. Easier said than done.

He dragged himself forward with his hands, grimacing at the dark red stain slowly seeping from his left shoulder. A worry for a later time. He hauled himself forward one arm-length at a time, periodically glancing behind to see more and more demons gathering. As he reached forward again, his hand met nothing but air and then he was falling, tumbling and rolling down a grassy incline. He slid to a stop against something solid and tentatively looked up. The stone monument marking the centre of his father's grave stood before him. This was where his father stood while he died. How fitting.

Miroku maneuvered painfully into a seated position, resting his back against the smooth stone. He thought his father wouldn't mind. Eerie shrieks began rising from the distance, and Miroku knew his time was up. The worm demons had awoken and were hungry for his blood. He leaned back and took a deep breath, weighing his options. None of them were particularly appealing. Placing his thumbs and forefingers together, he began to meditate, pulling power deep from within himself. A faint barrier grew around him. He didn't know if he could hold out long enough for the medicine to wear off, or what he would do when it did. He didn't know if blood loss would claim him first. For the moment, he closed his eyes and deepened his breathing, hovering in between consciousness and something else. It was going to be a long day.

Sango followed after Inuyasha through the forest, debating whether or not to say something. It had taken them well into the afternoon to track down a villager who had seen Hachi flying overhead – apparently he was quite noticeable in his flight-form – and could point them in the direction Miroku had gone. Inuyasha, who had been getting increasingly agitated as the day wore on, had taken off in that direction without another word. He'd been setting a fast pace barely short of a run since then, marching through the forest with single-minded determination. Sango had chosen not to put on her travelling clothes, instead keeping her battle wear at the ready. Shippo was quiet on her shoulder, his eyes wide and solemn as he glanced between her and Inuyasha. She could understand the sentiment – Miroku had likely become like a father to him – but she had a feeling that part of the fox's apprehension stemmed from the edge of desperation that lined Inuyasha's movements.

A slight buzzing sound caught her ear and she slowed to a stop, danger rising in her mind. Inuyasha had stilled in front of them, one hand slowly reaching for his sword as he glared out into the forest. In a flash, he struck through a nearby tree, sending it crashing to the forest floor. Sango was about to scold him for his unnecessary show of temper when a giant wasp-like insect flew from the branches.

"Saimyosho!" she warned, pulling Hiraikotsu from her back. She only clipped the insect, tearing two of its wings. She growled and caught her weapon, rearing back for another pass. "This time, it's dead!"

"Wait!" Inuyasha said, voice laced with urgency. "If Naraku's spying on us then something must be happening with Miroku! We need to follow it!"

He sheathed his sword and took off at a run, not waiting for a response. Sango snatched up the carrying cloth full of clothes she'd dropped and jumped onto Kirara's back as she transformed, pulling Shippo up beside her. The insect's wavering flight continued, even as it steadily lost height. Sango prayed that it would hold off until leading them to Miroku – or Naraku, she supposed. They had been travelling for so long, desperately looking for any clue of the demon's whereabouts, but now it almost seemed inconsequential. They could find Naraku another day. Miroku was more important. More important to _her_. The realization hit her hard. Somehow, a lying, lecherous monk, a shrill little fox, and a grumpy hanyou had wormed their way into her heart. Great. Just great.

Inuyasha kept his eyes glued to the insect, refusing to so much as glance away. He should never have let this happen. He should have been paying closer attention, making sure his pack was _safe!_ Instead, his friend had been drawn away from under his nose, after already being wounded without his knowledge. The mind-numbing panic that began when he found Miroku gone hadn't stopped, but instead transformed into an all-consuming, oppressive fear. He could trust that the monk could take care of himself under regular circumstances, but not like this. Not alone, wounded, against one of Naraku's plots. And he couldn't lose Miroku. It was absolutely, utterly out of the question. The monk had quickly become an essential part of his life and he would fight tooth and claw to get him back.

Frantic yelling sounded from far above them and Inuyasha froze. A large shape flew rapidly towards them, surrounded by a swarm of Saimyosho. Recognizing the form and the voice which cried out for help, Inuyasha waved his arms and shouted "Hachi!"

The tanuki crashed into the forest in front of them, transforming back into his true form and cowering into a ball as the insects buzzed around him. Inuyasha rushed forward, slashing the insects to pieces with his claws and standing protectively over the tanuki. The remaining insects rose into the air, reforming their swarm before dispersing into the sky.

"Inuyasha!" Hashi said, tugging urgently at his sleeve. "You need to help Miroku!"

"You know where he is?" Inuyasha asked, urging the others closer.

"I brought him to his old master's temple, but Master Mushin was possessed by a demon worm charmer sent by Naraku," Hachi rushed to explain. "He's surrounded by demons and he can't hold them off for long! We need to hurry!"

He leapt into the air and transformed, and Inuyasha instantly jumped on his back. He urged Sango forward and she quickly joined him with Shippo and Kirara. Hachi surged into the air, shooting towards a pair of distant mountains.

"The old monk drugged him so he couldn't move properly and attacked him with a knife," Hachi continued, every word sending a dagger into Inuyasha's chest. "He's wounded and bleeding heavily, and he doesn't even have the use of his wind tunnel against the demons."

"What's wrong with it?" Inuyasha breathed as dread, guilt, and panic all closed an icy hand around his heart.

"His hand was injured in battle. The sides of it got nicked when he tried to suck in a giant mantis." Inuyasha exchanged a shocked, guilt-ridden look with Sango. "I brought him to Mushin to get it fixed, and Mushin said if he used his wind tunnel before it healed, it would spread and kill him."

"What?" Sango gasped from behind him. "What do you mean, kill him?"

"The curse was placed on his family by Naraku. Someday it will spread too far and suck him into the void." Inuyasha bit his lip hard enough to draw blood. "How long ago did you leave him, Hachi?" he asked, barely above a whisper.

"It was late afternoon. Miroku said he could hold the demons back until the medicine wore off, but he was in rough shape."

Inuyasha glanced nervously at the sun as it slipped below the horizon. He tried to focus on all the times he'd thought Miroku was dead only to find him alive and relatively unharmed. He'd seen the monk's abilities firsthand. He was strong, and smart, and resourceful. He would be fine.

Wouldn't he?

The possibility that they were too late, that they would arrive and find Miroku's body torn apart by demons was simply not one that Inuyasha was willing to consider.

A gasp from Hachi drew his attention to the scene unfolding in front of them. A small temple sat at the edge of a clearing, and hundreds of worm demons buzzed around it. A good chunk of them had caught the scent of the approaching group, and began flying towards them in a frenzied hoard.

"Go straight through them, Hachi!" Inuyasha ordered, holding Tessaiga at the ready.

Behind him, Sango flung herself off Hachi's back and onto Kirara, swinging Hiraikotsu out to catch the first wave. She cleared a path for them as Inuyasha protected Hachi's sides. He struck with more and more powerful blows, waves of golden power shooting from the blade. Tessaiga had expelled powerful waves before, but never like this. He didn't bother to question it. They cut through the hoard, slicing through demon after demon until they were clear. Many more lay before them, but they were almost at the temple.

Night had fallen – or maybe his vision was starting to fail. He couldn't tell at this point. Miroku sighed and squeezed his eyes shut once more, pouring his dwindling strength into the barrier. Doomed to death because he flirted with the wrong woman. Well, he'd been told he'd end up dying that way. Just his luck. Just his fate… That was it. His fate. Mushin's joking words had turned into a prophecy – he really was going to die that night. His barrier wouldn't hold for much longer, not with the blood still dripping from his shoulder, and the numbness that spread through his limbs, his lungs, his mind… He found himself wandering more often than not, and had to snap his attention back to his last defense against the demons. He was reaching the end of his strength. Soon there would be nothing left.

The barrier, already pale and weak, faded in and out of existence. Miroku looked out at the gathering demons, pressing ever closer as they sensed his weakness. Breathe in, breathe out. There was no need to fear. His death was certain. He would accept it with grace. He would die with dignity. He would stare death in the face, unflinchingly, and he would die with honour. No need to fight it – Miroku almost smiled – not like Inuyasha would. That stubborn hanyou would put up one hell of a fight, no matter the odds. No, he wouldn't do the same.

He wondered, if he reached out and found the nenju beads, if Inuyasha would come to his aid. He wouldn't blame him if he didn't. It was always likely that he would die with many regrets, but Miroku truly hadn't anticipated this being his first. He wished more than anything that he could see his friends one last time, though he knew that wishes were futile. He just wanted to tell them he was sorry, and how grateful he was for their time together. The barrier pulsed one last time before disappearing altogether, and Miroku closed his eyes. So, that was it, then. He could hear the demons rushing forward, shrieking in delight. Then there was an unearthly screech. And then-

"Miroku?" Inuyasha's voice, panicked and desperate called out to him as various bits of demon thudded around him.

He blinked up at the hanyou who stood at the edge of his father's grave, sword slung over his shoulder and framed by the rising moon. Inuyasha was staring back at him, amber eyes wide and ears folded to his head. Miroku couldn't believe it. He…he came! He actually came for him! Miroku opened his mouth to say something – to thank him, warn him, ask him how he even found him, he didn't know – but no sound came out. Inuyasha stumbled forward, sliding easily down the steep grassy walls of the crater. He took a few more steeps before sinking to his knees in front of Miroku. His hands moved haltingly, reaching for his hand, his shoulder, his face, but never settling.

"Inuyasha," Miroku breathed, which prompted an immediate reaction.

"You idiot!" Inuyasha shouted, bracing one hand against his chest and the other on his uninjured right shoulder. "You…you fucking _idiot!_"

"Miroku!" another voice shouted from the top of the grave, and an orange blur shot down and barrelled into his chest. "How could you leave us without saying anything?"

"Are you alright?" Hachi asked, sliding down to meet them.

Kirara landed further along the rim of the crater, Sango peering down at him. "Have you been injured, Miroku?"

They all came. Miroku struggled to wrap his mind around that fact. They all came looking for him. They all cared enough to find him even after he told them not to. The thought almost brought him to tears, and he shoved away the burning which rose in his chest. He hugged Shippo closer with one arm and caught Inuyasha's gaze once more. His friend looked practically devastated, some unnamed emotion swirling in those piercing eyes.

"Who goes there?" asked a familiar voice, and Miroku stiffened. Inuyasha glanced at his friend's expression and pressed him back with a hand on his chest. Miroku stank of blood and pain, his hair stuck to his brow with sweat. Inuyasha was more than willing to take on this new threat alone. He crept up the walls of the crater and peered over cautiously. An old, fat monk stood outside the temple, framed on either side by a hoard of worm demons. He was dressed in a black koromo and orange kesa, and had a length of giant juzo prayer beads slung over his shoulder.

"I will punish anyone who dares disturb the peace of my temple!" the old monk proclaimed, staring him down.

"Are you Mushin?" Inuyasha asked, glaring back. "You're brave for taking me on. Fight me if you can."

"Inuyasha, no!" Miroku gasped behind him, and Inuyasha turned to see him clawing his way out of the crater, supported by Hachi. He was deathly pale and shaking from the exertion. "Please, no! I beg you, don't kill him! Kami, please…"

Mushin cackled delightedly. "That's a very good boy, Miroku. I raised you well, didn't I?"

Inuyasha faltered. He'd been ready to rip this monk apart – would tear down anything at this point, if it posed a threat to _his _monk – but he heard the raw desperation in Miroku's pleading voice. The old monk said he'd raised him. He wouldn't take away Miroku's family, not when he knew his friend had lost so much already. He growled and ran for the old monk, heard Miroku cry out "No!" as he charged. It sounded like it was ripped from his very soul.

The old monk was prepared. He hurled the juzo beads at him and they wrapped around Tessaiga with a life of their own. The moment they touched the blade they emitted static bolts of energy which went sizzling down the length of the sword. Tessaiga glowed gold for an instant before transforming back from the shock of spiritual power thrumming through the beads. The loop of beads then slithered from the Tessaiga to coil around his body, pinning his arms to his sides and sending shocks of power through him. Inuyasha dropped Tessaiga and fell to his knees, the beads sucking the youki from him.

Mushin raised a hand and a wave of demons shot past him, aiming for Inuyasha and the others. Ripping his arm from the confines of the beads, Inuyasha met them with a swipe of his claws as he shouted "Iron Reaver, Soul Stealer!" The demons disappeared into chunks of flesh as he poured all his youkai strength into the blow. He glared back at the old monk, who looked unimpressed.

"My, my. Aren't we lively?" Mushin taunted before sending another pulse of spiritual power through the beads. Inuyasha cried out and collapsed to the ground, pain shooting through him. The old monk smirked and a dozen more worm demons gathered around him.

Sango's eyes narrowed at the faint white tendrils weaving to and fro from Mushin's mouth. Shippo clung to her arm, following her gaze. "What's coming out of his mouth?" he whispered.

"Demon worms," she said, glancing between the monk and the gathering demons. "He's possessed by a demon worm charmer."

"Can't he be saved?" Miroku asked. He was still clinging to the edge of the large hole in the ground, but he looked worse with every moment that passed.

"There must be a charmer close by who's manipulating him," Sango explained reluctantly. "I'd need to find the charmer's worm bottle and place it near him to draw the worms out." She paused, glancing over again at the trouble brewing by the temple. "But I'd have to leave you unprotected, and-"

"I'm fine, Sango!" he interrupted her. "Go!"

She ground her teeth and sent Hiraikotsu through another wave of demons aiming for Inuyasha. "Stay here," she instructed Kirara, who nodded and placed herself in front of Miroku. She moved toward the temple and Shippo scampered in front of her, sharp eyes searching.

"There!" he announced, pointing at the roof of the temple. A short, squat demon sat crouched there, staring down at them with serpentine eyes and blowing into a clay bottle. Sango immediately threw Hiraikotsu at it, but it hopped off the roof and down the other side of the temple. Sango swore and gave chase.

Inuyasha barely managed to push himself up off the ground to slash at the next wave of demons. It was as though the very life was being sucked out of him. Damn, he didn't have time for this! His breathing came in gasps and his muscles trembled from the strain of fighting against the power of the beads. Light fell on his face and he looked up to see yet another hoard of demons gathering. Their chattering voices filled the air, drowning out all other noise.

"Soon you won't have any power left to fight," the old monk called at him. "So you'd better decide on your fate. Do you want to be devoured alive, or do you want me to be more benevolent and chop your head off, first? Those scum demons will be sated either way. Scum demons devour only scum!"

"Don't get your hopes up," Inuyasha growled. He pushed himself forward, catching the monk by the neck. The momentum carried the monk back, and Inuyasha raised his claws.

"I'm the only one who can repair Miroku's wind tunnel," the monk said, the words pouring rapidly from his mouth. Inuyasha instantly stopped his attack, realizing the truth of the words. "If his hand is left as it is, all of you, including Miroku, will be sucked inside of it before tomorrow's end."

Inuyasha's grip faltered and another wave of power shot through the juzo beads, bringing him to his knees.

Miroku glanced at the hoard of demons circling overhead, just waiting for the worm charmer's signal to rip Inuyasha and Sango to shreds. He couldn't let that happen. He couldn't let them die when they were only there in the first place on some misguided attempt to save him. He hauled himself further over the edge of the crater, bracing himself first on his forearms then on his stomach. Kirara had darted away, fighting off an opportunistic demon that had lunged at them. Now was his only chance.

"Master, you can move again!" Hachi exclaimed, before he shuddered. "What-"

Miroku's fingers closed around his mala beads. "Hachi, prepare yourself. Both of us will probably be sucked in this time, but it's better than being eaten alive by demons."

Hachi's eyes darted from his hand to his face before nodding resolutely. "I'm with you!"

He helped push Miroku up to standing and braced him when he struggled to stay upright. Brave Hachi. He didn't deserve this, but Miroku needed him – he couldn't stand on his own. At least Inuyasha and the others were far away enough to have a chance. He sucked in a deep breath and pulled the mala from his hand. He instantly felt the difference as the void tugged at the ragged edges of his palm, straining the already broken skin. The wind was more powerful, too, that much closer to breaking open entirely. The demons were sucked in immediately, pulled down from the sky en masse. He could feel the strain immediately, the toll it was taking on his body. He ground his teeth and kept his footing.

Inuyasha whipped around at the terrifyingly familiar sound and he went cold with fear. "_Miroku?_"

"The fool!" Mushin shouted, fear in his voice as he stepped back. "He'll suck in everything around him!"

Something shifted in Inuyasha's chest as the youki within him sprang to life. The beads loosened just a fraction, and he gathered up the power within him before sending it out in a burst that sent the beads flying in every direction. He was running on pure instinct as his demon side reacted to the sight of Miroku in trouble. He spared a heartbeat to punch the old monk hard enough to knock him out cold before turning on his heel and springing forward.

Miroku was shaking, sinking back over the crater even as Hachi struggled to hold him upright. He could feel his palm tearing, the wind tunnel spreading from the nicks. He only needed to hold out for a moment longer, just long enough to take in the last of the demons, but his body was failing him. His knees gave out and he was sliding back, Hachi slipping off the edge of the crater behind him. With nothing to support him he fell, over the edge of his father's grave. He barely managed to catch a flailing segment of his mala beads, and the wind tunnel slammed shut. He knew he wouldn't be able to keep it closed as he fell.

But a hand grasped his wrist, jerking him to a stop. Inuyasha was clinging to the edge of the crater with one hand, the other wrapped around his forearm. Miroku stared at him in shock. Inuyasha bared his teeth in a truly ferocious snarl. "Damn it! If you try to use that wind tunnel again, I'll tear your stupid arm off!"

He tugged Miroku closer, dragging them both up over the lip of the crater. He wrapped his arm around Miroku's waist, partially to help him up, partially to hold him close. They glanced up at the sky, where more than a hundred demons still swarmed. Inuyasha growled, pushed Miroku into the ground with a hand on his back.

"I don't care if you wanna die – you're not doing it while I'm around! You got that?!" He picked up Tessaiga from where he had dropped it earlier. "_I'm not gonna let you die_ – not here, not now!"

He raised Tessaiga above his head and brought it down in a single, powerful strike. Four lines of blazing light shot from the blade and travelled through the wall of demons, instantly destroying them. All of them. Their decimated bodies rained to the ground. Inuyasha stared at his sword, which glowed with a powerful golden light. What happened? He'd never done anything like that.

Miroku blinked. He'd seen that golden shimmer on the Tessaiga before – this must be its true power, finally realized! Inuyasha did it!

Movement from the roof drew Sango's attention away from Inuyasha. The worm charmer ran to the edge and jumped, making its escape. Sango threw Hiraikotsu and cut it cleanly in half. Shippo rushed forward and caught the clay bottle before it could hit the ground. He brought it back to Sango and together they placed it by the unconscious Mushin. Instantly, the ethereal worms slithered from his mouth and back into the bottle. Sango sealed it with the cork and sat back on her heels. "He should be fine now."

Inuyasha walked over to Miroku, who was struggling to make his way over to Mushin. He sighed wearily and hoisted the monk's arm over his shoulder, taking almost all of his weight. Miroku gave him a smile in thanks, and it had never looked so fragile. They joined the others around Mushin. Miroku shook his shoulders, tried to rouse him, but to no avail.

"He should wake soon enough on his own," Sango reassured him, but her eyes darted meaningfully to the mala beads dangling loosely from his arm. "Can you wait?"

"I'll be fine," Miroku said, relatively sure that it wasn't a lie.

After Miroku idiotically attempted to lift Mushin and almost passed out in the process, Inuyasha grudgingly agreed to carry the old monk inside. He recruited Kirara, Shippo, and Hachi to assist, while Sango helped Miroku inside. They set Mushin on his bed and sat in a heap around him, all of them physically and emotionally exhausted. Inuyasha scooted over to Miroku, who sat leaning against the wall. He was pale and shaking, drenched in sweat with his eyes sunken into their sockets. The scent of pain and blood sat thickly around him like a shroud. Inuyasha grabbed him by the shoulders and maneuvered them both around until Miroku was leaning back against his chest. Slowly, Miroku's head fell back to rest on Inuyasha's shoulder. He was still breathing harshly and his heartbeat had yet to settle.

At some point, Sango came up to them with a bucket of warm water, some sake, and Miroku's robes. They had to press a wet cloth to his shoulder where the cloth of his koromo was glued to the skin with blood. After peeling it away, Sango gently cleaned and stitched the wound, using supplies pulled from the various pockets in Miroku's robes. Inuyasha kept his arms wrapped around the monk's chest the entire time. Once the wound was safely bandaged, Sango left Inuyasha to help Miroku change back into his robes. The white koromo was still damp, which didn't help his constant shivering. His skin was already clammy from sweat and blood loss.

Inuyasha tried not to stare at the bruises blooming down Miroku's body. He kept his movements calm, even, and controlled, even though his youki was swirling within him. Once he was dressed, Inuyasha pushed them both back into their previous position. Miroku still had trouble moving, the medicine working its way through his system. He leaned heavily back against Inuyasha and took comfort in his warmth and solid presence. There was still a long night ahead of them, and they would wait it out together.

Mushin woke with a grumble shortly before dawn. He remembered most of what had happened while he was possessed, though he admitted it was a little fuzzy. Miroku pressed a small cup of sake to his hand and filled him – and the others – in on the events of the previous day.

"'m sorry for trying to kill you," Mushin muttered at Inuyasha, eyeing him with mild suspicion.

"Sorry for knocking you out," Inuyasha grumbled back.

Mushin laughed heartily at that and slapped him on the shoulder. "Please, I've had far worse than that little thing. Why, I remember this one time…"

Miroku tuned out the infamous story of Mushin's adventures with a pickpocketing yūjo and instead focused on his companions. He still couldn't believe they had come for him. While Sango and Shippo helped Mushin gather some food, Miroku could feel Inuyasha's eyes on him. He ignored it as best he could, not really feeling up for confrontation at that moment. Eventually, though, he gave in.

"You never did say why you left us without a word," Inuyasha said softly, pressing the length of their arms together.

Miroku sighed. "I…I didn't want to risk exposing you to the wind tunnel, for one. I had no idea how a tear might spread."

"And you didn't tell us this because…?" Inuyasha prompted, a firmness to his voice even though his eyes were soft.

"I suspected that you might try to come with me. That you might not let me go alone, or at all." Miroku swallowed and looked away. He would usually stop talking at that point, but he was still raw from the fear that had consumed him all day. "And I thought it would be better for you to continue on without me, work together to complete the Jewel and kill Naraku even if I was dead. It didn't really occur to me that you would go out of your way to find me when I told you not to."

He glanced up and saw Sango and Shippo standing at the doorway, their arms laden with vegetables. Shippo looked sad and confused, while Sango looked heartbroken. Miroku cursed himself. He should never have said anything. Inuyasha shifted beside him, bumped their shoulders together.

"So what you're saying is that you're an idiot."

Miroku nodded solemnly. "Yes, that's exactly what I'm trying to say."

"Well, you're my idiot," Inuyasha said firmly. "So don't you forget it."

They formed bowls of rice, beans, tofu, and vegetables for everyone to eat. Miroku attempted to refuse, claiming he still felt nauseous, and was met with several hot glares. He obediently ate the meal while the others recounted their half of the tale. They all thanked Hachi for his quick thinking in finding the group after Miroku sent him away, recognizing that the decision had saved his life. Once they had finished up, Mushin pushed to his feet and looked at him.

"I think it's high time we see to that wind tunnel, young man," he said cheerfully.

Miroku froze. Logically, he knew that it needed to happen – the sooner the better, in fact. His hand hadn't stopped aching since the initial fight with the mantis, but using it again had heightened the pain to a constant throb. He had no idea if it might still tear open at any moment. But the idea of numbing himself with medicine again, of letting himself drift away so soon made his skin crawl and stomach churn. He felt everyone's eyes on him and regained his carefully crafted mask of pleasant neutrality. He didn't know how successful he was.

He drank the concoction of herbs with no visible hesitation and lay down on the mat, trying to keep his heartrate under control. He wasn't terribly surprised when Inuyasha sat down next to him. The others offered him encouraging glances and left to wait outside on the en. Miroku fixed his eyes on the ceiling and breathed deeply through his nose. Inuyasha's ears twitched, following Mushin's movements through the temple, but never taking his eyes off Miroku's face. As his breathing began to rise, struggling against the medicine's grasp, Inuyasha reached out and took his hand.

"I can't stay in the room with you, but I'm going to be right outside and listening the entire time," he promised. "I'm not going to let anything happen to you."

Miroku blinked away an errant tear, hoping that Inuyasha would forgive him for his weakness. He nodded hastily, pressing his lips firmly together to prevent any wayward emotions from leaking through. He closed his eyes and let out a deep, shuddering breath. The feeling of safety he'd once associated with this temple was gone, irrevocably shattered by what had transpired. But he trusted Inuyasha. He trusted his friends. With tremendous effort, he relaxed his muscles and allowed himself to sleep.

Inuyasha almost resisted Mushin as the old monk shooed him outdoors, but he couldn't risk anything distracting him while he fixed Miroku's hand. He had to imagine that it was an incredibly delicate operation. He, Sango, Shippo, Hachi, and Kirara were all banished to the en to wait. First, Inuyasha tried to stay seated, but he found his leg bouncing constantly with restless energy. Then he paced. Finally, once he heard Mushin begin, he sat back down and listened to every movement, breath, and heartbeat coming from that room with unwavering focus. Sango was still beside him, her eyes closed as she waited out the anxiety they all felt.

"He's taking so long," Shippo murmured, looking between the two of them for reassurance.

"He has to stitch the wound very carefully," Sango explained quietly, unwilling to break the fragile sense of calm that had fallen. "You don't want him to rush."

When the sound of footsteps approached, Inuyasha was on his feet before the door slid open.

"Young fool," Mushin muttered, taking a swig straight from a jar of sake. "He should be more careful."

"How is he?" Inuyasha asked, trying to peer over the old monk's shoulder into the room.

"He's sleeping. You can go see him, but I don't think he'll be much for conversation."

All of them slipped past him into the temple. Miroku looked small, lying there on the floor. His hand was covered in its usual cloth and Inuyasha could only guess as to what lay underneath. He looked a little better than he had before, with some of the colour returned to his cheeks. But there was a slight grimace on his face, even in such a deep sleep. Inuyasha sat by his side and began counting every beat of his heart.

"You there, Inuyasha?" Mushin said after a while. "Come with me."

Inuyasha glanced at Miroku then at Sango, alarmed. Sango's expression softened. "Go," she urged. "I've got him."

He got reluctantly to his feet and glanced back several times before following the old monk outside. Mushin leant against the railing surrounding the en, looking out at the waterfall behind the temple.

"Well, drunkard, I hope you did a good job," Inuyasha said, hoping to get this conversation over with quickly.

Mushin sighed and turned to face him, taking another swig from the sake jar. "I did the best that I could to repair it, but the wind tunnel has definitely spread."

His heart clenched, the words ringing in his ears. "Does that mean that his life has been shortened? How much longer does he have to live?"

"I don't know," Mushin huffed. "His father and grandfather both carried the curse for nearly twenty years, but they never used it as a weapon the way he does. If he keeps on the way he is, I can't see him lasting much longer." He turned his gaze to Inuyasha, and there was real emotion in his watery old eyes. "If Naraku is destroyed then the curse will be lifted, and Miroku's life will be spared. It's his only hope." He reached out and placed a heavy hand on Inuyasha's shoulder. "You seem like a good lad, despite the ears and all that. Thank you for looking after my boy."

Inuyasha slipped back inside the temple, blinking furiously against the stinging in his eyes. He knelt back by Miroku's side and nodded to Sango. She pressed her lips together and tucked the blanket more firmly around Miroku.

"He sure puts on a strong front, doesn't he?" she murmured, gazing down at his face. "How does he manage to always stay so light-hearted?"

Inuyasha didn't say anything, but he flattened himself to the floor. First one leg, then his whole body pressed against Miroku's. Shippo and Kirara followed suit, climbing onto his lap and chest. Sango watched them all with a broken smile and took Miroku's unbound hand in hers. They sat like that for a long time. Eventually, Miroku shifted, heavy eyes slowly blinking open.

"Miroku!" Shippo greeted enthusiastically, reaching out tiny hands to frame his face.

"You're going to be fine," Sango assured him. "Mushin stitched up the wind tunnel."

Miroku looked blearily at them, then slowly raised his right hand and stared at the palm, brows furrowed. Inuyasha heard his heartbeat stutter into a rapid beat, then slowly calm. He smelled the spike of fear in his scent, too, even as the monk smiled at him.

"It's good to see you all here."

The smile looked so genuine, despite the sour fear, that Inuyasha acted without thinking. He lunged forward and pulled Miroku into a hug. Miroku made a noise of surprise, but his arms slowly came to rest on Inuyasha's back, squeezing with fragile strength. Inuyasha only shifted his weight and clutched him harder to his chest. When he eventually pulled away, Miroku was staring at him with shining eyes and a puzzled expression.

"Don't ever do that again," Inuyasha growled, his ears flat on his head.

"I'll try not to," Miroku assured weakly.

"How are you feeling?" Sango asked, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Good as new," Miroku said, smiling hazily.

They insisted he lay down for a while longer, since the effects of the medicine had yet to fully disappear. Shippo began asking him a series of endless questions about how life worked at a temple, while Sango moved in and out of the room, helping Mushin however she could. Even as the others busied themselves, Inuyasha remained by his side all day. He didn't say anything, didn't acknowledge Miroku's questioning glances, merely sat beside him, a sold presence. When Miroku had to stand or sit, there was a hand at his elbow and back. When he grimaced at the pain in his shoulder or hand, Inuyasha helped him however he could. It left Miroku feeling a little overwhelmed.

That evening, as they ate together, Inuyasha glanced up at Mushin. "Would it be alright if we stayed here for another day or two?"

Miroku stared at him in surprise, but didn't comment. Mushin muttered that they'd better earn their keep, but everyone could tell that he wasn't particularly serious. The conversation flowed lightly, mostly consisting of Mushin's stories which were wildly inappropriate for Shippo and yet had the kit enthralled. But as the evening wore on, everyone seemed to remember that they hadn't slept the night before – a few had napped throughout the day – and they made their way to bed. Mushin disappeared off to his own sleeping area, while Sango gathered Shippo and Kirara by the fire. The others had insisted that Miroku take the only spare futon. Inuyasha followed him back to the sleeping area, keeping his silence. He helped Miroku lie down but the monk caught his hand as he pulled away.

"You don't need to worry about me, you know," he murmured. "We can leave tomorrow morning."

Inuyasha growled quietly and knelt in front of him, eyes firm. "We stay until you're well enough to travel. We did the same for Sango when she was injured. You'd do the same for any of our companions. Don't deny yourself the same treatment."

When he lay down, Inuyasha immediately pressed against his side. He refused to make eye contact and was practically bristling, and Miroku wisely decided not to say anything. It wasn't as though he minded, anyway. He wouldn't be sleeping for a long while, the creeping anxiety still present. He felt the ragged edges of the wind tunnel tugging at his palm further than ever before. The cold numbness seeped into his mind and bones like a disease. He didn't know if he would ever be free of it. He closed his eyes and tried to welcome the dark embrace of sleep.

Inuyasha pressed his nose against Miroku's neck and took deep, shuddering breaths. Now that it was all over and everyone was safe, the intense fear that had been plaguing him finally hit home. He began to tremble with the force of it, and buried himself further against Miroku. He'd almost lost him, in more ways than one, many times over. He'd almost lost Miroku. The thought sent a roll of nausea through him. What he'd suspected before had become undeniable – he cared about Miroku, more than just as a travel companion of even a new friend. He cared about Miroku in ways he didn't think were possible before. He didn't know what it meant, or how it would change things – all he knew was that the image of Miroku, pale and bleeding, about to be devoured by demons, haunted him every time he closed his eyes. That he hadn't thought twice about leaping in the path of the wind tunnel to catch Miroku as he fell. That Miroku looked far too small as he was lying there, and it had little to do with the robes which clung to his slim form and everything to do with the lack of confident, cheerful, vibrant _life_ which usually surrounded him. And Inuyasha knew that he would do anything to get those lips to smile and those eyes to shine once more.

He had the vague notion that someone was following him, though Miroku didn't know who. Something was nagging at the corners of his mind, an urgent whisper that told him he needed to run. That he wasn't safe. That he needed to get away. He glanced around but he couldn't see anything, not through the thick fog and the darkness of night. There was an odd sound, too – a faint whistling. Then it hit him. His eyes snapped to his palm, where a faint breeze was swirling around the mala beads. Even as he watched, they cracked and shattered, falling to the ground. The wind tunnel burst open, sucking in everything around him. Dark, clawed hands were reaching for him and the void spread ever further. He knew without a shadow of a doubt that it was going to consume him. He backpedaled, tried to get away, but how do you escape from your own hand? The cold nothingness began spreading up his arm, tugging him forward and he couldn't breathe, couldn't think, couldn't even scream-

Miroku woke gasping with arms securely around him. He struggled for a moment until he caught the familiar voice whispering in his ear. He sank back against Inuyasha's chest, tried to catch his breath and calm the frantic beating of his heart. He was shaking, drenched in cold sweat. He clung to Inuyasha's arms, closed his eyes. Without thinking he turned, pressed his face into Inuyasha's chest like a child. The hanyou was kind enough not to mention it, just readjusted is arms around him and continued a constant murmur of quiet, empty reassurances. Miroku stayed there for the rest of the night.

The next morning, Inuyasha didn't argue when Miroku said he was ready to leave. He stuck close to his side, always keeping an ear trained on him. After feeding them one last time, Mushin walked them to the edge of the temple's land. Miroku slowed as they passed his father's grave, but didn't stop. As Hachi transformed and the others began climbing onto his back, Miroku hugged Mushin farewell.

"Don't wait so long to come back next time," Mushin told him gruffly. "And take care of yourself – you're too skinny and you need a haircut."

Miroku smiled and waved goodbye. As Inuyasha helped him onto Hachi's back, he felt Mushin's eyes on him. He turned to look at the old monk, and saw his gaze soften.

"Goodbye, Inuyasha," Mushin muttered, just loud enough for hanyou ears. "Take care of my boy."

* * *

Welcome to my queer retelling, where everyone has psychological issues and no one's okay. Glad you could make it. I'm sorry.

Oof, this chapter was a long one but I have to admit, I've been looking forward to it since I started this venture. I think it's one of the best insights into not only Miroku's character, but the group dynamic, and the moment that they all realize what's really at stake for him. Finding Naraku becomes more of a shared purpose rather than something they're all working towards individually, and they truly become more of a team. And the angst! And the introspection! And the feels!


	29. Chapter 29: s2e02

Warnings for this chapter: death, references to massacre and slaughter, depictions of injuries and scars, discussions of murder

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One of the bear demons charged at Inuyasha, enraged by the hanyou's jabbing sword. The other turned to Miroku, yellow eyes narrowing. They were twice his size, standing a few heads taller than him on their hind legs. The second demon raised its paw, batting away Sango's sword before turning back to him. It struck before he had a chance to react. Even as he blocked the demon's mouth with his staff, its jaws were long enough that he couldn't keep its front teeth from closing over the front of his robes. The jagged teeth scraped over his skin, ripping the fabric and pulling him to the ground. A shout sounded from behind him and then Inuyasha was in front of him, slashing at the demon's face before punching it away. He dragged Miroku to his feet, eyes darting over him once before turning back to the demon. They both froze. Their Jewel shard had flown from the demon's mouth and was currently bouncing along the rocky ground.

All of them dove for it. Hiraikotsu flew past the face of one of the demons, stopping it from moving, while Miroku's sutras gave Inuyasha the time he needed to slash at the other with Tessaiga. Miroku scrambled forward, but one of the first demon's giant clawed hands slammed into his back, pinning him to the ground. He maneuvered his arm out from under the paw and stabbed his staff into the demon's flesh, causing it to pull back. Inuyasha ran for the Jewel next, but the other demon dodged out of Sango's way and caught him in its jaws. Kirara dove for him as Sango sliced down the demon's neck with her sword. Throwing a handful of sutras at his own demon, Miroku stumbled the last few steps towards the Jewel.

Shippo got there first.

He snatched the Jewel from the ground and shot Miroku an alarmed look before darting away. One of the demons' hands crashed into the ground where he'd been standing a heartbeat later. Shippo shrieked as both the demons turned their attention to him. Miroku summoned a weak barrier which slammed to life in front of the demons, but it only took a few strikes for them to break through it. Then Inuyasha was there, driving them back with Tessaiga. Miroku ran after Shippo, scooping him up in his arms just as one of the demons broke away to chase after them.

"Miroku!" Sango shouted as she and Kirara flew over to them.

"Catch!" Miroku shouted back, throwing Shippo with the Jewel shard up at the slayer. She caught him easily and Kirara banked to the side, avoiding the snapping jaws of the demon. Miroku threw himself at it, catching it across the face with his staff.

The other demon, who was now missing a leg thanks to Inuyasha, had taken the hanyou in its jaws and threw him to the side. It jumped up as Kirara passed overhead, forcing the twin-tail to roll through the air. Sango clung to her fur, managing to stay on, but Shippo almost fell.

"Here!" Inuyasha called, scrambling to his feet and waving his arms. Kirara turned to him and, under the cover of Hiraikotsu, Shippo slid off her back and into Inuyasha's waiting arms.

Miroku had just about had enough. Hiraikotsu had caught the demon's head, knocking the Jewel shard from its brow. Already disoriented from blood loss and pain, it struggled to stay upright with its missing leg from Inuyasha. Sango jumped from Kirara's back and the twin-tail snapped at the demon, angering it and drawing it off. Sango used the distraction to snatch the demon's shard from the ground. Once Kirara was clear, Miroku brought his staff down across the demon's neck, almost severing it. The demon spasmed and lashed out, but then Inuyasha's arm wound around his waist, tugging him out of harm's way. The hanyou shot him a worried look before turning back to the other demon.

The other demon wasn't faring much better. Bleeding from several deep wounds along its side, it charged blindly at Inuyasha. With one arm full of fox and the other full of monk, he could only kick it away until Sango sliced it in half with Hiraikotsu. She quickly dug the two shards from its head as well, and it dissolved into dust.

"What a way to start the day," Inuyasha grinned wryly, ruffling Shippo's hair. "Good job."

"Thanks! Those things were fast!" the fox chirped before Inuyasha tossed him over to Miroku.

"Thankfully you were faster," Miroku commented, taking the Jewel shards offered to him by both Shippo and Sango.

"Lucky the kit's so passable," Inuyasha added before looking around the group. "Everyone alright?"

"Still alive," Sango assured, brushing the dust from Kirara's fur.

"It's almost as though we're getting good at this," Miroku smiled.

"Almost," Inuyasha and Sango shot back simultaneously, and they shared a grin. They gathered their scattered possessions and continued on with their day. It was a beautiful, sunny day, and they were in no particular hurry.

That night, though, Inuyasha was frustrated. Once again he'd failed to find Tessaiga's power. He'd tried countless ways of swinging the sword or holding it a certain way, but even in battle against the bear demons, there was nothing! He growled and held out the sword again, yelling as he swung. Nothing!

"Damnit!" he swore, inspecting the blade for any hint of gold light.

"Don't worry about it," Shippo advised from a branch behind him. "Even if it was just luck, you saved us! Just get lucky again next time."

"You can't rely on luck in life," Inuyasha warned. "And especially not in battle." He hummed, angling the blade to catch the moonlight. "Besides, it's skill, not luck."

"Wouldn't you be able to do it again if it was skill?" Shippo asked, earning him a growl and a swatted in response.

He tried a few more half-hearted swings, but got no results. Grumbling to himself, Inuyasha sheathed the sword and marched back to camp where Miroku sat by the fire with Kirara on his lap.

"Any luck?" the monk asked, looking up at him.

"It's not luck!" Inuyasha instantly snapped, dropping to a seat beside him.

"So it went well, then," Miroku teased, a smile playing around his eyes.

"You think you're hilarious."

"Yes."

Inuyasha snorted despite himself. "Where's Sango?"

"Bathing just over there," Miroku nodded at a nearby spring.

"You humans sure are averse to dirt," Inuyasha muttered, picking up one of the fish left smoking over the fire for him and Shippo.

"We certainly are peculiar," Miroku agreed, but his face grew serious. He stretched and clenched his right hand a few times, a familiar movement over the past few days whenever the wind tunnel was bothering him. "Naraku took the offensive with the worm charmer. He's probably keeping a watch on us from somewhere. It'll be hard to make a move."

"Hmph. It'll save us time looking for that bastard. Just try to attack us, anytime, anywhere!" His eyes narrowed at Miroku's chuckle and fond expression. "And what're you laughing at?"

"Sorry." He looked down at his hand, and though the smile remained fixed on his face, Inuyasha could see apprehension in his eyes. "With my shoulder and wind tunnel injured, I'm feeling rather vulnerable. Hearing you talk with such confidence is encouraging."

"I gotcha covered, monk," Inuyasha assured, letting a fair amount of sincerity mix with his usual bravado. "If Naraku comes slinking around, he'll get more than he bargained for."

Despite his words, Inuyasha was still anxious. Tessaiga's new trick would give them the advantage they needed over Naraku, but he still had no idea how to summon it again. The last time had been purely instinctual, driven by the urgent need to protect Miroku and the rest of his pack. He hadn't been able to find that connection again, despite the sentiment strongly remaining. He shook his head, casting the thoughts from his mind. It didn't matter whether it was luck or not. He would master the sword and cut Naraku in two.

Sango wrung the last of the water from her hair and headed back to the others. Though the water felt amazing, she was hesitant to linger too long. It wasn't just the fear of being caught unprepared for danger, or the nervousness that had her staying close to Miroku while he healed – whenever she bathed, there was nothing between her and the scars that carried her past. It was some small mercy that they were on her back, so she wasn't confronted with them at every turn, but they were always present. She felt them when she bent or moved wrong, could feel them tugging at her skin when she carried Hiraikotsu and pressing into the rocks when she leaned against the sides of the hot spring pool.

They were twisted and raised, barely healed after less than a month. She knew that they would fade with time, and the thought sent a wave of conflicting emotions washing through her. She had never planned on things happening this way. As much as she cared for the others, travelling around the countryside looking for Jewel shards while Naraku was still a clear and present danger made her skin crawl. She knew there was nothing that could be done until they found his location, but each day he still drew breath was an insult to the memory of her dead family and people.

The others greeted her with a smile as she neared the campsite and Kirara instantly sprung from Miroku's lap to rub against her ankles. It helped to remind herself that she wasn't just fighting for the dead – all their lives were under threat from Naraku now, and it was worth slower results if they were still breathing at the end of it. Her eyes strayed involuntarily to Miroku once again. She honestly didn't know how he could act so cheerfully every day when such a threat loomed over his shoulder. She'd seen Inuyasha watching him after they left Mushin's temple, had caught the fear in his eyes. A silent communication had grown between the two of them over the past few days, now that she knew the urgency of Miroku's predicament. Just as all three of them had done with Shippo, Sango and Inuyasha ensured that Miroku was never too far out of sight and always being tracked. Theoretically it was just until his wind tunnel healed, and the residual fear from his disappearance had faded some. She suspected it might become habit for far longer.

That night, Inuyasha lay down on one side of Miroku with Sango on the other, all with their weapons at the ready. The first hints of autumn were in the air, and the nights were beginning to cool. Inuyasha stayed awake for a while, listening to the sounds of the night and Kirara's purring as she groomed Shippo's hair. He and Sango had discussed sleeping in shifts, but decided it wasn't worth it. They couldn't risk exhaustion slowing them down, and besides, between their various heightened senses, it was almost impossible for something to sneak up on them without their knowing. If their group continued to grow, or if there was a more present threat from Naraku, they would keep watch. As it was, Inuyasha found himself waking several times throughout the night, just to sniff the air and cast a glance over his pack before going back to sleep. And if he occasionally laid a hand on Miroku's arm or Shippo's head, just to be safe, then they were none the wiser.

The next morning, Miroku was reorganizing all the things he carried in his robes, including coins, bandages, and sutras. Sango knelt beside him and looked over the collection thoughtfully. One by one, she emptied several of the hidden pockets in her own clothes and armour, taking stock of what they had between them. She was gratified to see that he also carried a spool of silk and a needle, very similar to her own, as well as a striker and agate. The others were mildly horrified at the various knives, tools, and poisons in various forms she had hidden around her person. She gave him a small vial containing a substance that would turn to demon-repelling powder when it hit the air, and he gave her a small roll of cotton and some sutras.

"Is it safer if we split up the Jewel shards that we collect?" she asked, looking between him and Inuyasha. "Does the size of the shard make us more visible to demons, or would that just create two targets instead of one?"

"No idea," Inuyasha shrugged. "I find it a lot harder to detect the fragments than I did when it was whole, but I don't know if the amount we have would make a difference. Besides, it's easier to keep track of the shards when they're stuck together."

"Do they not do that on their own?" Sango asked, intrigued.

"They only started fusing like that after a spider head swallowed them." Inuyasha shrugged. "Don't ask. Point is, I'm not entirely keen to repeat the experience to get a second clump going."

"Fair enough."

"Hey, someone's coming!" Shippo called out from further down the road, sniffing the air cautiously.

Inuyasha caught the scent of blood and pushed himself off the tree he was leaning against to come stand protectively behind Miroku. A man was stumbling down the road, blood dripping steadily down his body. Even from far away, they could see him swaying and struggling to stay upright. They rushed forward as soon as he fell. Miroku knelt down and checked his breathing, but Inuyasha could already hear the lack of a heartbeat.

"He seems like just an ordinary villager," Miroku murmured, closing the man's eyes. "Do you think his home is under attack by samurai or bandits?"

Sango shook her head, gripping Hiraikotsu tighter as she looked over the slashes across the man's chest and back. "Those wounds weren't made by a sword."

"He's not the only one," Inuyasha said, looking in the direction the man had come. "The air is thick with blood, and it's fresh. Many have been killed."

As they ran further down the road, they could see thick plumes of smoke snaking into the sky. The foul scent wafted from the village long before they reached the outskirts. By the time they passed by the first of the houses, they could already see the bodies. They were scattered, many lying on their fronts with wounds at their backs. Whatever had killed them had done so while they were trying to escape.

"Is anyone left alive?" Shippo asked, clinging to Miroku's robes.

"Let's find out what happened," Miroku said. "Split up and search."

"Right," Inuyasha nodded, already moving.

"Hold it!" Sango shouted, causing them all to freeze.

She frowned, praying her instincts were wrong. She knelt down and picked up a small stone off the ground, eyeing the nearby houses. She threw the stone through the doorway of one, and the instant it touched the ground, the entire hut exploded. Debris flew in all directions and they covered their eyes.

"Don't move!" she instructed fiercely. "Traps are set everywhere. One wrong step and your legs may be blown off."

"They're buried?" Shippo asked, immediately scampering up Miroku's robes to perch safely on his shoulder.

"Around the bodies?" Miroku asked, looking disgusted.

"Probably," Sango sighed, surveying the carnage around them.

"Who would do something so cruel?" Miroku wondered aloud. "War is bad enough, but it's heartless to keep the survivors from helping the wounded or attending to the dead."

"This heartless bastard doesn't deserve to live," Inuyasha growled. "Let's find 'em before he makes another move."

He peered through the village, ears straining to pick up a heartbeat. Miroku and Sango watched him closely with their weapons at the ready, following his lead. As soon as his eyes narrowed at a storehouse he was off, leaping along the rooftops of the other huts before reaching his target. He struck through the roof with Tessaiga, splitting open the small room. A small figure instantly leapt from the splintering walls. He launched himself into the air, turning in the air to throw his kusarigama at Inuyasha. The hanyou blocked the sickle with Tessaiga but the figure just yanked it back by the chain, easily catching the weapon from the air.

Inuyasha glared at the kid, holding Tessaiga at the ready. Could this be the one? No, he was just a young human boy! He couldn't have killed all the villagers. Could he? A single taste of the air confirmed that he was covered in blood, disguised by the black leather of his clothing.

"The kid's gone insane!" Inuyasha warned the others.

Miroku eyed the boy, taking in the armour in a style he'd only ever seen on a slayer. Sure, the armour pieces were yellow instead of pink, and the obi straps were indigo, not red, but everything else was the same, down to the iron mask obscuring most of his face. When he glanced at Sango, Miroku's heart sank. Her eyes were wide and frozen, and her hands shook where they clutched to the strap of Hiraikotsu. A chirp brought both of their attention to Kirara, who took a few hesitant steps toward the boy.

Sango tore her gaze away, back to Kohaku. Could it really be him? Kirara recognized him, and he looked exactly like him… But no, this boy had the eyes of a stranger, cold and uncaring and nothing like her brother. This had to be some imposter. Some trick. Inuyasha was still shouting at him, asking him why he did this. Sango had questions of her own, questing she would ask as soon as her body started cooperating again. As it was, she could do nothing but stare.

Then the boy ran, and Inuyasha gave chase. He was so focused on catching the murderer that he didn't pay enough attention to his footing. But he felt the unnatural mound of dirt under his foot and his heart sank. He used his momentum to launch in the air just as the hidden explosive went off. His robes saved him from the worst of the explosion and debris, but his legs took the brunt of the impact. He flew back with enough force to shatter the bones of a human. Though he landed on his feet, the impact sent jolts of pain racing up his legs.

"Kirara!" Sango shouted, reaching out an arm to catch the twin-tail as she jumped. She used the momentum to fling the neko into the air and jumped after her, trusting her to transform as she did so. "Go!" she ordered, catching hold of the mane around her neck and hanging on with one hand. Kirara ran after the boy through the air, easily following his scent. Sango could feel the breath heaving in and out of Kirara's lungs as she breathed, feel the tension in her muscles. She knew that the twin-tail was as shocked as she was.

Inuyasha watched first the boy, then Sango and Kirara disappear into the treeline. He skidded to a stop, halted by the transparent blue barrier which reached far into the sky. He pounded at it, first with his fists, then with Tessaiga, but it was no use. Whatever was going on, whatever trap had been laid, Sango was on her own. He glanced over his shoulder to see Miroku riding Shippo in his orb form. The monk's eyes narrowed when he caught sight of the barrier and he exchanged a worried look with Inuyasha. This had to be another of Naraku's plots. They had to get to Sango!

"Any luck?" Miroku asked, sliding off Shippo's back and placing his palm against the barrier, feeling its energy.

"None!" Inuyasha growled, starting to pace. "But they could all get through – Sango, Kirara, that boy… Damnit!"

"The boy was a slayer," Miroku said worriedly, jabbing at the barrier with his staff, to no effect. "Sango seemed shaken by his appearance, as though she'd seen a ghost."

"She may well have," Inuyasha muttered, kicking the barrier for good measure. "He smelled a lot like her. I think he's her family."

Miroku's heart sank. He remembered Sango talking mournfully about a younger brother, how he had been possessed to try to kill her. How he had died, presumably at the castle that had claimed the lives of her team of slayers. And now, reanimated again. The powerful glow Miroku could sense from him explained a little, at least.

"He had a Jewel shard in his back," Miroku said. "We've experienced that one before."

Inuyasha nodded. "Naraku got her to fight us the same way. Except she wasn't dead, then. I bet he has even more control over a corpse."

"Sango's probably aware of what's going on," Miroku said. "But then why did the shield allow her to pass through? Surely Naraku must know how dangerous she is." He shook his head. "We need to get through."

He took a step back, reaching for his mala beads. Inuyasha immediately slapped his hand down. "Don't even think about it."

He lifted Tessaiga above his head and struck, sending the blade bouncing off the barrier. He growled and began stalking along its length, looking for a weak spot. They had to find a way in.

Sango clung to Kirara's back. The boy had stopped in the middle of a large, fog-covered clearing and was facing her. Kirara touched down a safe distance away and Sango immediately slid to the ground. Kirara growled softly and chuffed, and Sango placed a hand reassuringly on the twin-tail's head. Kirara closed her eyes and leaned into her. Sango looked at the boy, who stood utterly still and was watching them with blank eyes.

"Let me see your face," Sango said quietly, undemanding. She didn't want to scare this boy away. Not until she could confirm that this wasn't her brother.

But the boy removed the iron mask obediently, and there was no denying it. It was as though someone had sucked all the emotion, all the life from her brother and left only a walking shell. But it was undeniably him.

"Kohaku! You're alive!" she gasped. "Kohaku…"

"Are you happy to see your brother alive?" a silky, dangerous voice asked from somewhere in the fog.

Sango froze, her eyes darting around before landing on the dark shape materializing behind Kohaku. The dreaded white baboon pelt came to a stop. "It's been such a long time," he continued nonchalantly.

"Naraku!" she growled, one hand sliding to the strap of Hiraikotsu.

"Aren't you going to thank me?"

"For what?" she scoffed, and heard Kirara creeping forward beside her.

"I salvaged your brother from the castle," Naraku practically purred. "Kohaku's life should have ended, but I saved him. You know this salvation, the power of the Shikon Jewel. Now Kohaku possesses power beyond you."

"Silence," Sango growled, but it was no use.

"He stands before you through my good will. If the shard is taken from him, he will die. Do you understand?"

Slowly, she took her hand off Hiraikotsu. Naraku wasn't simply flaunting Kohaku's life, or trying to have them fight to the death in some sick reprisal of the castle massacre. No, Kohaku was a token to be bartered, and she was going to have to play Naraku's game to get him back.

"Bring me Tessaiga," Naraku said, and she could hear the smile in his voice. "Only then will Kohaku's life be his."

Fury flashed through her. "I won't be bribed!"

She lifted Hiraikotsu, preparing to strike. Instead, Kohaku's kama crashed into her weapon, forcing her to stumble back. Kohaku easily caught the sickle and stood protectively between her and Naraku.

"Kohaku!" she shouted. "Why are you protecting that demon?"

"Kohaku's memories are no longer his," Naraku smirked. "An assassin has no need for feelings. You should be proud of what your brother has accomplished. He has become a very fine _slayer_."

The emphasis made her skin crawl. It was obvious that Naraku had forced Kohaku to destroy the village, and who knows what else.

"Damn you!" Sango cursed, rushing forward.

Instantly, a thick cloud of purple black miasma burst from Naraku's body, surrounding him and Kohaku. Sango grabbed the iron mask from where it hung by her side and crammed it onto her face, not bothering to tie the straps.

"You will bring me the Tessaiga," Naraku's voice commanded from inside the swirling vortex of poison gas. "I will be waiting for you, Sango."

The wall of miasma exploded outward, pushing her back in a burst of light. When she looked up, Naraku and Kohaku were gone. Kirara rushed to her side, blinking the miasma from her eyes and wheezing slightly. Sango put a hand on Kirara's shoulders before throwing her arms around the twin-tail's neck, hugging her close. Kirara closed her eyes and rumbled reassuringly. After one last glance around the clearing, in which no trace of her brother could be found, Sango turned and began making her way back to the others. Kirara was still breathing heavily from the miasma she'd inhaled, so Sango had her transform down and carried her all the way back.

She saw the barrier that she had passed through, and Inuyasha, Miroku, and Shippo all huddled against it. They all startled when they saw her and rushed over.

"Sango!" Shippo exclaimed, climbing up her side. "Did you get a chance to talk with your brother?"

"That boy was not my brother!" Sango snapped, recoiling.

"I'm sorry," Shippo muttered, reaching out to her face with a tiny hand. She closed her eyes and looked away.

"Well, the main thing is that you returned unharmed," Miroku said softly, placing a hand on her shoulder. "I take it this was another of Naraku's traps?"

"Mhmm."

Miroku's eyes softened. "You must be tired. Let's return to the village and get some rest, alright?"

"Wait, Miroku," Sango stopped him as we moved away. "Please, we need to honour the dead at the village. Will you perform a service for them?"

Miroku nodded without hesitation, and guided her forward with a hand on her back. They walked back to the village, and Sango didn't miss the searching look that Inuyasha gave her. She instructed them on how to find and safely remove the explosives from the houses and those buried underground. They began moving carefully through the village, with Kirara and Inuyasha sniffing out the distinctive smell of the explosive powder. It was afternoon by the time they had found the last of them.

As Miroku brought a basket of them over to Sango for her to safely destroy, a startled and angry yell came from the other side of the village. They both rushed over to find Inuyasha standing over Shippo, a woven mat covered with a few explosives by the kit's feet.

"What the fuck were you thinking?" Inuyasha was shouting at him. "These are dangerous – they could take your arm off! What the hell do you think you were doing?"

"I'm sorry!" Shippo said, curled up by his feet with tears in his eyes. "I only wanted to help!"

"You can't put yourself in danger like that," Inuyasha growled, lowering his voice at the kit's frightened face but still visibly angry. He crouched down, holding his gaze. "Miroku and Sango and I, we need to know that you're keeping yourself out of trouble when we're busy with other things. We can't lose you."

"But you all put yourselves in danger all the time!" Shippo shouted back ferociously. "How is that okay, but I can't do the same? I just want to help you!"

"It's not okay," Inuyasha said softly, suddenly sounding incredibly weary. "It's not okay that we're in danger all the time, but that's just how our lives are right now. We're fighting so that one day, we can be safe. But Shippo, we're all grown up. You're just a kid. You need to be safe now so you can grow up big and strong, and make the world better in your own time."

"I'm sorry," Shippo sniffed, looking down again.

"C'mere," Inuyasha sighed, gathering the kit up into a hug.

Miroku gently maneuvered Sango away, letting the two have their moment. They shared a sorrowful look as they returned to the edge of the village. Sango suspected that Miroku's mind had followed a similar path to her own – it's true, Shippo and Kohaku were children, and didn't deserve to be dragged into this war, but she, Miroku, and Inuyasha weren't exactly aged, either. They were adult, to be sure, but they were still young. Sango had gone on her first mission when she was eleven, even if it was under the safety of a seasoned team. She doubted that Inuyasha or Miroku had had peaceful childhoods, either.

That was why they had to defeat Naraku – he had to stop stealing lives. He'd stolen those of every person he'd killed, but he was stealing theirs as well. She wouldn't let him take their futures, as well.

But he had stolen Kohaku's life. He had given her a chance to take it back. Sango shook her head, pushing the thought aside for now. They would clean up Naraku's mess, give the villagers the rest they deserved. Then she would confront what Naraku had asked of her.

"What do you think of it all, Miroku?" Inuyasha asked, leaning against his shovel.

"What's that?" Miroku asked, setting down the basket of earth he had just emptied into the waiting wagon and massaging his aching shoulder. It had taken them the rest of the day to dig a hole large enough to be all the villagers' grave.

"Naraku's plot. He must have said something to Sango."

"He probably told her that he was manipulating her brother," Miroku shrugged. "Maybe threatened her a bit. He may have even had them fight, though I suspect she would be in much worse condition if she had to fight him. She can't kill her own brother."

"Well we can't just let him off the hook," Inuyasha growled. "So what if he's just a puppet? He's responsible for slaughtering an entire village. If Sango can't kill him, then I'm gonna have to take him down."

"You want to kill a child," Miroku clarified, just to be sure. "The possessed younger brother of our dear friend who has no control over his actions."

"She said it herself – he's not her brother anymore!" Inuyasha threw down his shovel and leaned against the side of the grave, arms crossed and ears back. "Naraku sent him 'cause he thought we'd be too sentimental and weak to kill him off. We can't let him win like that! As soon as he finds an opponent we can't even fight, we've lost!"

Miroku mirrored his position, a deep frown slashed across his face. "I would argue that the moment we begin trading lives or killing innocents, we've already lost."

Inuyasha growled and leapt from the hole, stalking away. He was in a lousy position. The kid was a threat, and he had to be taken down – for their own safety as well as the lives of anyone who stood in Naraku's way. They couldn't defend against a human assassin the way they could against demons. He could sneak up without giving off any youki, so they wouldn't sense him, and take them out before they even knew he was there. He was too dangerous to be left alive.

But, Inuyasha had to admit, it put Sango in an awful position. She wasn't stupid. She knew that her brother was dangerous, but he was still her brother. She obviously cared for him. If it came down to it, he didn't know if she could sit back and let him kill the kid. And he didn't know whose side Miroku would fall on, either. He growled, kicking at the ground. Naraku had certainly found a way to test the already fraught alliance of their pack. Only time could tell if they would be strong enough to survive it.

It was impossible for Sango to sleep that night. Memories of Kohaku came unbidden – his first training sessions, his constant struggle to be good enough for their father's high expectations, his kind heart and brave face…the way he looked up to her…the way he thought she could protect him… Naraku had said he'd stolen Kohaku's memories, and as much as she didn't want to believe it, there had been none of her brother in those cold eyes. Kohaku hadn't reacted at all when he saw her. How could he forget everything about his life, about himself? It was impossible. She had believed that Naraku was her ally in the beginning. Kohaku was just confused, just being manipulated the same way she had been. She had to save him! Her eyes shifted to the Tessaiga. She had to.

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I just love the idea of Miroku going around, living his life while the Miroku Defense Squad™ follows him around, wearing matching t-shirts, dark sunglasses, and earpieces, acting as his personal secret agent bodyguards. This, of course, would be supplemented by the Inuyasha-Is-A-Good-Person Army decked out in war paint and flamethrowers, Sango's She's-Gonna-Fuck-You-Up-Bro Backup Dancers, and Shippo's You're-Doing-Great-Sweetie Cheerleaders.

Note that Kirara don't need no ensemble – she's got this, man


	30. Chapter 30: s2e03

Warnings for this chapter: depictions of violence and injuries, poisoning, references to slaughter and massacre, family betrayal, vague suicidal inclinations, dismemberment, and vast quantities of emotional pain

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Sango's eyes remained fixed on the sword leaning against Inuyasha's shoulder on the other side of the hut. Was she seriously considering stealing Tessaiga? The idea was ridiculous, but what choice did she have? She had no doubt that Naraku was watching them. If she told the others about the trade, she was sure that at least Miroku would be supportive. They would probably try to help her. But Naraku wouldn't let that happen. He would kill Kohaku in a heartbeat. No, she had to figure this out alone.

Tessaiga couldn't be held by demons. That's what Inuyasha had said before. So Naraku wasn't planning on using it, just keeping it from Inuyasha. She could hand over the Tessaiga, rescue Kohaku, and then figure out some way to get it back later. Or, if she was lucky, she would never have to hand over the sword, simply use it to draw out Naraku. She seriously doubted that would work, but she had no choice but to try.

Naraku had said he'd stolen Kohaku's memories. Her brother wasn't in control of his actions, was probably lost and confused. She would do anything to get him back. But would she betray her companions – her friends? Sango tore her gaze away angrily. Across the fire, Inuyasha shifted and looked up at her.

"Sango, what's the matter?" he asked quietly, as to not disturb the sleeping Miroku and Shippo.

"Nothing's wrong," Sango insisted, barely able to keep her voice even. "I just couldn't get to sleep."

Inuyasha's amber eyes flashed with sympathy. "I'm sorry it all had to go down this way. I don't want to kill him, but I have to."

Sango growled. "I already explained to you, Inuyasha – he's not my brother. The Kohaku I knew could never slaughter an entire village. It would go against his very soul." She shook her head, jaw clenching. "I will deal with both Naraku and the imposter."

Sango looked away, obviously distraught, and Inuyasha's eyes darted to Miroku. The monk had been holding the pretence of sleep, but he silently met Inuyasha's gaze.

"How can it be that simple?" Inuyasha asked quietly. "If Kohaku looks exactly the same, can you really turn your heart against him that easily?"

"Don't underestimate me," Sango snapped. "I'm a slayer. I won't fall for Naraku's tricks."

Inuyasha pressed his lips together, catching the anguish mingling with her scent. "If I were in your position, I probably couldn't do it."

Sango looked away, breathing hard, heart beating fast. Inuyasha could smell her distress and itched to do something – anything – to help her. He felt eyes on him again and turned to see Miroku looking back at him, his violet eyes shimmering in the light of the fire. The monk's lips twitched into a sad smile and he gave the merest hint of a shrug. Inuyasha silently agreed. If Sango felt that she had to be the one to kill her brother, then he wasn't about to stop her. Still, he didn't know how she could do it. If it were him and Kikyo… Well, it _had _been him and Kikyo. And he had run to her, tried to save her, gone back to her again and again, even after she tried to kill Miroku. She was the woman he'd loved, the woman he still loved. He could never lift a finger against her.

To his left, Miroku shifted, brows drawing in. "Inuyasha…" His voice was laced with urgency. "Best be on your guard. We're completely surrounded."

Inuyasha took one sniff of the air an immediately jumped to his feet, cursing. He'd let himself get distracted. The air was thick with the scent of youkai. They rushed outside to see an army of demons of all shapes and sizes, with Kohaku standing at the front. There must have been more than a hundred youkai, from weak worm demons to larger, more vicious predators. Inuaysha clutched Tessaiga in his hand. If they were gonna make it out of this alive, he'd need to use the sword's power again. He hoped he would be lucky.

The slide of wooden beads had him snapping his gaze over to Miroku. The stupid monk had pulled his mala from his hand and was bracing his stance.

"Miroku, what are you doing?" Shippo shrieked from behind them. "Your wind tunnel isn't completely healed!"

"But…" Miroku's eyes flashed around the encroaching demons.

"Forget it, Miroku," Inuyasha growled dangerously. "Don't risk your life over this vermin. All I gotta do is take out their ring leader and the rest will scatter."

Kohaku lifted his arm in a signal, and the first wave of demons broke rank, rushing towards them. Inuyasha leapt forward to meet them, swinging Tessaiga as he did so. He could tell immediately that there was no extra power in his strike, but the sword still cut through several demons. Thankfully they all converged on him, so he didn't have to bother chasing them to strike them down. Hopefully he could concentrate most of the next wave around him and let the others pick off the stragglers.

A heavy chain suddenly wrapped around Tessaiga, and Inuaysha glanced up to see Kohaku pull back on the chain of his kusarigama, the heavy iron weight at the end still winding around the sword. The blade lurched forward as Kohaku pulled and the boy used the momentum to launch himself at Inuyasha. He struck with his kama and Inuyasha could barely block the blows with Tessaiga, backpedalling against the assault. In a particularly powerful swing, the boy's sickle glanced off the side of the blade and its curved underside slid around the side of Tessaiga. Inuyasha instantly pulled the sword back, dragging Kohaku's arm forward and almost breaking his grip on the weapon. Kohaku dropped the kama and caught it with his other hand before jumping back.

"You're gonna need to fight better than that if you wanna take me out!" Inuyasha growled.

Kohaku leapt into the air, swinging back his arm for another strike. Inuyasha grabbed the chain connecting them with his free hand and dragged it down, sending Kohaku slamming into the ground. Inuyasha slid the chain off Tessaiga and jumped after the boy, angling the sword at his chest.

"Don't kill him!" Miroku's desperate shout sounded across the clearing.

Inuyasha swore, and the tip of Tessaiga struck deep into the earth before Kohaku's eyes. The boy sat up, reaching for his weapon, and Inuyasha kicked him harshly in the chest, sending him flying back.

"Damnit!" Inuyasha swore. "I can't cave on this. I gotta kill him – he's just another trap set by Naraku!"

"You're right," Kohaku said, clamouring unnaturally to his feet. "You should kill me. I deserve to die."

Inuyasha's blood ran cold and he took an unconscious step away from the dead-eyed boy.

"I killed them…" Kohaku continued, blankly looking over at Sango. "Father, Eiji, Yasuo, all those villagers. I slaughtered them one by one. I hunted them as they screamed for mercy. I shouldn't be allowed to live."

Eerily slowly, he lifted up his kusarigama and angled the sharp tip of the kama behind him. Then he drove the sickle into his back. He fell forward at the hollow thud and his weapon fell to the ground.

"Hey!" Inuyasha shouted, stumbling toward him on instinct. "What're you doing? What're you trying to prove?"

Kohaku reached over his shoulder and began digging his fingers into the wound on his shoulder blade as though looking for something.

"He's trying to take the Jewel shard out of his body!" Miroku gasped, and Inuyasha stiffened.

Sango stumbled back at the words. The Jewel shard was the only thing keeping Kohaku alive. What on earth was he doing? Was he trying to die? No, he was still under Naraku's control. Cold dread clenched in her stomach. This wasn't a frantic attempt to escape by Kohaku. This was Naraku, reminding her of what he'd demanded she do. Of the consequences if she didn't.

"Don't do it!" she shouted, and Kohaku paused.

She dug into her pocked and frantically grabbed one of the sutras Miroku had given her before. She slapped it onto Hiraikotsu and sent it flying over to where Tessaiga was still stuck in the earth. Her weapon hit the sword broadside, knocking it over and transforming it back with the sutra's spiritual power. While Inuyasha gaped, utterly taken aback, Sango snatched the returning Hiraikotsu from the air and ran forward.

"Sango?" Inuyasha asked, and he sounded unsure.

"Sango?" Miroku echoed, taking a step after her.

Kohaku ran, jumping on the back of a nearby demon as it flew into the air. The remaining demons began to scatter, most of them making their way in a uniform direction. Sango tore her eyes from her brother to Tessaiga, which lay on the ground halfway between her and Inuyasha. She could see his concerned expression, the apprehension in his eyes. Even with the demons in retreat, Sango knew that this was far from over. It was just another test, and if she wavered for even a moment, Kohaku's life was as good as gone.

She ran for the sword, and her heart clenched as Inuyasha simply watched her with a stricken expression. She shouted for Kirara and threw herself onto the twin-tail's back. Kirara immediately went after the demons, trusting that whatever was going on, Sango knew what she was doing. Sango hoped she deserved that trust.

"Wait, Sango!" Inuyasha shouted from the ground. "What the hell're you doing?!"

She clung to Kirara with one hand and Tessaiga with the other. She had to. This was her only option. Chattering rose amongst the demons, and large white orbs began rising from their bodies. Before Kirara could veer away, one of them expanded rapidly and quickly engulfed them. A powerful force ran through them and suddenly, they were gone.

Inuyasha staggered back as Sango, Kirara, and the entire demon hoard disappeared. He shared a bewildered look with Miroku. What the hell had Naraku done to them? But there was still a familiar scent on the wind, a mixture of Sango's sweat, Kirara's soft scent, and the salt of Kohaku's blood.

"I can track them," Inuyasha said as Miroku ran over to him with Shippo on his shoulder. "They're still close by!"

They ran, the tracking slowing down Inuyasha just enough for Miroku to keep pace. He had no idea what Naraku was planning, but Miroku was truly frightened. He still couldn't use the wind tunnel, Inuyasha no longer had the Tessaiga, and… His eyes darted to the bare sliver of moon in the sky. Was it a coincidence? It had to be. If Naraku knew about Inuyasha's transformation, he would have waited another day to send Kohaku after them. As it was, they needed to get in and out as quickly as possible.

The blinding white light around them slowly faded, and then suddenly they were flying through a cloud of miasma. Sango gasped and reached for her mask, but it was gone as quickly as it appeared. The cloud still surrounded them, covering the sky in a swirling purple-black fog as far as the eye could see. All the demons surrounding them had vanished, as had Kohaku. But through the thick smog she could see a castle, growing clearer as Kirara approached. Her heart clenched. Was it really-? Kirara landed on the roof of one of the buildings and Sango jumped from her back. The many buildings and covered en all surrounded a courtyard. Across from them stood an achingly familiar structure. She had knelt before the lord's reception room barely a month ago as her father promised to rid the castle of its demon problem.

Kirara growled menacingly beside her, picking up on the ominous aura surrounding the grounds. Sango looked around the seemingly empty area. "Kohaku?" Nothing. "Kohaku!"

"First, put down your weapon." Naraku's voice sounded from one of the buildings, echoing around the courtyard.

Sango watched Kirara carefully as the twin-tail's ears swiveled, but she shook her head. Neither of them could pinpoint the demon. Sango slid down the roof and dropped down to the ground. She lifted Hiraikotsu off her back and tossed it to the ground.

"Try again," Naraku instructed, a tinge of humour in his voice.

Sango growled and hurled Hiraikotsu as hard as she could, sending it crashing into the roof of one of the buildings. There was a chuckle and Naraku appeared, sitting on the edge of the en of the same building, draped in his baboon pelt.

"Well done, Sango," he mocked. "You brought Tessaiga."

Sango's hand clenched around the sword. "Let me see Kohaku. I will only hand over the sword after I see him."

Naraku chuckled. Light flashed from inside the house, momentarily illuminating a shadowy figure kneeling behind the bamboo screen of one of the walls. She couldn't see his face, but Sango knew it was him. Naraku was smart. He wouldn't let her get near Kohaku before she handed over Tessaiga.

"Return Kohaku to his former self," Sango demanded, her voice steely. "Prove that you can do it, or I'll break the Tessaiga here and now."

Naraku cocked his head, and she could hear his smirk. "…No."

She raised the Tessaiga at him, her other hand sliding to her own sword at her hip.

"Killing me won't help," Naraku said smoothly. "You know that already. The Sacred Jewel holds sway over him, not I. It controls all weak beings. It drove the demons to attack your village. It's why your father was killed. It's why your brother's soul now wanders in darkness. It's all part of the Jewel's curse."

"Stop lying!" Sango shouted. "You're the one who killed my father and my people. You're gathering the stupid Jewel. You're responsible for everything!"

"People die because of the Jewel, and people live because of its power," Naraku shrugged. "There's no reason to despise the Jewel the way you do. It saved both you and Kohaku. Now, you have the chance to have your brother returned to you. What will you do?"

"I made no promise," Sango snarled. "You want my answer? Here it is!"

She threw herself forward, bringing Tessaiga down in an arc with her left hand. With her right, she released the hidden dagger pressed against her arm. As Naraku raised his hand to protect against Tessaiga, she slashed at him with the hidden dagger. Naraku jumped back, barely avoiding the blade, and Sango threw Tessaiga through the air, aiming for his throat.

Naraku easily caught the sword and leapt up to meet her. Their blades clashed in the air and Sango was pushed back. She barely landed before springing forward again, fear thrumming through her. Inuyasha said that demons couldn't touch Tessaiga. Was this just another demon puppet? But no, she could sense the youki flowing through him. What was going on?

Naraku jumped back onto the roof and Sango clambered up after him, catching his pelt with her blade and drawing her own sword. She ripped through the baboon skin and Naraku immediately jumped out of reach, back into the courtyard. As he landed, the pelt fell away in tatters, revealing a young man. Sango instantly recognized his face, despite the blue paint delicately drawn around his red eyes.

"You're the young lord of the castle!" she gasped.

"Kagewaki was a noble lord," Naraku said levelly. "He gave all the demon slayers proper burials." A slow smile spread eerily across his face, and his head tilted to the side. "Ah, yes, and I was the one who ordered for your care after the massacre."

"You killed him!" Sango accused viciously.

"Kagewaki is still alive," Naraku smirked. "At least as far as his subjects are concerned. They've been most faithful."

"Damn you!" Sango swore, launching herself from the roof. She attacked with both weapons, slicing and stabbing and abandoning any semblance of fighting fair. She slashed along his robes, tearing fabric but never piercing skin. Naraku slammed Tessaiga against the dagger at her arm, shattering it. Another blow knocked her sword from her other hand and knocked her down onto the ground. She rolled instinctively, moving out of range of Tessaiga. She glanced up, wondering if she could reach her sword before Naraku gutted her.

But she'd forgotten that she wasn't alone. Kirara tore through the air and slammed into Naraku, knocking him to the ground. Her jaws clamped deeply into his shoulder, tearing the flesh from the bone. There was an ominous hiss and Kirara pulled away with a roar. Miasma exploded from the gaping hole at Naraku's shoulder. Kirara hit the ground hard, writhing in agony as she slowly transformed down, trails of miasma frothing from her jaws.

"No, Kirara!" Sango shouted, taking a step forward before Naraku halted her with a predatory glare.

"Nothing can survive my miasma," he smiled, apparently unfazed by the mangled mess of his shoulder. "Not even you, Sango."

She pulled the mask from her robes on pure instinct and jammed it onto her face as miasma shot from Naraku's form. She could feel it stinging her eyes and prickling along her skin, the single breath she'd taken before putting on the mask burning in her lungs and making her lightheaded. She dropped to her knees, lungs heaving as she coughed out the poison air.

"Well, Sango," Naraku's voice rang in her ears. "Will you abandon your brother? Or will you stay here, with him? I seem to recall Kagewaki asking you to return to the castle. One could almost say it was his last command."

"Don't make me laugh, Naraku," she ground out. "My only goal is to destroy you. I will avenge my people. I will kill you!"

Naraku's eyes bore into hers. She could see a twinge of emotion in their depths. He raised a hand and looked past her. "Kohaku, come."

Sango froze. A panel of the wall slid back and Kohaku stepped out onto the en behind her, the chain of his kusarigama trailing behind him. He walked steadily towards her and Sango turned slowly to meet him, ice in her veins. He raised his kama above his head almost uninterestedly.

"And now, sister," he said in a monotone. "Goodbye."

Sango reeled back, barely avoiding the first strike of his kama. But he kept coming and coming, with methodical, calculated precision. The blade slashed along her shoulder, her arm, her side, nicking her neck and wrist. The blows drove her back but she could also see the restraint even as she fell to the ground. The wounds burned and sent black spots flying across her vision, but they were designed to hurt, not kill. Kohaku was toying with her. Naraku didn't want this over quickly.

Wind whistled through the chain as Kohaku pulled the kusarigama back to his hand, catching it deftly.

"Kohaku," Sango pleaded. "Kohaku, please! Snap out of it!"

A creaking sound came from the roof, and Sango saw a red light surrounding Hiraikotsu. It slowly lifted from where it had struck, sliding down the roof and striking the ground not far from her. Sango raised a hand for it, keeping her eyes fixed on Kohaku. He stared back blankly, raising the kama above his head. A small smile formed on her face and she let out a short, humourless laugh.

"What makes him think I'm able to kill you?" Sango asked, addressing both her brother and Naraku, who she was sure was watching from the shadows somewhere in the castle.

She turned from Hiraikotsu and took sever uneven steps towards Kohaku, pulling the mask from her face. She was relatively sure that Kohaku was about to kill her – or Naraku would, if he didn't – but so be it. She wouldn't take up arms against her brother. Not now. Not ever. She reached for him, for her lost little brother. She could have sword she saw something reflected back in those large, brown eyes of his. She managed only another step before collapsing, she shock, pain, and miasma finally getting to her. Even through the haze, she could just make out the quiet words.

"My sister."

Yes, she thought desperately. Kohaku, yes.

"Sango!"

Several shouts came from behind her, frantic and pleading. She pressed herself up off the ground, glanced over her shoulder to where Inuyasha, Miroku, and Shippo were running for her. Shippo slid to a stop in front of Kirara, picking her limp body up off the ground. A chocked-off sound came from in front of her, and Kohaku sank slowly to his knees. His breathing was harsh and ragged, and he was staring at his hands.

Miroku drew a sharp breath, his eyes darting over the scene. Sango was covered in blood, Kirara was barely wheezing breath, and Kohaku was trembling on the ground.

"He made her brother do this to her?" he breathed, and Inuyasha growled next to him.

"Naraku, show yourself!"

Miroku crept forward slowly, keeping his eyes fixed on Kohaku. The boy shuddered but didn't move, didn't lift his gaze. Miroku took Sango gently by the shoulder and waist, pulled her away from Kohaku. She gasped in pain and pushed away from him, moving to kneel on the ground, though she leaned heavily against him. Her eyes were fixed on her brother.

Kohaku had recognized her. Despite everything, Sango almost smiled. He was escaping Naraku's control. He would be able to break free soon, to gain full consciousness. There was still some of her little brother left, and she would never stop fighting to get him back.

A strong wind pulled at them, swirling in a large circle. As it gained strength, dust and dirt were picked up into the air, a thick purple cloud forming around them. Miroku grimaced – miasma. He could smell it in the air when they'd arrived, and apparently it was baked into the very ground. The wall of poison gas quickly gained momentum, turning into a giant twister around them.

"Foolish mortals!" Naraku's voice sounded from somewhere in the castle. "Now you can all die."

Miroku glanced at Inuyasha, but the hanyou shot back a worried look. They couldn't go through the wall of miasma and survive, and the only flying member of their party was currently unconscious in Shippo's arms.

Sango blinked, her eyes falling on her brother. Kohaku… She struggled to sit up.

"Sango, you mustn't move," Miroku said, trying to hold her back.

"Yeah, stay right where you are!" Inuyasha shouted over at them. "I got a thing or two to chew you out for, so don't you dare die on me. Understand?"

Sango ignored both of them, crawling over to where she'd dropped her iron mask before turning back to Kohaku. This was all her fault. She should have known that Naraku would never let them escape. She'd doomed her friends to die. But at least she could give Kohaku a chance. She placed the mask carefully over his face, tying the straps around the back of his head. His eyes shone as he looked up at her, and she liked to think that there was a glimmer of recognition in those eyes.

Miroku watched the siblings, quiet together even as the swirling miasma drew ever tighter around them. As Sango placed a comforting hand on Kohaku's shoulder, a pure, bright light shone from his back. His Jewel shard had been purified. That was it! If this was the real Naraku – and it had to be, his sickening presence permeated every part of this cursed castle – then he had to have some Jewel shards with him. Miroku glanced around desperately, opening his senses as much as possible. A faint pink glow drew his attention to part of the castle. There!

But how could he get to him? He would be dead the instant he stepped into that miasma. He slowly stood, taking a step back toward Inuyasha. Very carefully, he drew a line in the ground which pointed directly at Naraku's hiding place, disguising it as he moved. He grabbed the strap of Hiraikotsu and dragged it closer to Sango, drawing her attention away from Kohaku.

"This isn't over yet," he murmured, barely loud enough for her to hear.

Her eyes darted from Hiraikotsu, to the arrow he'd drawn on the ground, back to his face, and her eyes cleared in understanding.

"Get ready," Miroku murmured to her and Inuyasha, tightening his grip on his staff.

He took a deep, steadying breath. Then he began to chant, quickly and quietly, gathering a wave of spiritual power within himself. He gathered as much of it as he could into the head of his staff and, with one final shout, he slashed through the wall of miasma. It split in two like a curtain, sizzling and sparking as he purified the poison as much as possible. He threw himself to the ground, just as Hiraikotsu hurled over his head. It crashed into the walls of the castle, tearing open the room and exposing Naraku inside.

Inuyasha leapt, instinctually aiming for the weakness of his prey. His claws dug into the flesh of Naraku's left arm and pulled. The muscles already torn from Kirara's bite, the arm easily separated from his body. Naraku stumbled back, crying out in surprise and pain. Miasma shot from the wound and Inuyasha swore and jumped away.

Miroku slapped another sutra on Hiraikotsu and leapt back just as Inuyasha was clear. Sango threw the weapon again and this time it struck Naraku's torso, slicing it in two. Miroku suppressed a shout of victory – they were so close! – but instead he rushed forward, holding his breath as Naraku's miasma flowed thickly from his deteriorating body. In another rush of spiritual power, he brought his staff towards Naraku's head, ready to destroy him. Instead, the curved blade of a kama snagged around his staff, jerking it off course. The sharp head of the staff cut through Naraku's right shoulder, tearing off yet more of his body, but missing his head. The kama pulled back and Miroku was pulled off balance, gasping as he stumbled.

Even with the shroud of spiritual power surrounding him, Miroku could still feel the miasma rush into his lungs. He immediately coughed, sliding his staff out from the kama's grasp and turning to face Kohaku. The boy raised his weapon, eyes hollow. Something slammed into him from the side and Miroku was knocked to the ground, Inuyasha landing on top of him as Kohaku's weapon whizzed over their heads. They both glanced up to see him grab the floating remains of Naraku's head and torso before the demon exploded into miasma. A swirling vortex formed from the poison, dragging them all towards it.

Inuyasha swore and flattened himself further on top of Miroku, digging his claws into the ground. He glanced over to see Sango bracing herself against Hiraikotsu, which she'd plunged into the ground. She shouted a name, and though it was lost in the howling winds, Inuyasha knew that it was Kohaku. But the boy was gone, and so was Naraku.

As the vortex grew stronger, the castle began to dissolve around them, being pulled into the void. Miroku couldn't help but wonder if perhaps Naraku had seen the value in the wind tunnel, after all. He shut his eyes tight against the swirling vortex until it finally cleared. Inuyasha shifted off of him and he blinked, taking in the pale light of dawn shining through the previously murky-purple sky. They lay in the middle of a grassy field, with no trace of the castle around them.

He glanced quickly over his companions. Sango was still holding on to Hiraikotsu, and Shippo was clinging to what looked like Sango's sword, buried deep in the earth. Kirara was wrapped in his other arm. And Inuyasha had something approaching a death grip on Miroku's upper arm, his ears flattened to his head.

"It was a phantom castle," Miroku sighed, looking around. "Look."

A little ways away, approximately where Naraku stood, Tessaiga was sticking from the ground. Lying beside it was Sango's iron mask.

"Do you think Naraku escaped?" Inuyasha asked, quietly sliding Tessaiga back into its sheath and awkwardly picking up the mask.

"Mm. Must have." Miroku scanned the area once more, just to be sure. "I don't sense any Jewel shards."

"Damnit," Inuyasha growled, looking away.

Miroku turned to Sango, who was struggling to her feet. He moved quickly over to her side, Shippo on his heels.

"Sango, where are you going?" he asked gently, taking Hiraikotsu from her hands. "You're badly hurt. You need to rest a while."

"I'm sorry," Sango shuddered, taking a step back. "I can't stay with you any longer."

Miroku frowned, his eyes seeking out hers. "Sango, we all understand that Naraku was threatening the life of your brother. We understand why you took Tessaiga."

"That's why I can't!" Sango gasped, turning on him. "I'll end up betraying you again! As long as Naraku still controls Kohaku, I can't be trusted."

Miroku sighed. "Well, I know that's not true." She stared at him, something pleading in her eyes. "And what is it you intend to do, anyway? Go after Naraku alone? You'll never succeed."

"I don't have any other choice, Miroku," she snapped, voice low and dangerous.

"Yes, you do," he told her firmly. "We're all going to work together to save your brother. He's not an opponent that one person can handle." He placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "For now, we need to tend to your wounds."

She looked up at him, raw emotion swirling in her eyes. "But why would you still help me?"

"Aw, that's it!" Inuyasha growled, stalking over to them. "We want you to stick with us 'cause you're not a half-bad fighter, 'cause you have a decent head on your shoulders, and because Naraku screwed you over and hatred is a powerful motivator." He looked away, sighing. "And 'cause you're part of the team. No matter what."

"You see?" Miroku prompted her gently. "Even Inuyasha wants you to stay, and that's something coming from a guy whose sword you stole so easily."

"Don't say that!" Inuyasha whined. "It makes me sound like some bumbling idiot."

"No, you're just generous," Miroku assured, patting him on the back gently.

"Sango, we want you to stay," Shippo murmured, clutching at her kimono. "Don't you like us anymore?"

"Of course I do!" Sango sank down to her knees, looking hopelessly at the kit. "But it's all my fault that this happened, and I might end up doing something like this to all of you again. But…" She glanced up at Miroku, her eyes shining with unshed tears. "But…"

He dropped to his knees beside her and she instantly threw herself into his arms, clutching at his robes and sobbing deeply. He wrapped his arms around her as tightly as he dared, mindful of her wounds, and shot a sorrowful glance at Inuyasha over her head.

"It's going to be alright, Sango," he murmured, gently stroking her hair. "I know it doesn't feel like it right now, but it will be. And for now, we're here with you. You're not alone."

As Miroku gently comforted Sango, Inuyasha turned his attention to Kirara. Shippo had laid her gently on the ground, but the twin-tail wasn't looking good. Her body reeked of miasma and she was struggling to breathe. He didn't know what they could do to help her, but he picked her up and gently cradled her in his arms. Shippo volunteered to search for somewhere to lay low for a while, and Inuyasha gratefully agreed. With two of their party badly injured, Miroku still unable to use his wind tunnel, and the moon disappearing before his eyes, they needed a safe place.

Shippo returned some time later with the discovery of an old, abandoned storehouse not far away. Miroku nodded from where he still sat with Sango and carefully helped her to her feet. They made their way slowly after Shippo until they reached the small hut. A few more tears slipped down Sango's cheeks when Inuyasha gently laid Kirara in her lap.

"What can we do?" she asked, burying her fingers in the ruff around the twin-tail's neck.

"I could try to purify the miasma," Miroku said uncertainly. "Though I don't know how it would react with her youki."

"It's probably best to let her fight it off on her own," Inuyasha murmured. "She just has to hold on."

They quickly cleaned, stitched, and bandaged Sango's many wounds. None were particularly deep, but they looked painful. Miroku frowned, thinking back to the cries of pain that had urged them through the gates of Naraku's castle. These physical wounds may be manageable, but much more damage had been done. By the time he finished, Sango's breathing was audible in the small room.

"Kirara's not the only one suffering from the miasma," Miroku sighed, leaning back on his heels.

"I inhaled some before I could get my mask on," Sango frowned. "What about the rest of you? You went through Naraku's miasma as well."

Miroku shrugged. "I purified most of it before going through it, and we didn't breathe the air there nearly as long as you two. We'll be fine."

After some convincing, Sango lay down and curled around Kirara protectively, with Shippo resting beside them. Inuyasha watched them with sad eyes.

"I can't believe Naraku got to us again," he muttered, careful not to wake them.

"He certainly seems to care more about the Jewel shards than killing us," Miroku agreed.

"But why?" Inuyasha shook his head in confusion. "Why try to bait Sango and Kohaku into fighting each other? What's the gain in that?"

"He's trying to corrupt the Jewel," Miroku explained. "It's exactly what happened to you and Kikyo fifty years ago. If Sango killed her own brother, the shard in his back would be soaked with evil, as it would have been after Kikyo sealed you away. If she hadn't purified and hidden the Jewel, Naraku would have taken it then."

"What a sick bastard," Inuyasha spat. "We're nothing but a game to him."

"He's a fool," Miroku murmured, turning his eyes to Sango and meeting her gaze. He offered her a small smile and continued his conversation with Inuyasha, letting her keep the pretense of sleep. "He's forgotten that other people aren't as vile as he is. Sango would never do what he wants her to. She a kind person, and no matter what, she will always love her little brother."

"Naraku got lucky with him," Inuyasha said. "He knows that we're too strong as a group to fight each other, so he's trying to throw whatever he can at us. I still can't believe he tried to recruit Sesshomaru."

"Luckily, I don't think he'll go after your brother again," Miroku nodded, then smiled ruefully. "Or Mushin."

Inuyasha chuckled. "That old monk would give him what-for if he did."

Sango lifted her head, apprehension in her eyes. "Naraku's getting stronger."

"How do you mean?" Inuyasha asked. "Because he can control Kohaku?"

Sango shook her head. "It's not only that. Inuyasha…" She bit her lip, hard. "He could hold the Tessaiga. It didn't transform for him, but you said that no demons were supposed to be able to even touch it."

Inuyasha rocked back as though struck. He exchanged a bewildered look with Miroku. How? How was that possible?

"Do you think he's somehow using the Jewel shards to do it?" Miroku asked.

"Sesshomaru needed a human arm just to touch it," Inuyasha shook his head. "I don't know."

Miroku reached out and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Well, one thing's for certain – Naraku may have his tricks, but we almost destroyed him today. It will take him quite some time to recover. He's not the only one who's powerful."

The others smiled gratefully, but Inuyasha knew that none of them were particularly convinced. They settled down for a nap, in preparation for the long night ahead. Inuyasha had a feeling that Naraku wouldn't be long for long, and something sinister was in store.

* * *

I just wanted to check in with everyone regarding a few things. First of all, please let me know if there are specific warnings you would like included at the beginnings of relevant chapters. And always feel free to message me if you see a warning and would like more information about it, to know where it pops up so you can skip it, or just a chapter summary if that works better. Secondly, what do you think of the general length of the chapters? Other than outliers such as episode 28 (Mushin's temple), most of them are 6-8,000 words. Do you prefer them longer, shorter, with more added scenes, or mostly sticking to episode-related stuff? As always, I rely on your feedback. Thanks so much! Take care everyone!


	31. Chapter 31: s2e04

Warnings for this chapter: instances and discussions of racialized discrimination and violence (towards half-demons), negative self-perceptions, threats of death by violence and fire, and attempted murder

* * *

Inuyasha's pacing grew more pronounced as darkness approached. Miroku's eyes darted between him and Sango, who was looking on in confusion from her place on the floor of the storehouse. It was obvious that she knew something was wrong, and she had subtly attempted to pry the information from Miroku several times through extensive eyebrow cues. But Miroku knew it wasn't his place to say anything, not unless Inuyasha asked him to.

Tensions had been high all day. Though Inuyasha, Miroku, and Sango had all napped intermittently, Kirara's wheezing breath and the fear of Naraku's forces finding them kept them on edge. Sango was still reeling from seeing Kohaku again, and they were all alarmed about the revelation regarding Tessaiga. As the sun dipped over the horizon, Inuyasha stopped pacing and sighed.

"You're a slayer," Inuyasha said, spinning around to face Sango.

"…Yes," Sango agreed, after it was obvious that Inuyasha wasn't going to continue right away.

"You must know a little about hanyou."

Her eyes narrowed and she glanced at Miroku in confusion. "A little? Why?"

Inuyasha huffed and dropped to a cross-legged position in front of her. "All hanyou have a period of vulnerability where they turn mortal, mine's the night of the new moon, and I hate it."

"Oh," Sango nodded, before the realization of their situation hit her. "_Oh_…"

"We should be safe for the night," Miroku jumped in reassuringly. "I can't imagine that Naraku will be attacking us anytime soon."

"It's still not an ideal situation," Sango said, prompting a snort from Inuyasha. "What can we do? Should we take cover in a cave and seal off the entrance? Or find some other defensible position? I'm more than ready to keep watch."

Inuyasha's eyes shone and he floundered a little. "I think we're fine," he eventually managed, though his expression was soft. "I'd appreciate you not telling anyone, but we don't need to really worry about it."

Miroku hid his smile in the palm of his hands as he practically beamed with pride. As the hut slowly darkened, lit only by the flames of their small fire, he watched as Inuyasha's eyes slowly darkened, followed by his hair. The past two new moons, he hadn't witnessed the transformation, and suffice to say it was stunning. Inuyasha's claws retreated into blunt human nails, and his ears shrunk and sank down the sides of his head. He looked younger as a mortal, and smaller, somehow. Inuyasha stared at the wall throughout the change, but he didn't move. The other occupants of the storehouse were struck.

Sango tore her eyes away from Inuyasha and leaned towards Miroku, whispering "I have questions."

"Later," he replied, equally quiet, and she nodded. Inuyasha rolled his eyes at them.

"He still smells almost the same," Shippo reported from his seat beside Sango. "It's a little different, but it's still his scent."

All three of them nodded in interest, sharing the same 'huh' expression. Miroku didn't miss that Inuyasha's shoulders were hunched and he refused to meet their eyes. He leaned his staff against his shoulder and sat back against the wall, letting Inuyasha know that he would stay with him all night. Sango shot Miroku a questioning look and he shook his head. She was recovering from significant injuries, and needed her rest.

It was some time later, when Shippo was snoring on Miroku's lap and Sango was just drifting off, that an exclamation of "Aha!" rang through the hut. Everyone jumped, and Kirara began coughing as her lungs constricted. They all stared at the two-tail in alarm as she gasped for her breath, eventually settling down again. Sango placed her hand on Kirara's side and turned her attention to the newcomer, who was currently attached to Inuyasha's cheek.

"Myoga?" Inuyasha asked in irritation, brushing the flea from his face. "What're you doing here?"

"It's the night of the new moon!" Myoga said, as though it were obvious. "I've been looking for you all day."

Inuyasha looked struck, especially when the flea didn't follow up with pressing news or a call to action. He settled down on Inuyasha's shoulder and surveyed them all, apparently content with his presence.

"A lot has happened since we last saw you," Miroku said thoughtfully. "But most pressing at the moment is Kirara. She was poisoned by Naraku's miasma. Is there any way you could suck the poison from her blood, as you did with Inuyasha before?"

All eyes snapped to the flea, desperately hopeful. He shook his head. "If it's a poison strong enough to affect a demon this badly, then I can't safely drink from her. Besides, she's too small in this form to lose enough blood to make a difference."

Sango's fingers clenched in Kirara's fur, and the twin-tail mewed softly in response. Myoga's reply had crushed hope she didn't even know she had. After regaining and losing Kohaku so quickly, Sango knew she couldn't survive losing Kirara as well. But what could they do? She tucked herself gently around the twin-tail, listening to her laboured breathing and the quiet conversation flowing between Miroku and Myoga.

Miroku recounted their adventures with the Water God in broad strokes and Mushin's temple in the fewest possible words. Inuyasha interrupted to add that Miroku was an idiot, but then his tone grew more serious.

"I unleashed this golden wave of power from Tessaiga that destroyed a hundred demons," he told the flea. "I did it with much smaller attacks in the past, and I saw Sesshomaru use it when we last saw him, but I've never been able to replicate it."

Myoga hummed and nodded. "I found out a little about Tessaiga's true power when I first learned about the sword, but I'm not sure how to help you. I'll ask around and see if I can find more information."

They both nodded appreciatively and continued on to their encounter at Naraku's castle. It was too early for Myoga to have heard anything about Naraku's fate or whereabouts, but he promised to keep an ear out for that as well.

"That bastard must have found a way to take his Jewel shards with him when he left," Inuyasha sighed. "Who knows how many he has now?"

"It could be any amount," Miroku said. "We only have a quarter of the Jewel, after all."

Inuyasha frowned. "Please, we have a third, at least."

Miroku pulled the shard from his robes, and they both peered at it intently. It was a solid chunk, no denying it, but it was still barely more than a wedge of the sphere. Miroku met Inuyasha's eyes with a weary smile. It was their third new moon together, almost three months of searching for the Jewel shards. In some ways, it had gone by in a blur. In others, it felt like a lifetime. Miroku found it difficult to remember a world in which he didn't know Inuyasha. He certainly didn't want to.

Inuyasha sighed and leaned back against the wall. "We'll take things as they come. Naraku makes everything more complicated, but our goal is still the same. We just need to survive until then."

They both glanced at Kirara and frowned. Inuyasha didn't need his sense of smell to know that she was getting worse. Her breathing had gotten harsher ever since the castle, and she was shivering against Sango, occasionally twitching in pain.

"We need to find some way to help her," Inuyasha said. "She's a good fighter and loyal friend. She's been such a good help – it's the least we can do." His eyes flickered over to Miroku. "And she's pack."

"We could try taking her to Kaede's," Miroku suggested. "Though I don't know if she would have anything that could work against this level of miasma. And I don't know how we could get to the village in time to make a difference."

"Could you summon Hachi?" Inuyasha asked.

"Yes, but it usually takes him a day or so to find me," Miroku frowned. "And then at least half a day to get to Kaede's."

"It's worth a shot," Inuyasha said, though his voice was thick with frustration.

"There may be another option," Myoga piped up from his shoulder. "I know of a garden of herbs not too far from here that's rumoured to cure any poison."

Inuyasha growled quietly. "And you didn't mention this earlier because…?"

"It's said to be protected by an absolutely ferocious demon."

Inuyasha and Miroku shared an exasperated look. "Of course it is." Inuyasha shook his head. "I don't care. We need to help her."

"Please," Sango murmured softly from across the fire. "I'll do whatever it takes."

"Can you take us there?" Miroku asked Myoga, and the flea nodded.

"No way," Inuyasha interrupted. "You all are staying here. I'm going alone."

"I have to come," Sango insisted. "Other than Kohaku, Kirara is all I have left."

"And we have no idea how powerful this demon is," Miroku added. "We're coming with you."

"Sango, you're injured, and Miroku, you're exhausted from the battle – don't deny it!" Inuyasha snapped. "You've reeked of stress ever since you used that much spiritual power. And you both breathed in Naraku's toxins."

"So did you!" Miroku countered. "Besides, you don't know which herbs to pick. And if we all come, we can defeat the demon quicker, and Kirara will be there with us so we won't waste time on a return journey."

"Fine!" Inuyasha growled. "But you're going to hang back and let me do the fighting. No one's getting killed."

"On that note, we should wait until morning to leave," Miroku said.

Inuyasha opened his mouth and promptly closed it again, glancing away and snarling to himself. Miroku sighed quietly. He hadn't meant to remind Inuyasha of his vulnerability, he was simply worried. He felt eyes on him and saw Sango looking at him, an unreadable expression on her face. He raised his brows and she gave him a sad smile.

Sango watched the two of them, and the strange tension that had been growing between them for weeks. It had taken her a while to figure out their dynamic when she first joined their little group, and it had only grown more complex as she got to know them. Inuyasha's fierce need to protect Miroku was undeniable, but Miroku was constantly protecting Inuyasha, as well. She thought that Miroku was aware of the intimacy of their relationship, if his avoidance of her gaze was anything to go by. It warmed her heart, but it also made her nervous. What they had was more than a common friendship, but Sango didn't know where it would lead. She hoped that they would be able to navigate it without heartbreak.

She glanced up again to see Inuyasha none-too-gently nudging Miroku back against the wall by a hand on his shoulder, muttering "Sleep, you're tired."

"I'm not going to let you stay up all night alone," Miroku whispered back.

There was a huff of annoyance, and Inuyasha shifted over to sit beside Miroku. He maneuvered the monk's head into his lap, meeting little resistance. One of Inuyasha's hands came to rest on Miroku's head, curled loosely in his hair and holding him in place. Some of the tension bled from Miroku's shoulders and he closed his eyes. Inuyasha's gaze lifted to Sango's, and there was a flash of apprehension in those eyes. She gave him a reassuring smile and he looked away.

Miroku woke just before dawn, a warm weight on the side of his head. He looked up to see Inuyasha blinking down at him. The hanyou's fingers brushed over his brow before pulling back with a small smile. Inuyasha's hair was slowly lightening, his eyes growing warm and golden. His lips curled back into a toothy grin, his dog ears twitching as they picked up the new sounds around them. He was back.

They prepared to leave right away. Shippo woke and sleepily asked when Myoga had appeared. They filled him in on the plan and he instantly perked up, desperate to help Kirara. The poor little twin-tail was looking worse than ever. The pressure of time weighed heavily on all of their shoulders.

"I'm sure I can recognize the herbs from what Kaede taught me," Shippo said confidently as they followed Myoga's directions. "And I know how to make a poultice, too!"

"I know a little from making poisons," Sango added. "We can figure it out between us."

Even though she was moving stiffly from her injuries, which had barely begun to heal, Sango insisted on carrying Kirara. Inuyasha insisted that he carry Hiraikotsu in turn, saying that in her condition, Sango would be weighed down by the weapon and only slow them down. Miroku and Sango both nodded at this reasoning, pretending no to see the concerned look in the hanyou's eyes.

They had been walking at a fair pace for half the day when Inuyasha noticed that Sango was lagging behind. He instantly slowed his pace and watched her closely. Her breathing was laboured and stress was heavy in her scent. He sighed.

"You shouldn't've come," he said. "You're still under the effects of the miasma."

"All the more reason to get the herbs quickly," Sango muttered, walking straight past him.

"I'll keep an eye on her," Miroku promised as Inuyasha moved by his side.

"And who's gonna keep an eye on you?" Inuyasha shot back. "You humans are so stubborn."

"And you're not?" Miroku asked innocently, earning himself a light whack on the ear.

They continued following the dirt path through the open fields. A light breeze tugged at their clothes and clouds rolled across the late summer sky. It was a testament to how worried he was that Shippo didn't chase any of the butterflies or grasshoppers that moved through the grassy field. They kept their pace fast and light, intent on reaching this garden before dark. Eventually they came to the edge of a forest, though the path continued through the woods. Inuyasha slowed to a stop, his ears pricked as he sniffed the air.

A group of villagers were carrying a wooden pallet with the corpse of a young woman on top, covered with a blanket. Inuyasha frowned, the scent of blood and demon coming from the woman's body. Was this the work of the demon that protected the garden?

"Third one this week," one of the men was muttering.

"I tell you, it's Jinenji!" another spat.

"Of course it is!" a third growled. "Who else would it be but that monster? We can't let him get away with this."

"But what do we do?" yet another asked.

"So who's Jinenji?" Inuyasha asked, talking in front of their small procession. "Some kind of demon?"

"Another demon!" one of the men shouted.

"Why should we tell you?" another asked, glaring at him.

"We mean you no harm," Miroku said, coming to stand by Inuyasha's side. "We have experience in removing dangerous demons from villages such as yours, and would be willing to lend you our assistance."

"Why?" the man asked, eyes darting suspiciously between them. "What do you want out of it?"

"Two of our party are inflicted with poison from a miasma," Miroku continued calmly, shifting a little to hide his friends further from view. "We heard that there is a garden around these parts with medicinal herbs that might help them."

"Medicinal herbs?" one of the villagers echoed, exchanging glances with the man beside him.

"You mean Jinenji's, then?" the other asked.

"Jinenji's the one that killed this poor woman!" the first said accusingly.

"Jinenji lives at the edge of our village with his mother," another finally explained. "He's a giant, ferocious demon and he guards the herbs."

"Those plants of his work, sure enough, but lately I- that is to say, he-" one of the men said, trailing off and glancing between his companions.

"Lately he's gotten himself a taste for human flesh," the other continued for him.

Inuyasha's eyes narrowed. "Show us where he lives."

They first followed the men to the village, where they returned the woman to her family. Increasingly hostile glances were cast at them, mostly towards Inuyasha and Shippo. Miroku made sure to keep his small group close together.

"Master," Myoga said from Inuyasha's shoulder. "I'm sure you can handle things from here. I feel my time might be better suited hunting down information about Tessaiga's powers, and finding where Naraku is hiding."

"And this has nothing to do with the dangerous, flesh-eating demon," Inuyasha drawled, before he sighed. "But you're right. If we can find where Naraku is while he's still vulnerable, then we have a chance to kill him. Go on."

Myoga disappeared through the houses. Eventually, the group of men returned to escort them to the garden. At the very outskirts of the village, surrounded by rice fields, Jinenji's small hut sat with its stretches of planted herbs. As they watched, a youkai twice the height of a man stepped from behind the hut. He was broad and heavy-set, his arms like tree trunks, and he moved hunched over like an ape. Large, blue eyes protruded from his long, horse-like face.

"That's Jinenji, there," one of the men whispered, crouching down as to not be seen. "Big fella, ain't he?"

"He ain't so big," Inuyasha scoffed, his eyes narrowing on the demon. A carrying pole sat across his shoulder with a water bucket at the end. Jinenji's shoulders were broader than the pole, which usually extended to at least elbow-length on a human. Still, Jinenji was nowhere as big as some of the other demons they'd faced. What drew Inuyasha's attention were the dozens of scars littering his arms and legs. Any creature who'd lived through that many wounds was adept at surviving. It made Inuyasha wonder what a demon like that was doing on the outskirts of a human village. Was he laying a trap for them, trying to get a constant supply of human meat?

"Don't go making us no promises you can't keep," one of the men said, eyeing Inuyasha.

"I'm doing it for the herb, not you," Inuyasha snarled, rising to his feet. He saw Miroku wince, but he couldn't give a fuck. Kirara was getting worse every moment, and Sango had started to look alarmingly pale. "You all stay here. Miroku, look out for them."

The monk gave him a worried look, but nodded. Inuyasha crept forward, making his way up behind Jinenji.

"You reckon he's strong enough?" one of the villagers asked his companions.

"Don't really matter, now, do it?" another scoffed. "Ain't our problem no more. If we're lucky, maybe they'll kill each other."

Miroku shared a startled look with Sango as she carefully tucked Shippo further behind her. That wasn't a good sign. Miroku had been hoping to spend the night in the village after they defeated Jinenji, to let Sango and Kirara heal, but that didn't seem like the best option. Demons, it seemed, were never the only threats they had to deal with.

Inuyasha jumped forward to land behind Jinenji, reaching for Tessaiga. "What's the matter?" he called out. "Didn't your mother ever tell you not to eat people smaller than you?"

Jinenji startled, lumbering around to face him. His eyes widened as they fell on Tessaiga and he shrunk back. Inuyasha frowned at the odd behaviour, and the distinctive lack of human blood on his breath, teeth, or hands. Something didn't add up. Something whizzed above his head, and suddenly a small barrage of rocks was raining down on Jinenji. Inuyasha glanced over to where Miroku was shouting at the village men. How reassuring. A pull of youki drew him back to Jinenji, who stood even taller than before, and his eyes flashed red. Then, to Inuyasha's utter bewilderment, tears filled those same eyes and Jinenji stumbled back.

"Ma!" the demon howled, stampeding over to the tiny hut while covering his head with his hands. "Ma!"

"Hey, wait!" Inuyasha shouted, giving chase.

"Ma! Help!" Jinenji continued, and an old woman burst through the bamboo flaps at the hut's doorway, wielding a sizeable log.

"Why you!" she shouted furiously, and Inuyasha ground to a halt in utter confusion. This was no demon. "Tryin' to take our land for yourself again, are ya?" she shouted.

There was a warning call from Miroku, the old woman raised her hands, and then the log she was holding shattered across Inuyasha's skull. He blinked at her, then at the villagers throwing their rocks to the ground and running away.

"Now I know I've missed something'," Inuyasha huffed, sheathing Tessaiga and turning back to the old woman.

"I don't know who put you up to it, or what you been told," the old woman gasped, breathing hard from the exertion. "But this boy would never eat someone! You got that? Who he is don't matter. They just hate him 'cause he's half-demon!"

Inuyasha rocked back, his eyes snapping to where Jinenji was cowering behind the hut, trembling. A hanyou? Another real, living hanyou? He knew others existed, of course, but… Another hanyou. He could hear the others coming up behind him, but he couldn't seem to tear his eyes off Jinenji. The old woman eyed the newcomers with deep suspicion and lifted the stump-end of the log she'd been holding in warning.

"We don't want to hurt you or your son," Miroku said quickly. "Or take your land. We simply wish to speak with you."

The old woman's eyes narrowed. "Why?"

"We heard that the herbs you grow here can cure poison," Miroku explained. "Sango and Kirara here were both poisoned by miasma, and we were hoping you could help them."

The old woman looked unconvinced, but eventually waved them inside. Jinenji followed, and it was a tight fit to get everyone comfortable in the cramped quarters. The old woman instantly crawled over to Sango and Kirara, peering into their eyes and listening to their breathing. She nodded to herself and moved over to murmur some quiet words to Jinenji. He nodded and went outside, soon returning with a large handful of herbs, which he began to grind into a poultice. Meanwhile, the old woman introduced herself as Kura, Jinenji's mother, as she stirred rice gruel in a pot over the fire. They all introduced themselves and descended into awkward silence.

At one point, Inuyasha glanced over to see Shippo sitting beside Jinenji, intently watching his actions with his ears pricked in concentration. Jinenji glanced over at the little fox, blinked a few times, then returned to his task in silence. Inuyasha didn't know what to make of it. He suspected that Jinenji's human-munching had been greatly exaggerated, but that didn't explain everything.

"Inuyasha, was it?" Kura asked, surveying him over the fire. "You're a half-demon, too, aren't you?"

Unease, fear, distrust, and a dozen other sour emotions all rose unbidden in his mind. He clamped them down firmly and ground out "So, you can tell, can you?"

"Half-breeds are funny that way," she continued, poking her cooking moodily. "For each one born pretty like you, there's another born that ain't."

"It can't be easy, being so noticeably different," Sango murmured from where she was propped up against the wall.

"You can't imagine what it's like for him," Kura said, jerking her chin over at Jinenji. "Bein' half-demon shouldn't matter, but those villagers, they-" Her voice broke and she grimaced. "They treat 'im like he's some kind of monster or somethin'. You can't understand how much he's suffered at their hands."

Miroku's eyes flashed to Jinenji, who had stopped grinding the herbs and was looking over his shoulder at his mother. There was deep, unmitigated sorrow in his eyes.

"They've hurt him?" Sango ventured a guess, carefully not gawking at Jinenji's many scars.

"They've tried to kill him," Kura said flatly.

"I'm sorry, ma," Jinenji muttered. "If I weren't like this, I-"

"Stop that right now!" Kura snapped. "You've done nothing wrong. Don't you apologize for bein' different! Your father, he was different, and he was a fine, good man." She turned back to Inuyasha, her eyes softening. "I had hurt my ankle and couldn't walk. He saved me. I knew that the form he took weren't real, that demons were supposed to be dangerous, but he was _glowing_, and I loved him."

"And you decided to make a hanyou out of it," Inuyasha grumbled, his ears flicking back.

Miroku watched his friend carefully, trying to figure out what was going through his head. There was an undeniable tension surrounding him, and he seemed ready to snap at any moment.

"Here," Jinenji said, holding out a wooden platter with several small piles of ground herbs. "You should all have some. The poison is still inside of you."

While Inuyasha sniffed his portion suspiciously, Miroku and Sango both swallowed theirs and – after a quick grimace at the taste – focused on getting Kirara to take hers. The twin-tail was barely conscious and deep in a fever. They had to shove the herbs to the back of her mouth and stroke her throat to encourage her to swallow, but eventually she did. Shippo was surprisingly compliant in taking his herbs, and Miroku suspected that it had something to do with wanting to look good in front of Jinenji.

"How much do we owe you?" Miroku asked, already reaching into his robes.

"Nothin'," Kura shook her head. "It's the least I can do for the clubbing I gave earlier."

"Well, glad that's over with," Inuyasha stood and promptly walked out the door.

Miroku and Sango exchanged an uncomfortable look. Besides Inuyasha's apparent anger, they couldn't just leave Jinenji and his mother to the mercy of the villagers.

"We thank you for your help and your hospitality, and I would hate to impose," Miroku said, bowing deeply at both of them in turn. "But would you mind terribly if we stayed the night? My companions have travelled far and I wouldn't want to risk worsening their condition."

Sango tried to look suitably pathetic. Kirara was asleep, and it probably would be a good idea not to move her, regardless of whatever else was going on.

"I won't turn you out," Kura huffed. "Just don't bring us any trouble, ya hear?"

As Sango settled down with Kirara, and Shippo began pestering Jinenji with herb-related questions, Miroku slipped out to go after Inuyasha. He found him pacing at the edge of Jinenji's fields, ears pinned back and hands clenched in fists. Miroku knew that Inuyasha smelled him coming, but he made no acknowledgement of his presence. He kept on pacing back and forth, looking increasingly agitated. Eventually, Miroku broke the tense silence.

"Kura said that we could stay with her and Jinenji for the night," he said, carefully watching Inuyasha's reaction.

"No," Inuyasha instantly snapped, not stopping his restless movement. "We should leave. There's no reason for us to stay."

"Sango and Kirara need rest," Miroku said quietly. "Besides, Jinenji and his mother are in danger here – you know they are."

"That's not our problem."

Miroku's eyes narrowed. This wasn't the Inuyasha he knew. "The villagers think he's killed and eaten several people. They won't let that pass. Maybe he _is _different in their eyes, but that doesn't mean that he's guilty."

"But that's what it _does _mean when you're different!" Inuyasha snarled, turning on him with anger blazing in his eyes. "Nobody trusts you, you're always the first to be blamed, and it's always, _always_ your fault!"

The two stared at each other for a long moment, Inuyasha pressing hard into Miroku's space. The monk's eyes softened and Inuyasha growled, looking away. It was stupid. They didn't understand – they couldn't. They never would.

"This is our chance to show the villagers that they're wrong about Jinenji," Miroku murmured. "And about hanyou."

"They won't listen," Inuyasha snapped. "They never do! And even if we did convince them," he continued, blowing past Miroku's response. "Supposing by some miracle they listened, what then? They're not the only ones. Being hanyou means the entire _world_ is set against you. Jinenji needs to learn to be able to take care of himself. You gotta be tough, you gotta be able to fight back, or you won't survive."

Miroku had a sorrowful look on his face, but his words were utterly gentle. "Not everyone has to face the world alone, Inuyasha."

Inuyasha took a sharp breath in, and then his whole body sagged. "Yeah, it does," he said quietly. "For me, it was after my mother died. For more than a hundred years, I was on my own in a world that had no place for me, that wanted me dead. Being alone, taking care of myself, was the _only_ reason I survived." He sighed. "And then I got lucky. I got lucky that Kikyo convinced the villagers that I wasn't a threat. And yeah, I was lucky to meet you."

The smallest smile curled his lips as he met Miroku's eyes, his own shining with the hint of tears. Then he tore his gaze away, and pain clouded his expression.

"But you're mortal. You, Sango, Kaede – I'll outlive all of you. And Shippo will go off to live his own life, and I'll be alone again." He grimaced and swallowed hard. "And Jinenji's no different. His mother will die someday, probably soon – that woman is _ancient_ – and then he'll have no one."

"Maybe you're right," Miroku said, taking a step closer and brushing his hands down Inuyasha's arms. "Maybe he will have to face the world alone someday, but he's not alone now. We can sow the seeds of trust while we can. Our mortal lives may be short, but we can use them to create a better future."

Inuyasha hung his head, blinking rapidly. He didn't resist when Miroku's arms wrapped around him. They stood there for a long moment as Inuyasha cleansed his soul with Miroku's warm, familiar scent. Then the sounds of danger reached his ears. He glanced up, gently breaking from Miroku's embrace as they both looked over to the edge of the village. A group of villagers stood around a bamboo mat, piling together swords, spears, and pikes, and farming tools.

"Gather every weapon in the village!" one of the men commanded his comrades.

"This is plenty," another argued, brushing over the collection. "Even _he _can't take all these."

"Tonight's gonna be the night," a third said, grasping a sword. "It's kill, or be killed."

Miroku's jaw clenched but Inuyasha was already moving past him, stalking predatorily towards the men. The man closest to him, who was holding the sword, spun around in fear and pointed the weapon at Inuyasha. The others stood, grabbing several pikes and spears. Inuyasha slowed to a stop, danger written in every movement. Miroku rushed to intervene.

"Stop this madness," he commanded, placing himself firmly between Inuyasha and the villagers. "You mustn't attack Jinenji. He's done no wrong!"

"Of course he has!" one of the men snapped. "He's killed and eaten our people!"

Miroku's frown deepened. "You have no proof-"

"How can you be so naïve?" the villager interrupted.

"They hate us, the hag and her monster son!" another added.

"It's only a matter of time before they wipe us all out," the first continued.

"You've done nothing but be cruel to him," Inuyasha said, eerily calm. "He _should_ hate you, by all rights, but he doesn't. You saw him run from you today. He didn't kill anyone."

"They're cowards," one of the men leered. "Don't make no difference."

Inuyasha growled, flexing his claws. "_Interesting_. Because the way I see it, it's the other way around." He huffed, his eyes flashing across the villagers. "But right now, we got more important business, like catching the real flesh-eater."

"Whaddya mean, _real_ flesh-eater?" one of the men asked, looking genuinely confused.

"Leave it to a demon to defend another demon," another sneered.

"You're stupider than you look if you think we'll take your word for it," another said.

Inuyasha growled, visibly holding himself back. Miroku grimaced. He glanced at Inuyasha, a question in his eyes, and Inuyasha shook his head minutely. Miroku clenched his jaw and turned his gaze back to the village men.

"I wouldn't recommend attacking Jinenji's farm tonight," he said firmly. "I'm going to be there, along with a highly testy slayer and some frustrated friends of ours. And if you kill me, then Inuyasha will have to kill you to avenge me, and it'll get overly complicated and awkward."

Inuyasha smirked despite himself. "I will, will I?"

"You better!" Miroku shot back, before lowering his voice. "Be careful."

Sango watched Kura stir the rice as it finished cooking. Shippo had followed Jinenji outside, pestering the poor hanyou with relentless questions about various herbs and begging to be taught all about them. Jinenji looked markedly uncomfortable at the young kit's enthusiasm, but dutifully began explaining the best herbs for different remedies. The two had long since migrated to the garden, where Sango hoped Shippo wouldn't become too overbearing. Jinenji was a quiet soul, while his mother was taciturn. She hadn't spoken a single word since Miroku left, and simply sat in front of the fire. Eventually she took the pot from the flames and divided the rice into two small, chipped bowls. She held one out to Sango, who shook her head.

"We've imposed on you enough," she said.

"Take it," Kura insisted. "You're still healing, and that little one of yours will be hungry with all that energy he's burning. Besides, Jinenji and I 're used to going without."

Sango sighed and took the bowl with a small bow, reminding herself to send Miroku into the village later to buy some proper food for Kura and Jinenji. From the little she'd seen, the herbs were almost entirely medicinal, and she doubted that the villagers were too interested in trading. The hut itself was in near-disrepair, with holes in the roof and a dirt floor. It wasn't even large enough for Jinenji to properly stand.

"You seem very fond of your demons," Kura eventually said, now weaving an igusa straw mat. "It's not common to see that kind of companionship."

"Kirara has been a friend to my family long before I was born," Sango said, smiling down at the twin-tail curled in her lap. Her breathing had gotten better already. "And Shippo was travelling with Inuyasha and Miroku when I met them."

"Odd group, that one," Kura muttered wryly. "A monk, a hanyou, and a fox demon – that sounds like the start of a bad joke."

"They stumbled upon each other mainly by accident," Sango smiled. "As did I into them. We're all searching the Shikon Jewel to prevent its power being misused."

Kura blinked. "The what now?"

Sango paused, then shook her head. "It doesn't particularly matter. It's a jewel that gives power to and corrupts all who use it, and many seek it."

Kura nodded slowly. "Makes sense. You have the look of a woman who's seen trouble far beyond her years. All of you do, in fact." She gestured at Sango fiercely with a piece of straw. "You need to learn to slow down and enjoy life. If you're not payin' attention, it'll pass you by."

"It's a little more complicated than that," Sango said softly. "We're also being hunted by a powerful demon, and Miroku's life depends on-"

"Now listen here, young lady," Kura interrupted. "We all have troubles in life." She gestured at the desolate hut around her. "Why, just look at us! But what's the use in holdin' on to what you have if you don't celebrate it?" She leaned forward, grasping Sango's hand. "Promise me you won't get so caught up in the future that you lose sight of the now."

Sango swallowed and nodded. Kura released her hand and returned to her mat as though nothing had happened. A few moments later, Miroku ducked in through the flaps at the door, a sombre expression fixed on his face.

"The villagers are planning on killing you and your son tonight," he said without preamble. "It's possible we have dissuaded them, and Inuyasha's in search of whatever killed those people, but they may still come for you."

"They will, will they?" Kura drawled, shaking her head.

"They won't," Miroku assured. "We won't let them. I will stand guard until Inuyasha returns."

"Have it your way," she shrugged. "You seem to care an awful lot about hanyou."

A faint blush spread over Miroku's cheeks and he cleared his throat lightly. "I care about innocent souls not being persecuted."

Kura's knowing smirk informed him that she could see right through him. He quickly made his excuses and escaped outside. He wasn't ready to admit what she might have seen, not even to himself, but the fact that her immediate reaction wasn't revulsion startled him. He supposed that a woman with a half-demon son wouldn't exactly be the most closed-minded person, nor a fair representative of the outlook of most people, but her amused assumptions gave him pause. It was possible that perhaps, not everyone would be as hatefully opposed to it as he thought. Not those that mattered, in any respect.

Shaking his head, Miroku made his way over to where Shippo and Jinenji were weeding the garden. Rather, Jinenji was pulling weeds, and Shippo was talking almost incomprehensibly quicklu, embellishing stories of their travels and occasionally picking a plant for Jinenji to hold. Jinenji seemed a little awkward, but he had a soft expression on his face, and appeared to be soaking in the fox's every word.

"Mind if I help?" Miroku asked, wincing at how Jinenji startled.

"We're cleaning up the garden!" Shippo announced proudly.

"Are you?" Miroku smiled. "And where are the weeds that you've pulled, Shippo?"

The kit blanched and immediately turned the row, continuing his story a little breathlessly while yanking at a stubbornly deep-rooted plant. Jinenji smiled at Shippo's antics and Miroku knelt down next to him. He had very little knowledge of plants, outside what was edible, so he mostly just watched Jinenji. From up close, the scars littering his skin were even more prominent. Miroku's heart ached for him.

"Have you ever considered going elsewhere?" Miroku asked quietly. "Someplace safer?"

"This place is best," Jinenji said quietly. "My pa left us this farm."

Miroku smiled softly. "It must be nice to be connected to him in that way."

"It's all I have left of him," Jinenji murmured. "He died a long time ago."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. I still have ma."

Miroku chuckled softly. "Yes, it seems she can handle things."

They were quiet after that, with Shippo actually concentrating on weeding while Miroku gathered the pulled plants and moved them out of the garden. He kept an eye out for either the villagers or Inuyasha, but none materialized. He longed to go find his friend, but he was loathed to leave an injured Sango to defend everyone at the hut if the villagers attacked. He had to trust that Inuyasha could take care of himself.

Upon returning from dumping his final round of weeds, he saw Shippo swinging excitedly from Jinenji's arm. "We're going to feed the birds!" he announced brightly as Miroku approached.

"I have a little rice saved," Jinenji said. "They know to expect me at dusk."

Shippo was utterly ecstatic, throwing the rice so eagerly at the birds that he scared them off more often than not until Jinenji coached him into being more gentle. Miroku watched from outside the hut, the figures turning into dark silhouettes against a gold and crimson sky. At some point, there was a rustling from the hut, and Kura and Sango came out to watch, Kirara asleep in the slayer's arms. Miroku sent them a smile and carefully avoided looking at Kura as a few tears slipped down her cheeks.

Inuyasha slowed to a stop as he caught the scent. The stink of youkai that had been all over the murdered woman was spread across the ground. It had taken him 'til well after dark to track it down, but he'd finally found its den. The scent was fresh, newly buried, and he scratched at the earth experimentally until- The ground split open beneath his feet and he fell, landing hard on tightly compacted earth. He glanced around, taking in the large tunnel he'd found himself in. It stretched on as far as the eye could see in both directions, occasionally meeting or splitting with others. Bones littered the ground, some of them human. He could smell that they had been gnawed clean.

Following the freshest scent markers, Inuyasha crept through the tunnel. It eventually opened out into a wide cavern. Even more bones were strewn across the floor, and on the far wall, a thick green slime was stretched from floor to ceiling. Several large, cracked hollow spheres were suspended in the goo. Inuyasha crept closer to investigate. Strange, they looked almost like eggs…

Oh.

Oh, no.

The scent was overwhelming. Whatever demon had nested here had been the one to kill the humans. But this clutch was newly hatched, and more likely than not, the mother had taken out the brood on their first hunt. With the vast expanse of underground tunnels at their disposal, the demons could access any part of the forest – or the village. Inuyasha swore. His pack was in danger!

Miroku leaned against the wall, his eyes fixed on the doorway and senses heightened. The others were sleeping, filling the small hut with a symphony of quiet snores and soft snuffles. It was late enough in the night that if an attack was to come, it would be soon. For a long time, there was nothing. Then, something tugged at his gut, a warning that danger was near. Shippo's eyes opened from where he was curled against Jinenji. Another sniff of the air and he shrank back in fear.

"I smell smoke," he whispered, clutching at Jinenji's arm with tiny hands.

Before Miroku could respond, a rock crashed through the bamboo bars of the hut's only window and clattered to the floor. Jinenji startled at the noise and immediately began to tremble. Miroku snatched his staff and scrambled outside, where the villagers were waiting with weapons, torches, and leering taunts. It wasn't just the six they had dealt with before – an entire mob had gathered, and they shouted angrily into the still night air.

"What is the meaning of this?" Miroku asked in a booming voice. "They have done _nothing _to you!"

The crowd flung back insults, with increasing calls for Jinenji's death. Then Kura was by his side, wielding a hoe like a club. The villagers instantly began hurling rocks at them. Miroku batted most away with his staff, but one connected sharply with Kura's head. She stumbled back with a cry.

"That's enough!" Miroku shouted, flinging himself between her and the mob.

Sango appeared beside him, one hand reaching menacingly for her sword as she ushered Kura back inside.

"Move, monk!" a voice called from the crowd.

"Why are you protecting them?" another demanded.

"They are good people and they do _not _deserve your anger or your hatred," Miroku snarled. "Jinenji is a kind, gentle soul, and you would see that if you weren't blinded by your petty ignorance! He has never hurt _anyone_. The only danger here is you!"

Angry shouts returned from the mob, which pressed ever closer.

"You're as bad as they are!" one of the men swore.

"He's in cahoots with the half-breed boy anyway!" another yelled to the crowd. "He's guilty, too!"

Shouts of agreement rose from the gathered villagers. More insults were added to the mix, and then someone threw at torch at the hut. It landed on the thatched roof, which instantly caught alight. More were quickly added, and the mob cheered. Miroku swore, darting in through the doorway to catch Kura as Sango shoved her outside. He snatched Shippo from the floor and dragged them outside and away from the fire, which was rapidly spreading. At Sango's shout, he turned long enough for her to toss Kirara into his arms. He ignored her claws digging into his arms and pressed her face into his robes, knowing that her damaged lungs couldn't take the added strain of smoke.

Sango ran to the wall where Hiraikotsu was leaning, but stopped when she saw Jinenji cowering in the corner, his head in his hands. "We need to leave!" she called to him, swinging Hiraikotsu over her shoulder and hiding a gasp at the pain that shot from her wounds.

Jinenji shook his head, curling tighter into a ball. She swore quietly and moved to his side, placing a hand on his shoulder. "I know you're afraid, but you can't stay here. Miroku and I will protect you and your mother – I swear it – but we can't do anything against the fire. At least out there, you have a chance."

Miroku swore as more and more time passed and neither Sango nor Jinenji appeared from the flames. He was about to go back inside when the ground began to shake. A thundering growl came from behind the villagers, and then a giant centipede-like demon reared up above them. A pair of red eyes and a mouth filled with dozens of protruding teeth sat in its face. Around twenty smaller demons crawled along the ground, shorter and more heavily armoured. Miroku instantly recognized the demon, and his heart sank. He'd never encountered ōmukade before, and never much wanted to, really.

The mother demon darted out, her teeth sinking into one of the village men. He instantly fell, and the baby demons began tearing into his flesh. The villagers began shouting anew, begging Miroku to help their friend. He knew it was far too late. The bite of a regular giant centipede was bad. The venom of an ōmukade could kill a human instantly.

"Sango," he shouted, digging some sutras from his robes. "We have a family of ōmukade!"

Sango swore and dropped Jinenji's arm. She pulled a vial of poison and began spreading it along the length of Hiraikotsu. Jinenji watched her with guarded eyes.

"You can't fight," he mumbled quietly. "You're injured."

"My friends are out there," Sango replied, hauling Hiraikotsu over her shoulder once more. "I have to."

She ran outside. There was nothing more she could do to convince Jinenji to escape the burning hut – that was up to him. She emerged into a one-sided battle between the villagers and the hatchling ōmukade. Most of the men had already fled, but the few that fought back were having no luck. Their weapons broke against the thick armoured plates of the ōmukade young. She caught Miroku's eye and shared a knowing look. The mother was hanging back, for now, but they both knew that wouldn't last long if they started wounding her young.

"Will Hiraikotsu even work?" Miroku asked, slapping a few sutras on it for good measure.

"On the young ones, maybe," Sango said. "Not on the mother. We'd need to coat the weapons entirely in saliva to pierce her hide."

"Right," he sighed. "You distract the mother, I'm going to tell the villagers. On my signal, take out as many of the young as possible while I deal with the mother."

"Got it," she nodded, and ran through the fleeing villagers to the mother.

Without Kirara, her movements were harshly restricted, but she didn't have to kill the demon, just keep her busy. She threw Hiraikotsu at the mother's head, and the demon lunged out and snatched the weapon in her jaws. She instantly reared back with a screech, the poison frothing from her mouth. She dropped Hiraikotsu and Sango caught it, her wounds tugging and splitting open as she did so. The mother began to ungulate, her long body whipping back and forth. Her body wracked in pain, Hiraikotsu sitting heavy on her shoulder, Sango couldn't get out of the way in time. The mother's body slammed into her with alarming force.

A cry tore Miroku's attention away from the villagers. Sango was on the ground, the spasming mother ōmukade reaching for her. He ran, diving over Sango's body and summoning a spiritual barrier just as the mother slammed down onto them. She glanced off the barrier but Miroku knew she wouldn't be deterred for long. Then there was a shout, a giant figure flying overhead, and Jinenji's fist struck through the mother's mouth and emerged through the back of her neck.

But that didn't kill her. Her jaws clamped over his arm, pumping venom into his system, and her body began coiling around him. Kura cried out Jinenji's name, Shippo clinging to her and Kirara in her arms obviously the only things holding her back. Sango was stunned and dazed, but not badly injured. Miroku picked her up and ran. He had no weapons that could stand against the mother ōmukade – only the wind tunnel, and he couldn't use it with her wrapped around Jinenji.

Miroku lay Sango down near Kura and turned, looking over the battle that raged on. Knowing that human saliva was the ōmukade's weakness, the villagers were fighting back, but their weapons were still barely effective against the young's armour. Meanwhile, Jinenji was being slowly but surely crushed to death. Miroku grabbed a handful of sutras and ran for them. If he could catch the mother's eyes, or maybe tear into her from the wound Jinenji had made-

"Get away!" Jinenji yelled, even as his eyes rolled in his head. "You…you treated me like a real person." He broke off, choking. "If I let you die here, I won't be able to live with myself!"

The sounds of screaming and the thick scent of smoke, blood, and pain drew Inuyasha running back to Jinenji's farm. He saw the demon young lunging at the villagers, who were in a desperate retreat. He slashed at the demons, but to his horror, his claws simply glanced off their backs. He swore and concentrated his youki, pouring as much as he could into his next blow. This time, the backs of the demon young split open, and the villagers scurried away.

"Inuyasha!" Miroku's voice sounded, and Inuyasha's attention snapped over to him.

He was standing in front of Jinenji, who was locked in a deathmatch with what must be the mother demon. Jinenji's hut burned brightly beside them, already beginning to fall apart.

"You must help Jinenji!" Miroku called to him as he ran over. "Saliva is like poison to them-"

"Don't you do it!" Kura's voice cut him off sharply. They both glanced over to where she stood, her eyes fixed on her son's battle. "He needs to learn to fight for himself!"

Miroku cast a desperate look at Inuyasha, but he didn't know how to respond. Kura's words were true, as much as it pained him. Inuyasha glanced over to the villagers, who were still waging a losing battle. He growled. This was bad. He leapt over to them, concentrating his youki into his claws and ripping the demon young open. The villagers began to scamper away, but his snarl stopped them.

"Don't you dare!" he yelled at them. "Not while I'm fighting to save your spiteful, sorry lives! Not while Jinenji is over there _dying _for you! You pick up your weapons and you _fight_! Got it?"

A few voices of agreement rose from the villagers, and Inuyasha turned back to the young. He slashed through them one-by-one, leaving the village men and their saliva-coated weapons to finish them off. Soon, Hiraikotsu joined him, tearing open entire rows of demons. The tide was slowly turning.

Miroku stayed close to Jinenji. He knew he couldn't do any good, but he couldn't tear himself away. Jinenji tore his arm from the mother's mouth, but she only wound tighter around him. With a roar, Jinenji clamped his arms around her body, crushing her as much as she was crushing him. Jinenji began to glow with an ethereal blue light, and Miroku could feel the undeniable pull of a powerful youki. The mother's body began to ripple as waves of the youki shot into her. With one final shout, Jinenji sent his power bursting from his body. It knocked Miroku to the ground, and ripped through the mother ōmukade. She tipped back, screeching, and Jinenji punched solidly through her head.

The blue light faded from around him as the bits of ōmukade fell to the ground. Miroku glanced over to see the villagers huddled together, collectively gaping at the show of incredible strength. Jinenji also looked over, and began slowly walking towards the villagers. They gasped in fear and dropped to their knees, hands held up in prayer and pleas for forgiveness. Miroku watched carefully, unsure of what was about to happen.

Inuyasha smirked and stepped back. It was about time that these humans learned to respect Jinenji, and if it was by fear, then so be it. The villagers were mumbling apologies and begging for mercy. It was sickening. Jinenji leaned towards them, one giant fist clenched. The villagers cried out in fear and pressed closer to the ground.

"You need help," Jinenji said in his customary low, rumbling voice. He opened his fist to show several herbs lying in his palm. "Lots of you are hurt. This will help you get better faster."

Inuyasha shook his head. All that for nothin'. But as the villagers gasped, passing around the herbs like sacred treasures, he had to admit that maybe there was somethin' to it. They were looking on Jinenji less like a leader, more like a saviour. He supposed that would have to do. Jinenji was lumbering over to his mother, gently caressing her face with fingers the size of her skull.

"Ma, are you alright?" he asked gently.

"Oh, Jinenji!" she breathed, wrapping her arms around his wrist and holding on tight.

They cleaned and bandaged the villager's various wounds. Jinenji handed out herbs to promote healing and counter the venom of the young ōmukade which, while not deadly, was still a nasty infliction. Once they were done, the men left in a silent group, leaving behind a smouldering hut and the scattered carcasses of a brood of dead demons. As the sun slowly rose, Inuyasha helped Jinenji rummage through the ruins of the hut for anything that may have survived the fire. Miroku sat with the others, bandaging Kura's head-wound.

"Will you be alright here?" Miroku asked quietly.

"Oh, we'll be fine," Kura smiled and waved him off. "We may have to face those men again, but I don't think they're like to kill us again anytime soon." She shrugged. "If that's how things are, that's how they'll be."

"It will take some time to repair all this," Sango said, looking over the ruined hut and trampled fields.

"We'll manage," Kura said assuredly, and Miroku had to smile at her unflappable nature. "I'm more concerned for you young'uns. You have a difficult task ahead o' ya."

"We'll manage," Miroku assured, though with somewhat less confidence than Kura had mustered.

"You take good care of each other," Kura told the two of them firmly, then she glanced over to where Shippo and Kirara were gently playing. "And look after the little'uns."

Sango chuckled and quietly agreed. Kura grabbed Miroku's sleeve, dragging him in closer so Sango couldn't hear.

"You've done good to that half-demon of yours," she said, words all the more serious for their hushed sincerity. "Don't let him down."

"I don't plan on it," Miroku murmured back somberly.

The sound of footsteps drew their attention across the fields, where a group of villagers was approaching. At the hut, both Inuyasha and Jinenji straightened, and Inuyasha leapt over to stand behind Miroku and Sango. He was bristling, but the men's body language was far from aggressive. They carried hoes, planks of wood, and other tools and supplies. Kura's eyes narrowed but Miroku desperately hoped that his suspicions were correct.

"We want to help," one of the men said, steadfastly holding Kura's gaze.

She glared at them for a long time before she sighed and turned away. "Have it your way," she said flippantly, waving a hand.

The men began organizing themselves, sending several off to the woods for lumber while others were sent to clear away the debris from the old hut. Yet more followed Jinenji into the fields to salvage what they could. Kura began showing the villagers which herbs to use for what ailments, swatting the villagers over the head more often than not. Inuyasha watched with mild distain, but he had to admit that it was a whole lot better than he could ever have expected. There was a chance – a small, distant chance – that this place might turn into another like Kaede's village, a safe haven for hanyou in a dangerous world. He glanced over at Miroku and Sango, who were wiping down Hiraikotsu, and Shippo and Kirara, who were busily chasing a butterfly. Kaede's wasn't the only safe haven of his.

They said their quick goodbyes, safe in the knowledge that Jinenji and his mother would be well looked-after. Inuyasha was quiet as they walked, staring off into the far distance. Sango exchanged a glance with Miroku and dropped back, distracting Shippo by asking about plants growing at the edge of the path. Inuyasha slowly realized that the others had melted away around him and slowed, shooting Miroku a questioning look.

"I'm glad they will be treated better," Miroku said.

Inuyasha narrowed his eyes, obviously unconvinced. "What're you getting at?"

"I imagine all this must have brought back some painful memories," Miroku continued, gazing out through the forest. "I just want you to know that I'm here to listen. We all care for you, Inuyasha, and we don't want you to be alone in this."

"I'm not some weakling that needs to be smothered," Inuyasha growled dangerously. "I learned how to take care of myself. I don't roll over for anybody."

"I never said you did," Miroku said quietly, still looking firmly ahead.

Inuyasha sighed heavily, glancing up at the forest canopy. "I'm not one or the other," he finally said, voice quiet and tinged with roughness. "Not really a demon, not really human." He came to a stop, blinking slowly. "I'm not either, that's all. There was no place for me, so I had to make one for myself. But then I realized – I had a place, but I was the only one in it. I didn't know any other way to live."

"You have a place with us," Miroku said, smiling softly. "In this group, at Kaede's…with me, you always have a place. You're not alone."

Inuyasha looked at him, at the warm violet eyes and serene expression. He glanced back at Sango, who was trying to talk Shippo out of adding a new rock to his ever-growing collection. It was true. He wasn't alone anymore. He'd built a pack around himself, one that he cherished and trusted… But that wasn't all. He'd let them close. Somehow, without his ever realizing it, he'd found a family. Miroku's arm draped around his shoulder, warm and sturdy, and they both stepped out of the way as Shippo ran past, clutching at a falling leaf. Sango sighed wearily behind them, hauling Hiraikotsu back over her shoulders and gathering Kirara in her arms.

Yeah, he wasn't alone anymore. And it felt so natural, so _right,_ to have them by his side.


	32. Chapter 32: s2e05

Warnings for this chapter: references to prostitution, threats of death, and poison gas

* * *

"Come at me!"

Inuyasha growled, lifted Tessaiga above his head, and ran forward. Sango easily stepped out of the way, catching Tessaiga with her own sword as he brought it down in the space she had been a heartbeat earlier.

"You're slow!" she said. "I know you can be faster than this."

"This is a big sword, in case you haven't noticed!" he snapped. "It's not exactly easy to handle."

"You wield it like a club," Sango replied evenly. "You need to learn more techniques than swinging from above."

"Back off! I only got this thing a few months ago. I never even touched a sword before that!"

"And I'm very impressed and how far you've come on your own," Sango said. "But that doesn't mean you can't improve. Come again."

His ears flicked back and he lunged at her, this time sweeping for her legs. She jumped in the air, and the blade passed harmlessly beneath her. Her own sword gently tapped onto Inuyasha's shoulder as she jumped.

"You always swing with your full arm," she observed. "It's stronger, but if your opponent has any knowledge of swords, it will tell them exactly what you're planning. Your technique needs to adapt based on who or what you're fighting."

Inuyasha huffed and looked away, his eyes catching Miroku's. The monk was sitting in the shade of a large tree, watching with obvious amusement. Shippo was perched on his knee, eating some berries they had found on the road, and Kirara was curled up asleep in his lap. The kit was watching the training with vested interest, while Miroku had the expression of someone who'd just found something so tragic that it was wonderfully entertaining. Inuyasha growled at them and turned his attention back to Sango.

After another good bout of training, in which Inuyasha almost got close to partially winning against Sango, they decided that they were done for the day. The others gathered their things to make camp, but Inuyasha glanced to the sky, his eyes narrowing.

"There's the smell of rain in the air," he said. "We should probably head back to that town we passed earlier and find an inn for the night. I don't wanna hear you lot complaining about damp clothes for the next three days."

It turned out to be just in time, as a light downpour was already beginning as they passed into the town. The evidence of a thriving marketplace remained in the town centre, even as the vendors were taking down their stands for the upcoming showers. The spectacle caught Miroku's eye as they passed.

"Perhaps we could stop by the market tomorrow before leaving," he suggested. "We need to replenish many of our supplies."

"I guess that's what we get for being injured all the time," Inuyasha shrugged. "Why not? It's not like we have any news about Naraku's whereabouts."

Warned from past experiences, the others waited outside while Miroku bought them a room in the local inn for the night. While most of the innkeepers they came upon were ambivalent about their clientele so long as they got paid, it was somewhat safer to buy the room first before discovering how prejudice they were to demons and hanyou. The young woman at the inn politely showed them to their room and said that food and bedding would be brought presently. Miroku informed her that Inuyasha wouldn't be needing a futon – he preferred to sleep sitting up against the wall – and requested a bowl of fish for Kirara. And possibly some sweets for Shippo.

The evening was relaxed and easy, listening to the autumn rains pounding down on the roof above. They warmed themselves in front of the fire, chilled with the first autumn rains. They each got a turn in the inn's bath, took the much-needed opportunity to wash their clothing, and turned in early for the night. The next morning, Miroku was up with the sun and eager to head to the market.

"I don't know why you're so excited," Inuyasha drawled, leaning back against a wall. "It's just a couple of fruit stands, isn't it?"

Miroku's eyes narrowed. "Inuyasha, have you ever been to a market before?"

"Nope," he replied easily. "I don't exactly blend in to the crowd."

"Then we need to explore!" Miroku exclaimed. "You can buy sweets and charms and the most amazing food and there are performances to watch – Sango, help me tell him how entertaining a market can be!"

"I won't be much help to you, I'm afraid," she said. "I haven't been to a proper market before, either."

"I can't believe this!" Miroku said, throwing his hands in the air exaggeratedly. "We must amend this at once!"

Inuyasha and Sango exchanged a vaguely amused look as Miroku reached for their hands and dragged them after him through the inn, Shippo and Kirara following close behind. They toured the entire market once all together, with Miroku pointing out what was standard, what was unusual, and what to look for. He bought them all dango from a sweets stand to eat as they walked, and surprised Shippo with a tiny fan which he instantly fell in love with. They watched Miroku expertly haggle down a cloth vendor for uncut bandages and show Sango where she could buy oil for Hiraikotsu. He then gave both of them some coins – Shippo wasn't allowed to make his own financial decisions – and set them free. He watched them disperse before ultimately being drawn together again at a weapons table, where the vendor offered to sharpen their weapons and showed off his collection of whetstones.

Miroku smiled as he watched them, both somewhat out of their element but clearly enjoying all that the market had to offer. He caught glimpses of them as he bought more supplies – Inuyasha leaning over a table of herbs and perfumes as he bought paper for sutras, Sango poking at a collection of small vials while he bought dried meats, Shippo constantly trying to dart off to buy sweets and Kirara dutifully chasing him down. As he looked over a collection of different prayer beads, the woman beside him struck up a conversation. They shared smiles and a few flirtatious looks, and at one point she set her hand down deliberately over his. Miroku drew her away from the vendor slightly and put forth his charm, eventually asking the age-old question. She laughed delightedly and said of course she'd love to have his child, thinking him merely jesting as so many others had in the past. She waved to him as she left, a smile fixed firmly on her face. She walked passed Inuyasha, who wore a stony expression.

"I don't get you," he said, walking over to Miroku. "You talk about how you can't follow all these aspects of Buddhism, but no one's forcing you to do _that_."

He didn't know why it bothered him so much. If he was honest with himself, Inuyasha wondered if it was simply that Miroku was sending his attention outside of their little group, in what had been a wonderful day for them all. But something unreadable flickered across Miroku's expression.

"I need to produce a son to go on and fight Naraku if I fail to defeat him."

Inuyasha frowned, detecting the shift in tone but unable to pinpoint exactly what it was. Miroku fixed a smile on his face and placed a hand on Inuyasha's shoulder as he passed.

"Come on," he said. "I saw a dumpling stand for lunch."

They waved down Sango and Miroku bought them all piles of dumplings. He even bought a few extra pig parts for Shippo and Kirara to share. He could see that Sango and Shippo were getting a little overwhelmed with the noise of the marketplace, and drew them all off to a quiet corner to sit for a while. They chatted as they ate, going over the different stands each of them had seen and what had drawn their attention. Shippo pointed out that a play was going to be performed soon, and begged them to let him watch. Miroku smiled indulgently, claiming that they may as well make a day of it.

"Better go back to the inn tonight as well," Inuyasha said, stretching lazily. "It's going to rain hard again tonight, and I doubt we'd gain much distance even if we left now."

The others agreed and followed Shippo to where the small stage was being set up. As they walked, Miroku carefully reached into his robes and checked their funds. They had little left, barely enough to cover the upcoming night of accommodations. He supposed it was somewhat reckless of them to be spending so much in one day, but he didn't want to deny any of them a little enjoyment. Almost unintentionally, his eyes wandered further down the town square, to the more disreputable area. His gaze wandered past the gambling and various dancers' nooks towards the brothel. He knew where money was to be made, if they needed it. Miroku shook his head. Such thoughts were better saved for later times. He watched Shippo scurry over to the front of the crowd and sit himself down next to the other children in preparation for the Noh actors coming on stage.

It was surprisingly easy to waste the day. They watched several performances, sampled all the food to be had, and restocked everything they needed. By the time the rains began, it was early evening. They made their way back to the inn and were able to get another room without issue. Miroku left to go find them some dinner, and Inuyasha huffed, folding his arms.

"That damn Miroku. He's always going on about money and then wasting it on women and expensive food."

"Most of the time he tricks lords or innkeepers into feeding us for free," Sango pointed out. "I'm not saying that's better, I'm just saying."

"He's a thief and a conman," Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "So much better."

"I can understand why," Sango said as she rubbed her new oils into Hiraikotsu. "He can't depend on exorcisms to appear conveniently, and there's no money in hunting Naraku."

"Of course not! I'm not saying he doesn't have good reason," Inuyasha grumbled. "And I can understand why he would want to enjoy himself a little with dancers and good food. He deserves a little indulgence in his life."

"And he' not _over_indulgent," Sango added. "He mostly just bends to whatever Shippo wants."

"Hey!" Shippo exclaimed, then turned away, face red, when the others gave him pointed looks.

"He _does_ look after us," Inuyasha sighed. "And he's loyal."

Sango smiled into Kirara's fur. "He's a good friend."

"He deserves better than what he's got," Inuyasha murmured. "He's good in a fight and he can hold his own, but he's so much happier when he's embellishing stories and making others smile."

"I suppose we all do what we have to, to survive," Sango said, some of the levity fleeing from her face. "We're lucky we have each other. I can't imagine doing this alone."

When Miroku returned, the innkeepers on his heels bearing trays of food, Inuyasha and Sango were looking decidedly sullen. Miroku eyed them both warily before very bravely hiding behind the food. As the others tucked in with varying degrees of enthusiasm, he watched them all carefully for what might have transpired in his short absence. After discerning that it was nothing pressing, he placed down his bowl.

"The innkeepers were saying that there's a dance going on just outside," he said nonchalantly. "Just an informal event, but it might be nice to watch."

The others shrugged and nodded their agreement, following him to the covered outside area once they were done with their meal. Many of the townspeople who had been at the market had joined together in an impromptu dance, with musicians playing merrily under the protection of a room at the inn. Even as the rain poured outside, people began dancing merrily in the en of surrounding buildings. A little girl who had been beside Shippo at the play waved him over and the two began dancing clumsily in a circle.

Nearby, a mother was sitting with her young baby, who was watching the dancing with wide eyes. Kirara's ears pricked and she gently padded over, sitting down next to the small family. The mother looked wary, but Miroku followed and after a few reassuring words, Kirara was gently booping the baby on the nose, making both her and her mother laugh. Sango watched them with amusement until she caught Miroku's eye. He tilted his head meaningfully towards the dancers and nodded slightly. She vehemently shook her head, a blush rising to her cheeks.

"I wouldn't know what I'm doing!" she hissed quietly.

"You think they care?" he whispered back. "Half are drunk and the rest are children or over the age of a thousand. Go have fun!"

She glanced back and forth a few times, but with Miroku's gentle persuasion and Inuyasha's good-natured cajoling, she eventually joined the dance. A young boy, who couldn't be more than six, instantly caught her hands and began spinning them both in a circle. Sango's laughter blended into the music and pounding of feet, and Miroku watched, transfixed.

Sango was beautiful. That was a simple, inescapable fact. Her body moved with a powerful grace whether she was walking, dancing, or fighting. She was a fiery spirit, that shone bright and touched all those around her. And he unquestionably enjoyed her company. He would proposition her if he didn't think she would kill him for it. But if he was being honest, that wasn't the only thing holding him back.

His eyes shifted to rest on Inuyasha. The hanyou's eyes were soft and dancing with the light of the setting sun. His face was unusually gentle as his gaze moved from Sango to Shippo to Kirara. Miroku could see the compassion in his eyes. His heartrate jumped and he instantly looked away, not wanting to draw suspicion. It was impossible to tell how much Inuyasha had already guessed from the emotions somehow detectable in his scent. Then again, he suspected that he would be able to tell if Inuyasha knew. The hanyou wasn't terribly subtle in his emotions. The disgust would be difficult to hide.

He didn't know how or when it started. All he knew was he'd been consumed by his feelings towards his friend for a few weeks at this point and they weren't going away. He had grown to respect Inuyasha quickly when they first met, then appreciate his loyalty, caring, and wry humour. And of course, his beautiful form. Inuyasha was a creature designed to kill and he did so almost effortlessly. Yet he could also be so gentle, so careful with his companions. And it was there, in the balance between deadly force and bright, aware control that Miroku suspected he'd fallen.

Through the evening and into the night, Miroku made sure to keep his wandering gaze in check. When they made their way back to their room, it seemed that Inuyasha could tell that something was amiss, as he sat close to Miroku while he inked new sutras, their thighs pressed together. Shippo was utterly riled up from the dance, and ran around the room for a good long while before the long day caught up to him. He was asleep barely a moment later, sprawled out on Sango's bed. The rest of them stayed awake a while longer, not wanting the day to end just yet. But as the music died down outside, and the sound of the rain returned, they buried into their blankets and slept under the watchful eyes of Inuyasha.

The next morning, they set off bright and early. There were reports of crop failures in a nearby village, which might be a sign of a strong demonic presence, and that was as good a destination as any. As they approached the fields surrounding the village, it was obvious that the autumn harvest was ruined. The plants were shriveled and sickly, and the earth had a reddish-brown colour too it. Inuyasha, Shippo, and Kirara all wrinkled their noses the closer they got to the village, the overwhelming scent of demon blood growing ever stronger.

As soon as they reached the village, a group of villagers rushed to them, talking over one another frantically. They recognized Miroku as a monk and Sango as a slayer, and begged for their aid. They were led to the chief's house, where the man stepped out to meet them. He looked haggard and exhausted. The roofs of all the houses were stained a deep, rusty red, and dark liquid dripped from the leaves of the trees.

"It started two weeks ago," the chief said, urging them to sit on the en. "The rains turned red, the plants withered, and demon body parts fell from the sky."

"It was awful!" one of the farmers interjected from behind him. "And not just that – it completely ruined all of our fields."

"Would that it was only the fields," an elderly man shook his head. "The old, the young, the weak, so many have become sickened."

"I should think so," Miroku nodded solemnly. "There is a very strong miasma in this area. My companions and I shall discover the source."

The crowd of villagers practically mobbed them, each spilling their theory of what had happened and their suggestions on how to deal with the problem. One common theme was a nearby mountain that appeared to be the center of the blood rain and miasma storms. They decided not to wait, and head over to the mountain immediately. As they left through the other side of the village, the devastation only grew. Trees were stripped bare, the grass was dead, and the ground had turned to a thick, muddy clay.

"So we're just gonna go chasing after this demon?" Inuyasha grumbled as they walked. "Do we have time for this? What about Naraku, huh? Or does he not matter anymore?"

"No one's forgotten anyone," Miroku said firmly. "But we have no idea where he might be. This may be a hint of his whereabouts." The others glanced at him in surprise. "The villagers said that the demon parts began appearing two weeks ago. That's just after we fought Naraku and wounded him. It's possible that this might have something to do with him. Besides," he reached sheepishly into his robes. "I've already accepted payment for services rendered."

"When'd that happen?" Inuyasha spluttered. "We haven't even done anything yet! The paying part don't usually come until _afterward_."

"People can be stingy once they've already gotten what they wanted," Miroku shrugged.

Inuyasha rolled his eyes and looked over to Sango for support. Instead, they saw her staring at the mountain ahead of them, a grim expression on her face.

"What's wrong?" Inuyasha asked, instantly sobering and stepping to her side.

"That miasma is the strongest I've ever seen," she said, glancing between them. "The only other time I've seen any as powerful was around Naraku. Do either of you know of any other demons capable of producing anything so poisonous?"

They nodded with grim determination as they took her point and Inuyasha unsheathed Tessaiga, resting it over his shoulder. They walked up to the base of the mountain, the miasma and youki growing stronger with every step. Kirara transformed for Sango to ride on her back. Miroku leaned more heavily on his staff, the demonic presence making him nauseous and lightheaded. Long, narrow stone paths wound up the side of the mountain, and Inuyasha quietly took the lead as they began their ascent. The sky was darkened with what could be rainclouds, but had a distinct purple tint.

"There's nothing alive around here," Shippo murmured in a quiet, scared voice, clinging tightly to Sango.

"We're almost there," Inuyasha said, narrowing his eyes at the path before them.  
"Whatever's going on here, I don't like it."

He stopped, swinging Tessaiga out before him. What appeared to be the entrance of an old mining shaft was built into the side of the mountain. As well as the overpowering youki, the smell of demons, miasma, and blood wafted strongly from the tunnel. It was a potent mixture, enough to make Inuyasha gag reflexively.

"This is bad," Inuyasha said, creeping towards the entrance before reeling back. "I've never felt anything like this. You all should wait out here."

"That might be Naraku," Miroku argued. "Or one of his traps. There's no way you're going in alone."

"That miasma's too strong for a human!" Inuyasha growled warningly. "You won't last half-way into that tunnel."

"I have training to resist miasmas," Miroku said. "And Sango has her mask. We should-"

He cut himself off as an awful, wracking cough sounded from behind them. Sango was gripping tightly to Kirara's fur, her face deathly pale. As they watched, she curled over and fell from the twin-tail's back.

"Sango!" Miroku shouted, running over to her.

"I'm fine…" she gasped, clinging onto his sleeve.

"You're not," Miroku frowned. "You're still weakened from the miasma at the castle. It will only get stronger in the tunnel. You should put on your mask and wait out here."

"But Naraku…" she started, before doubling down into another coughing fit.

"We don't know for certain that he's even in there," Miroku insisted. "And you can't fight him if you're dead."

"Sango, you stay here with Shippo and Kirara," Inuyasha said, cracking his knuckles. "There's no sense dragging everyone through this."

"Kirara, are you alright?" Miroku asked, receiving a nod in response. "If the miasma becomes too much, take everyone back to the village. Shippo," he turned to the kit. "The miasma doesn't seem to bother you. Watch over them."

"Leave everything to me!" Shippo chirped bravely, then glanced over to the tunnel entrance with wide eyes. "But promise you'll be careful. This miasma is pretty strong."

"I'll be fine," Miroku said reassuringly, standing and making his way over to Inuyasha.

"Will you?" Inuyasha shot back. "What kind of _training_ keeps you safe from this poison?"

"I've been preparing to fight Naraku my entire life," Miroku said quietly. "I know what I'm doing."

"Fine," Inuyasha grumbled, grabbing onto Miroku's sleeve and pulling him after him into the tunnel. "But you'd better not die on me."

Sango watched them disappear into the darkness with worried eyes. She had taken out her mask and held it carefully to her face. She knew that both Shippo and Kirara were carefully watching her and each other. As demons, they had better natural defenses against demonic miasma, but Shippo was just a child, and Kirara had been so near death after the fight at the castle. Sango suddenly realized that they had been incredibly, profoundly stupid. They should have taken more herbs from Jinenji's garden. They should have returned to her village so that she could make them all iron masks to protect them. They had been wasting their time wandering around the countryside, and yet they were entirely unprepared to actually face Naraku. If they survived this, she would ensure that they had all they needed. They couldn't continue on as they had been.

"The youki's getting stronger," Shippo whispered, wrapping an arm around her calf. "It's like I'm being pulled in to the tunnel. Something bad must be happening."

Inuyasha crept through the tunnel, his head low to avoid the rocks protruding around them and keeping one hand firmly planted on Miroku's arm. The light was low, but brighter than it should have been if it was only lit from the outside. Something much deeper in the tunnel was casting an unearthly red and purple glow into the cave. Still, they both stumbled more often than not on the dimly lit, uneven floor of the tunnel. The miasma grew stronger with every step, and even Inuyasha began to feel lightheaded.

Miroku coughed, stumbled, and sank to his knees, his free hand planted firmly over his mouth and nose. "Miroku?" Alarm coursed through Inuyasha as he grasped Miroku's arm tighter, trying to pull him up. "Damn it all, you said you could handle it! I'm taking you back to wait with Sango!"

"No, I can stay and I will," Miroku gasped, wincing in pain. "It's just- I have to go a bit slower. My training had given me some endurance."

"_Training_," Inuyasha spat. "Monk training won't make you any less dead when the miasma gets you."

"Mine does," Miroku muttered, grasping Inuyasha's arm and pulling himself upright. "I've built up tolerance to as many poisons as possible, including demonic miasma. I can handle it better than other humans."

"The hell kind of training is that?" Inuyasha asked, wrapping his arm around Miroku's waist to steady him and take some of his weight. "How- and why- and _when_?"

"My father and Mushin wanted me to be as prepared as possible," Miroku shrugged, urging them both slowly forward. "From a young age, they exposed me to extreme heat and cold, periods without rest, food, or water, and various poisons. I have twelve years of tolerance built. It's how I've been able to stay alive so long."

A deep frown slashed over Inuyasha's face. Twelve years? He realized he had to ask, something he'd wanted to know for a long time but had been afraid to learn. "Miroku, how old are you?"

"Eighteen." He paused at Inuyasha's shocked expression. "What?"

"That's…" Inuyasha blinked, his heart clenching. "That's so young!"

Miroku shrugged. "Not especially, for humans. Sango's sixteen."

"She's sixteen?" Inuyasha spluttered. "Since _when?_"

"Since last year, I assume," Miroku said, his wry smile clashing horribly with his pale, sweat-speckled skin. "I made the cunning deduction when she mentioned that her first mission was when she was eleven, and then said she had five years of experience."

"You're so young," Inuyasha shook his head. "Not even twenty. Most demons are still _babies_ when they're twenty – hell, Shippo's only fifty!"

Miroku nodded slowly. He'd suspected something similar, though it was still odd to think that Shippo was only about ten or fifteen years younger than Kaede. He glanced over at his companion and his eyes narrowed. "Inuyasha, how old are _you?_"

Inuyasha tilted his head, thinking. "I was about a hundred and fifty when Kikyo pinned me to the tree, so I don't know if those added fifty years really count or not."

"Even if they don't, that's remarkable," Miroku breathed. "I can't imagine what you must have seen through those years. What you must have been through."

"It_ is _odd," Inuyasha said softly, his eyes growing distant. "Growing up around humans, seeing how quickly their lives seem to move. It's almost like I'm living in a different time from them." He frowned and tugged Miroku closer. "Which is why I need to keep you lot from dying even faster than normal."

"I support this plan," Miroku grinned tightly.

Strange noises drew both their attention further down the tunnel. They crept forward, Inuyasha keeping a careful eye fixed on Miroku, ready to drag him back outside at any moment. The end of the tunnel slowly came into view, as it opened out into apparently open space inside the mountain. As they reached the other end of the tunnel, they saw an absolutely gigantic cavern stretching out in all directions. It was as though the entire inside of the mountain had been hollowed out. Far above them, the sky was visible through the open top of the shell. Far below, a swirling pit was overflowing with purple liquid and littered with dozens of demon corpses. At several points around the cave, fires were burning along the walls and floor of the cavern, adding their light to the ethereal glow of the strange concoction on the floor.

"What _is _that?" Inuyasha breathed, his voice tight.

"Demon remains?" Miroku wondered aloud, glancing at the many different types of demons visible, in all different stages of decomposition.

As they watched, the liquid began swirling in earnest, stirring together all the demon parts into a whirlpool and sucking them down below the surface. Something rose from the middle of the pool, still covered in the liquid until giant green arms burst forth. A gargantuan demon emerged from the sea of bodies, a humanoid shape topped with rows of pointed teeth and short horns. A long, reptilian tail held dozens of poisonous barbs.

Another whirlpool began at the other side of the cavern, and a second giant demon emerged. This one was reptilian, with a lizard's head and four long, powerful legs. Its back was covered by rows upon rows of crystal-looking spines. It rushed forward, clamping down on the arm of the first demon with gargantuan jaws. The first demon cried out, slamming a giant fist into the reptilian demon's head to dislodge it. The two began circling each other, both looking for an opening. Inuyasha and Miroku shared a horrified expression as the demons continued to battle, slowly tearing each other to pieces. The first demon shattered many of the spines along the other's back. The reptilian demon bit off the first demon's arm. More lightly built and agile, the first demon grabbed the reptilian demon's neck with its remaining hand and bit down, sending them both crashing into the pool below them.

"There must have been a battle," Miroku muttered faintly. "Hundreds of them fighting, killing, dying… The losers' bodies were thrown into here – what's left of their bodies, that is."

"But there's gotta be a _reason_," Inuyasha breathed, stunned by the events transpiring before his very eyes.

The two demons emerged, wound around each other in a deathlock. The first demon pulled out of the jaws of the other and in a single, powerful blow, snapped its neck. It tore the reptilian demon's head off and hurled it into the cavern wall. It, and the dead demon's body, fell back into the pool. The waters began swirling once more, covering the first demon as well. When the first re-emerged, it had a longer face with larger teeth, reptilian scales, and crystal-like spines along its back.

"The last one standing…" Miroku started.

"Gets to keep all the parts," Inuyasha finished grimly.

"I'm still here!" the demon shouted into air. "The promise was that the final winner would leave this place _alive_. Why can't I _get out?_"

Miroku reeled back, head spinning. He recognized this spell. He knew this sorcery. And if the rules dictated that there could only be one victor, then-

"Unless," the demon hissed, slinking around to catch the two of them in its red-eyed gaze. "I'm not yet the final winner…"

"Not yet you're not!" Inuyasha snarled, drawing Tessaiga.

"Inuyasha, wait!" Miroku gasped, grasping at his shoulder.

The demon reached out with a hand, sweeping it into the tunnel and almost catching them both. Inuyasha slammed his body into Miroku's, sending them both crashing to the ground and barely avoiding the grasping claws. Inuyasha growled ferociously and leapt away, out of the tunnel and into the cavern. Miroku was left with one hand outstretched and a sinking feeling in his gut. He hoped and prayed that he was wrong.

"They're taking too long," Sango said, climbing slowly to her feet. "You two stay here. I'm going to go after them."

"You can't!" Shippo said, catching her arm as she stumbled to the ground. "You're still too weak from before! You'll die in there! And the miasma here is only making you worse!"

Shippo stiffened, his hands clutching tighter to her wrist. Sango followed his gaze down the mountain path, through the miasma which had settled like a cloud around them. The silhouette of a figure emerged, slowly clearing into that of a woman walking towards them. She was dressed in miko's clothing and was armed with a longbow and quiver full of arrows. She surveyed them all coolly before turning her attention to the tunnel entrance.

"Is Inuyasha inside?" she said, almost as though musing to herself. She didn't wait for a response before walking past and into the tunnel.

"Who was that?" Sango asked Shippo as soon as she'd gone, but the little fox had gone pale and wide-eyed.

"That's Kikyo!" he gasped, his eyes glued to the tunnel entrance.

"Kikyo?" The name was vaguely familiar. "The priestess who once guarded the Shikon Jewel? The one killed by Naraku?"

"Yeah, but she isn't dead," Shippo frowned. "Or, not entirely? She was revived by this old ogre demon and now she's sustained by the souls of the dead maidens brought to her by her soul collectors and she wants to kill Inuyasha so they can be together forever because they used to be in love and Inuyasha still loves her and also she stole Miroku's soul one time."

Sango blinked and looked back at the tunnel entrance, a cold, hard ball of dread forming in her gut. This didn't sound like something that Inuyasha and Miroku could handle alone. After the castle, in the storehouse when they thought she was asleep, Miroku had said that Naraku had tricked Inuyasha and Kikyo the same way that he had deceived her and Kohaku. She had heard tales from her village of the immense spiritual powers that Kikyo possessed, unmatched by any other than Midoriko herself. Sango had no idea why Kikyo might be here, but she doubted it was good.

"I have to go after them," she said, pushing to her feet.

This time, it was Kirara who stopped her. She placed herself in front of Sango and growled ferociously, something she had never, _ever_ done to Sango before.

"Kirara…" Sango chided, reaching out to touch her, but Kirara only spat and hissed, arching her back into a deeper growl. "I need to know if they're alright."

Kirara growled once more and turned, walking pointedly toward the tunnel entrance herself.

"But the miasma," Sango said worriedly. "Will you be okay?"

Kirara nodded determinedly, blinked at Shippo, and disappeared into the tunnel.

The demon spewed miasma from its mouth as Inuyasha leapt towards it, Tessaiga raised above his head. He cut through the cloud, but the giant's hand caught him from the side, sending him flying down into the pool of liquid. He broke the surface gasping, struggling to keep his head up as the thick, viscous fluid tried to drag him down. The demon was reaching for him and he dug Tessaiga into its hand, holding on as the demon reared back in pain and using the force to pull him from the liquid. He ran up its arm and leapt onto its head. The demon shouted and twisted through the air, trying to dislodge him. He jumped from his back and onto the cavern wall, turned, and sprang back at the demon. He sliced his way down its shoulder and chest, landing safely on a rocky portion of the ground, out of the borders of the pool.

He lifted Tessaiga for the finishing blow. Instead, a cloud of miasma lifted from the pool, circling around the demon like a swarm and seeping into its injuries. When the smog cleared, the wound was gone. The demon glared at him and laughed menacingly.

"Inuyasha, _no!_" Miroku called from the tunnel entrance above. "Stay your sword – don't fight!"

"I have to!" Inuyasha shouted back. "If I don't, I'll be killed!"

"Then stand back. I'm going to suck in this demon."

His hand was already reaching for his mala beads. Inuyasha's breath froze in his chest. "Don't you _dare!_ The wind tunnel isn't fully healed. Besides, you can barely _breathe _this miasma. If you suck it in, you'll be dead before you can close your hand. Just let me _fight!_"

"You can't!" Miroku shook his head in frustration. "_Listen_ to me! This is similar to a technique called Fuko. It's how you make a creature called Kodoku!"

Inuyasha leapt out of the way of the demon's sweeping claws. "Start making sense, Miroku! What's your point?"

"It's a kind of sorcery. You have poisonous worms, lizards, spiders – whatever – together in a pot until they kill each other off. The last remaining alive then becomes a creature called Kodoku."

"And…?"

"You're the only one left!" the Kodoku roared at him. "Once I kill you, I will be the winner and can live to get out of here!"

The demon threw his head back and then hurled a fireball at Inuyasha. He swore and leapt out of the way, singing his hair in the process.

"I don't have a choice _but _to fight!" Inuyasha shouted, hoping that Miroku was about to come up with a creative solution _real _fast.

"Fight while I think of something, but don't win or lose," Miroku instructed firmly. "If you kill that demon, you'll become fused with it and the remains of all the others!"

Inuyasha swore and dodged another attack. Miroku watched helplessly. There was nothing he could do! He had no idea how to break the Fuko spell. It was ancient sorcery, strong magic and well beyond his own expertise. But he had to do _something! _Inuyasha couldn't keep up that pace against the Kodoku for long, and with every breath, more miasma worked its way into both their systems.

A cold hand closed over Miroku's heart, but strangely, it had nothing to do with Inuyasha's impending fate. It felt as though something deep inside of himself was being pulled, grasped from outside. A faint, white light emerged from his chest, snaking through the air and back behind him. He could sense her presence, see the light from her body, feel the tug at his soul as she came to stand behind him. Kikyo's face was blank and cold as she peered past Miroku into the cavern. But there was the hint of _something_ in her expression, a flicker cross her face as her eyes fell on Inuyasha. Miroku cast a glance back at the battle and caught the moment that Inuyasha saw her. His eyes widened, his ears flicked back, and he looked struck. Hopeful. Heartbroken. Lost.

The bright white light dancing along Kikyo's body flared even brighter. One-by-one, souls were ripped from her body and flew into the demon. The youki was drawing them from her, growing stronger every moment the Fuko spell remained in place. Her face was twisted in a silent scream. Miroku reached for her, but then light flashed around his own body, her attempts to pull the souls back dragging at his own through the connection they shared. She stumbled forward, blinded by pain. He tried to grab her, but his own soul was starting to slip through his fingers. She fell. Inuyasha screamed.

She tumbled down the rocky sides of the cavern and rolled to a stop. If she were still human, still alive, the fall might have killed her. As it was, she appeared to be unconscious. Inuyasha was running for her, mindless of the demon's attacks. A giant hand sent him flying, and he crashed into the wall of the cavern. He gasped, ribs screaming, air ripped from his lungs, a name on his lips.

The Kodoku grasped for Inuyasha in increasingly powerful swipes. Miroku's vision was growing blurry. His soul was securely in his body, but the force of holding it back had left him open to the power of the youki in the cave. He could feel it draining his energy, letting the miasma take its toll on his body more quickly than before. Kikyo's souls had also thickened the poison in the air, feeding into the youki in a vicious cycle. He coughed into his hand, only mildly surprised to see it come away with specks of blood. The combined youki stretched from the Kodoku, the remains, Inuyasha…and something else. Miroku screwed his eyes closed, forcing himself to open his senses as much as possible. He almost fainted as the demonic aura grew impossibly stronger.

Sure enough, there was a horribly familiar presence. Somewhere, Naraku was nearby. And from the faint shimmer of spiritual power cutting through the youki, Miroku knew that he had the Jewel shards with him. He also knew that it was the least of their worries at the moment. Something was approaching from behind, and Miroku swung around with his staff. Kirara easily dodged the weak blow and ran up to him, worriedly nudging at him with her nose.

"I know, it's bad," he sighed. She glanced over at Inuyasha, at the fearsome battle raging below them. She cried out and jumped to help. Miroku grabbed her by the tails. "No! If you go down, the spell will take you, too." She glanced between him and Inuyasha, obviously torn. "Listen, Kirara. You need to go back. Get Sango and Shippo far away from here. Things are about to get much worse."

She looked wildly unconvinced, but he shoved her back down the tunnel. After one last glance, she took off running in the direction she had come. Miroku only hoped that she and the others would be safe. He turned his attention back to the cavern, where Inuyasha had been frantically keeping the Kodoku from Kikyo. It wasn't going well. Inuyasha's movements were slowed from exhaustion and miasma as the battle dragged on and on.

"She will become a part of me!" the Kodoku insisted, reaching for Kikyo once more.

"You keep that filthy hand off of her!" Inuyasha shouted, severing the demon's arm at the elbow with Tessaiga.

Miroku frowned. Another hand was already re-growing from the stump, the demon cackling at its good fortune. Inuyasha was leaping for Kikyo, trying to reach her, but the new hand slammed him to the ground.

"Inuyasha, no!" Miroku shouted, but it was no use.

"I have to protect Kikyo!" Inuyasha's wild gaze met Miroku's and there was pleading in his eyes. "Miroku- I have to!"

The demon lunged forward once more. Inuyasha met the strike with Tessaiga's flashing blade. Miroku took a deep breath and tipped himself forward off the ledge and into the cavern. He skidded down the steep walls, catching himself on as many rocks as he could to break his fall on the way to the ground. He ended the journey battered but standing. He had to get to Kikyo. Inuyasha would never leave if she was still there. He had no idea if she was part of the Fuko spell – or if he had just emerged himself in it as well, having passed into the cavern. All that could wait until later. He just needed to get to Kikyo.

She lay unmoving on the cold stone ground. He knelt beside her and lifted her onto his lap, drawing a faint groan from her lips.

"Are you conscious?" he asked, not in the mood for pleasantries. "Can you stand?"

"You fool," she muttered, her eyes sliding open to stare blankly ahead. "By coming here, you risk Inuyasha losing you forever."

What? What did- She knew. Miroku realized she knew. Her eyes met his and there was something approaching understanding in her gaze. She looked sad. He could understand why. She shifted away from him and lifted to her feet, reaching for the bow that had fallen with her.

"He's fighting to protect you," Miroku said firmly. "You need to come with me. We need to get you out of here."

She turned to glare at him, cold, fiery hatred in her eyes. His voice died in his throat. There was a cry from across the cavern. Inuyasha had slashed open the demon's chest, a killing blow.

"Inuyasha, _no!_" Miroku screamed, the words torn from his throat. "_Don't kill it!_"

Inuyasha leapt, Tessaiga above his head, glowing golden with its ultimate power.

"_Inuyasha!_"

An arrow flaming with pink light struck the sword, glancing off the blade before flying up, into the open space at the peak of the mountain far above. It pierced through the barrier sealing it and shot into the sky above. The barrier burst into a blinding light, the Fuko spell dissolving. Inuyasha landed on the other side of the pool, Tessaiga transformed back in his hand. But he only had eyes for Kikyo. Her eyes met his across the cavern that separated them as she slowly lowered her bow.

A rumbling came from underneath them. A powerful vortex opened above the mountain, sucking up everything – the pool, the demon parts, the Kodoku, _them._ The youki was fading quickly, the miasma disintegrating around them. Inuyasha sprang off the wall and crashed into Miroku, holding on with everything he had as they were both lifted into the air. The cries of the dying Kodoku sounded from above them. Inuyasha reached out with one hand to snag onto the demon's arm and dug in with his claws. He swung his body over Miroku's, pressing him down and shielding him as much as he could.

"Kikyo!" Miroku gasped and Inuyasha's eyes snapped up to see her lying not far from them, clinging to the remains of another demon.

The collection of demons, humans, and hanyou burst from the top of the mountain and began falling to one side, drawn in by a powerful force. Inuyasha could just make out a figure sitting cross-legged on the rocky ledge. He didn't need to see his face to know who it was. He grabbed Miroku by the waist and launched them both off the Kodoku, casting out his youki to break their fall. Inuyasha twisted them as they fell so that his back slammed into the ground, Miroku safely on his chest. White light burst from Naraku and enveloped all the demon parts that soared towards him, including the Kodoku. The demons all settled into Naraku, condensing down into a new, powerful body. He glowed with powerful youki before it, too, became a part of him.

"That's what the Kodoku was for," Inuyasha breathed. "He had them craft him the perfect form."

"The mountain mist lured you," Naraku said, his eyes snapping open to survey them coolly. "You took the bait, and I cast my spell. You could have joined me in here, Inuyasha, if only you had the courage." He glanced down at the figure lying at his feet. "So this is the woman who restored me to life. She gifted me this new form."

"She broke the spell to save Inuyasha from your trap," Miroku growled at him. "You pretentious bastard!"

As he spoke, he tapped his mala beads lightly with his left hand. Inuyasha's eyes darted from them to Kikyo before nodding imperceptibly. If he could just get her away from that monster…

Naraku bent down to pick up Kikyo on his arms. "And yet, I still know her to be the foolish woman who followed you in death fifty years ago."

"No, don't you _dare!_" Inuyasha snarled, rushing forward with Tessaiga drawn. "Don't you touch her, now or ever!"

Naraku didn't bother to move. Tessaiga swung at his head and struck an invisible barrier. Sparks flew from the blade and a cloud of miasma burst out of it, flinging Inuyasha back. The cloud grew in all directions as Naraku launched into the air, Kikyo still held securely in his arms. Inuyasha growled, his sleeve covering his nose. _Damn it all! _That bastard… How dare he! He spun around, to where Miroku was gasping for breath against the new wave of miasma. He swung the monk onto his back without a word and leapt down the side of the mountain, stepping from ledge to ledge down to the ground, following Kirara's scent. They would meet up with the others, and then they would give chase. They would save Kikyo from the clutches of that monster! And Naraku wouldn't escape this time.

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I have something approaching free time again, and so uploads are once again going to be twice a week for a little while


	33. Chapter 33: s2e06

You want angst? You want unresolved trauma? You want _new_ trauma? All that and more in the once-in-a-lifetime deepest-darkest-nightmare chapter! Warnings include everything from previous chapters: threats of death, violence, murder, familial murder, familial death, child death, massacres, thoughts of suicide, abandonment of children, emotional manipulation including by a loved one, swearing, negative self-perception, potential unrequited feelings, pseudo-enslavement, loss of autonomy, psychological responses to trauma, hurt-with-insufficient-comfort, and much, much more! Please, please stay safe while reading this

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Inuyasha slid down the rocky sides of the mountain, catching sight of Kirara with Sango and Shippo near the base. The twin-tail ran up to meet them. Sango clung to her back, face pale and sweaty, breathing hard through the mask clamped to her face.

"We saw Naraku fly overhead," she said as Inuyasha landed beside them. "What's the plan?"

"He has Kikyo! We need to follow him!" Inuyasha snarled, shaking with the need to _get moving._ Miroku slipped from his back and stumbled over to Kirara, climbing onto her back and nodding at Inuyasha. They took off, following the trail of miasma left in Naraku's wake. Inuyasha kept his eyes fixed to the sky, straining for any glimpse of either of them.

The demonic aura surrounding the mountain had faded into nothing, and darkness had rushed in to reclaim the night. Under the light of the stars and full moon, they ran. Inuyasha didn't once stop, not even when his muscles burned and his breaths came in ragged gasps. Kirara stayed close behind him, keeping pace despite the weight of two humans and fox on her back. Despite their best efforts, they were slowly losing the trail. As they ran through the countryside, the line of miasma grew fainter and fainter, Naraku's aura almost impossible to detect.

It was just before dawn. The streaks of miasma were lost in the pink clouds of morning. Inuyasha was trembling with exhaustion. Miroku's breathing had settled into a steady wheeze, his face was pale, and Sango grasped to his arms where they wound around her waist, worried that he might fall from Kirara's back. Inuyasha swore ferociously and finally slowed to a stop.

"Damnit!" he cried, his knees threatening to give way. "Damn it all! _Fuck! _We almost had them. _Fucking shit!_"

"We could still find her," Miroku gasped, gracelessly climbing from Kirara as she landed. "It's still early – they can't have gone far."

Inuyasha growled loudly but didn't answer. He began pacing, snarling to himself. Sango glanced between them as she followed Miroku to the ground, alarmed by the rattling sound coming from the monk's chest. She worried that he wouldn't be fit to face Naraku even if they _did _catch him, but she wasn't about to tell Inuyasha to give up the chase. Apparently, the hanyou's thoughts followed a similar path.

"I'm going after her on my own," he finally said decisively, glaring at each of them in turn.

"You're not," Miroku countered instantly. "None of us can face Naraku alone, and you're exhausted."

"And you're injured!" Inuyasha snapped back. "Don't pretend the miasma hasn't gotten to you."

"Naraku is an enemy to _all _of us," Sango said, glancing between them.

"You don't have to face this alone," Miroku added. "We all want to help you and Kikyo."

"It's not a matter of teamwork – it's survival," Inuaysha growled. "And you lot won't survive against Naraku right now."

Miroku opened his mouth for a lengthy, impassioned argument, but instead something caught his eye. "Inuyasha, look!"

Up in the sky, skimming over treetops, a group of Kikyo's soul collectors were flying in tight formation. Each had a soul grasped in their arms. Inuyasha took off after them without a word. Sango and Miroku clambered onto Kirara's back with Shippo. The twin-tail gave them both a nervous look over her shoulder before leaping into the air.

"What are those?" Sango asked quietly, eyes fixed on the demons.

"Youkai under Kikyo's command. They bring her the souls of dead maidens to sustain her." Miroku grimaced lightly and nodded at Sango's horrified expression. "I know. I don't like it much either, but it's complicated."

"Shippo told me that she tried to steal your soul once, too," Sango murmured quietly, hoping Inuyasha wouldn't hear.

"She did, a bit," Miroku sighed. "Again, complicated situation."

"Do I need to keep my eye on Inuyasha throughout this?" Sango asked. "If Kikyo has been manipulated by Naraku, and he has to fight against her…"

"He will always try to save her, no matter the cost," Miroku said, and Sango could hear a note of sorrow in his voice. "We just need to support him. He's very sensitive when it comes to her, and doesn't like others in the mix."

Sango nodded, but secretly, she wondered just what exactly she had stumbled into. The Kikyo she had been told about was a virtuous, benevolent priestess who sacrificed her life to purify and guard the Shikon Jewel. She couldn't place that person with the image of the woman she had seen walk past them without any trace of warmth. Or a person who would steal the souls of dead women, and try to kill Inuyasha and Miroku. Shippo had seemed frightened of her. Miroku seemed conflicted.

A deep growl built in Inuyasha's throat as he ran after the soul collectors for all he was worth. Kikyo was in the clutches of Naraku – it was his worst nightmare. That monster had driven him and Kikyo apart. He had killed her. His love had _died _because of him. And now she was ensnared in one of Naraku's twisted games! Inuyasha had to get her back. He couldn't let Naraku destroy her!

More and more soul collectors gathered overhead, all flying in the same direction. They seemed to be coming from far and wide. Sango briefly wondered how far each of them had to search to find a woman who had died recently enough that her soul remained in her body. She had never seen this type of demon before, either – they looked halfway between dragons and fish, possibly eels. As one flew up beside her, she took the opportunity to study it. Instead, she heard a familiar buzzing. Her stomach dropped. She tapped Kirara with her foot, signalling her to rise into the air. Sango jumped from her back, slicing through one of the demons with her sword. The illusion dropped as the creature was cut in half, returning to its true form – one of Naraku's venomous insects.

"Saimyosho!" she shouted to the others, landing on Kirara with Miroku's arms to secure her. "Look out! It's a trap!"

Ahead of them, the illusion dropped from the other soul collectors as well, all of them Saimyosho. They seemed to be passing through one of Naraku's barriers. Inuyasha ground his teeth and pressed forward, bracing a forearm out in front of himself in case he ran headlong into a barrier he couldn't pass. Instead, the light was sucked through the world, and suddenly he was running through a fog-covered clearing. The Saimyosho were nowhere in sight. He glanced behind to make sure the others had also gotten through alright. Instead, they were nowhere to be seen.

Inuyasha swore, sliding to a stop and turning in a full circle. No hint of them, not a scent or sound. Instead, the acrid smell of smoke filled his nose. Before him, a faint golden glow reached up into the sky with fluid, grasping fingers. He ran, though the smoke grew ever thicker. He could make out a tori close in front of him and he jumped onto the shrine gate to get a better vantage point. Winding stone steps descended from the tori, leading to a burning village. All the huts were ablaze, most burnt down to their frames. Inuyasha glanced around in shock. What _was _ this place? There had been no sign of a village before. Yet it seemed oddly familiar. He couldn't-

"It's Inuyasha!"

The shout came from somewhere deep in the village, and suddenly he could see a collection of villagers, armed with farming tools and moving through the burning structures.

"He's the one who attacked the village!" another voice rose from the flames.

More shouts rose from the gathering crowd, all baying for his blood. Inuyasha ground his teeth. What new torture was this? Had Naraku destroyed a village in his image? Slaughtered more innocent people to frame him? But surely a handful of human farmers posed no threat to him. So why-

There was something sitting heavy in the palm of his hand. Inuyasha glanced down, and his heart stopped. The Shikon Jewel – the whole, _intact _Jewel of Four Souls sat in his clenched hand, complete with decorative prayer beads on the attached necklace as it had been all those years ago. But how- It couldn't be! It didn't make sense.

"Inuyasha!"

Another voice, another angry cry, but this one cut right to his soul. He turned, drawn to her as he had been on that day, despite everything that had happened. He was met with piercing agony in his chest, which struck him back, off the tori arch. The Jewel fell from his hand. They both landed in the fire-baked earth, surrounded by flames. The smoke stung his eyes and crept into his lungs, but Inuyasha could still see her. Kikyo stood in front of the shrine, eyes blazing with the reflected light of the fire, arm still pulled back from loosing her arrow.

Of course. He knew where he was. This was Kaede's village…Kikyo's village back then. Fifty years ago. The day Kikyo killed him. The fires, the destruction, it was all his doing. He had attacked. He had betrayed them to steal the Sacred Jewel, heartbroken and turned to stone by Kikyo's betrayal earlier that day. Cold dread pierced his heart. No, this couldn't be happening again! They couldn't relive this hell!

"Kikyo, wait!" he shouted to her. "It was all just a trap!" Her eyes were cold as she took a step towards him. "Don't do it!" He reached out a hand to her. She drew her bow, another arrow notched. "_Kikyo! No!_"

He didn't understand! Was this a dream? An illusion? Some curse, forcing them to replay their death? Kikyo looked so _angry_, the fire was closing in on all sides, and the arrow burned in his chest. Inuyasha was trapped.

Miroku slowed to a stop, glancing around the clearing he found himself in. The first revelation was that he was walking, not riding on Kirara's back. The next was the others were gone. He stood alone in the middle of a field, a cold wind tugging at his robes. His heartrate picked up as he found the others nowhere in sight. Had Naraku separated them on purpose? Drawn them apart to pick them off, one by one? He prayed the others were safe. He reached out with his mind, but a jolt of panic hit him when he couldn't feel Inuyasha's nenju beads. Was he too far to reach? Had Naraku dropped them in completely different areas?

The wind had grown dramatically, playing with his hair and tossing his loose robes to and fro. The whistle and hiss of the swirling breeze wound around him, chilling him to the bone. It seemed to be coming from all directions, everywhere and nowhere all at once. A cold numbness was spreading from his right hand. Miroku's heart clenched in fear as he watched the mala beads trembled and crack around his hand before shattering. The wind tunnel sprang forth in full fury, stronger than ever before. Miroku cried out as he held his wrist, looking for some way to escape – but how could he escape his own hand? The very thing he had dreaded his whole life, and yet it was so sudden! He didn't want to die. He didn't even have a chance to say goodbye!

Miroku squeezed his eyes shut, driving off the panic clawing at his chest. It was alright. There was nothing he could do now. He simply needed to accept his fate. It was some small blessing that he was alone. Even if Naraku won, it meant that the others were-

"Miroku!"

That was Inuyasha's voice. His eyes snapped open to see the hanyou running for him.

"Miroku!"

And there was Sango, riding towards him on Kirara, Shippo on her lap.

"_No!_" he screamed, absolute terror seizing him. "_No, get away!_"

They were racing for him, reaching for him, trying to beat the impending nothingness drawing him in and Miroku couldn't stop screaming. He yelled, swore, begged, _anything _to get them away but they weren't listening! They were coming ever closer. Just a few more steps and they would be caught in the wind tunnel, drawn into the void and he _couldn't stop it_.

Sango skidded to a sudden stop, one hand still on Hiraikotsu. The others were nowhere in sight, and she was suddenly in her battle clothes. Was this another trick of Naraku's? She had no idea how he had managed to separate them, but she would fight to get her companions back. She crept forward, keeping an eye out for any sign of danger. It didn't take long. There was something pooling on the ground, a shallow puddle of sticky red. Her stomach dropped as she followed the flowing liquid to its source, a cluster of nearby trees. Her heart hammered in her chest as she approached.

There were figures lying on the ground. Women, children, dozens of them. Terror was etched on their faces, twisted in their final death screams. Dozens of bloody wounds covered them, wounds she recognized. A flash of white caught her eye, and the breath froze in her lungs. Inuyasha lay against a tree, the front of his suikan stained a deep red. Blood dripped down the side of his face. His hair was streaked with crimson. Sango shook her head, not trusting her eyes. It couldn't be true. It couldn't! Inuyasha would never- He couldn't! He couldn't die! He wouldn't let himself be taken down by _anything_, let alone- And where was Miroku? He would never have let-

Miroku lay just a little past him, mouth open in one final gasp. His body looked broken, gaping holes in his neck and gut. Sango shook her head, stumbled back. No. Oh, kami, no! Not Miroku! The world seemed to be closing in around her, smothering her in darkness and she couldn't _breathe_. Shippo lay beside Miroku. It looked like he had been trying to shield the little kit. But there had been no escape, for either of them. Their executioner was without mercy.

A faint, low groan came from her right. Her head snapped over to see Kirara, drenched in red. She was still standing – barely – but even as Sango watched, a kama snaked out and buried deep in Kirara's neck. The twin-tail's eyes widened and she fell, choking on her own blood. A silhouetted appeared behind her, and Sango knew who it was. Kohaku raised his weapon once more, and with two quick strikes, Sango fell to the ground. She knew right away that the wound was fatal. She almost welcomed it. This monster was not her brother. A sob ripped from her chest. She wanted more than anything to free him from Naraku's clutches. If there was one last thing before she died, she needed to know he was safe. Even if that meant his own death. The thought that he would remain trapped, an emotionless assassin forever, scared her more than anything else.

Inuyasha slowly climbed to his feet, keeping his eyes locked on Kikyo. He had to find some way to reach her, to make her _listen_ to him! She needed to know that he never betrayed her, that he would never hurt her! But then she cried out, doubling over in pain, and red bloomed along her shoulder. The fatal wound that had killed her all those years ago was being torn open once more. She cried out again and sank to her knees.

"_Kikyo!_" He ran for her. Her face was a mask of pain. He drew her into his arms, clinging to her. She had been alone for so long. She had been _hurting_ for so long. And she sought him out in her pain. He squeezed his eyes shut, blocking out the blazing heat around them, just focusing on her. "You'll never be alone again," he whispered fiercely. "I swear it – I will _always_ protect you."

She gasped, her fingers tightly wound in his robes. She was dying. He could see the blood pouring from her. Inuyasha didn't know what to _do_. How could he save her? Surely she couldn't be doomed to die over and over! But at least she was in his arms, free from Naraku's grasp. That was all that mattered.

Miroku's scream shattered the faint veneer of calm that Inuyasha had collected. His head snapped up, eyes instantly finding the monk. He stood at the bottom of the steps, his breath ragged as poison from the Saimyosho spread through his body. His left hand grasped his right wrist, where his mala beads were shaking apart. Panicked indecision tore through Inuyasha's chest as Kikyo's weight grew heavier in his arms. He couldn't just leave her, but he _had _to get to Miroku! He couldn't!-

A panicked cry tore his attention to the side of the shrine. Kohaku's kama had just found its mark in Sango's back. She stumbled and fell, twisting around to block another attack with her forearm. A scream sounded from further away, in the forest, where Shippo was being chased by a faceless demon. Inuyasha stood frozen, feeling his very existence being torn apart. He couldn't save them! They were all moments from death and he could do _nothing!_ Kikyo was dying in his arms, there was no hope for her and he should be trying to save the others – he had to at least _try _– but their final moments had been stolen once before. He couldn't lose her again! But the others- This couldn't be happening!

Inuyasha blinked.

This couldn't be happening.

Even Naraku couldn't orchestrate something like this.

"This isn't real," he whispered, almost going limp with relief at the revelation.

"Inuyasha," Kikyo clung to him. "Please."

He lowered her to the ground, unable to push her away, even if she was an illusion. And he drew his sword, sending a jolt of power running through the blade. Kikyo – the _real _Kikyo – was still in danger. He still had to save her. And if he was caught in this trick, who knew what had happened to the others! As power leeched from the Tessaiga, Kikyo began to dissolve before him. The blade caught something in the real world, and the illusion faded away. He stood in a clearing in the forest, the sky darkened with clouds and miasma. Several roots lay at his feet, sliced in two.

Inuyasha gasped for breath, slamming his eyes closed and focusing on controlling the way his body shook. He felt trapped, frozen to the spot. And then the ringing faded from his ears, and the screaming returned. He had never heard Miroku sound like that. It was pure, heartbroken _panic _and _fear _and _pain_. The name tore from his lips and he was running, no other thoughts in his mind. He had to save him. He couldn't let the nightmare come true.

Miroku lay curled on the ground, creeping vines tightening over his torso and limbs. His face was pale, he was soaked in sweat, and he was _writhing_ in some horrific mixture of agony and terror. More roots were rising above him, angling their pointed ends towards his body. Inuyasha saw what they were doing a heartbeat before they struck. He hurled himself forward, cut through the dagger-like roots with Tessaiga and dropped to his knees beside Miroku. He tore at the remaining roots with his claws. Miroku's scream had tapered off into a series of short, pained gasps. Inuyasha grabbed his shoulders and hauled him upright, squeezing him in a quick embrace before pulling back to examine his face. Miroku's eyes were fixed on his right hand, which he held in an awkward claw in front of him. His breath stuttered in his lungs and he was trembling.

"Hey," Inuyasha murmured, turning him around firmly but gently. "Hey, hey, look at me. Are you okay? Miroku!"

"My…" Miroku gasped out, words having abandoned him. "The wind tunnel… I-"

_Shit_. Inuyasha wanted nothing more than to curl around Miroku and never move again. It was rare for him to see any glimpse of fear in the monk at all, and he had _never_ seen Miroku like this. But if they had both been taken by the illusion and the roots, then he had to assume that the others had been, as well. He couldn't let them die. He couldn't let them be hurt. Inuyasha knew with every fibre of his being that he couldn't lose any of his pack today.

"Miroku, listen to me," he snapped, voice harsh with urgency. "The others are in danger. We need to get to them. Can you walk?"

Something akin to recognition flashed in Miroku's eyes and he nodded, jaw clenched and lips pressed. Inuyasha grabbed him by the arm and took in a deep breath, letting the scents of the forest wash over him. Sango's scent hit him first, sour with fear. He took off running, dragging Miroku behind him. Sango was on her knees, arms suspended on either side by the roots grasping them. Her head lolled forward but harsh, angry sobs ripped from her chest. The roots weren't quite ready to strike yet, and with a sick thought, Inuyasha figured that they weren't done torturing her. His claws slashed through the creeper vines around her and Miroku caught her as she fell. Her arms came to brace against his shoulders even as she gasped for air.

"You take care of her," Inuyasha instructed Miroku, since it was obvious that both humans were in rough shape. "I'm gonna find Shippo and Kirara."

Miroku nodded tersely, still unable to find his voice. Inuyasha gave him one last sorrowful glance before taking off. He could smell Kirara, and found her absolutely covered in vines. She was in her smaller form, and had practically been swallowed by the nest of roots around her. Inuyasha broke through the topmost layer then simply reached in and pulled her free. She struggled and writhed in his hands, her claws sinking into his wrists as she tried to get away.

"Kirara!" he snapped. "It's me. You're safe. Come on back."

She went rigid for a few heartbeats before she blinked up at him, her ears still pinned flat to her head and pupils blown.

"I know," he said with grim humour. "The others are in the same shape. We gotta find Shippo."

Kirara sprang from his arms and transformed, grim determination overtaking her fear. He gratefully climbed on her back and she lifted into the air, scanning for any sign of their kit. Instead he saw Miroku and Sango, half-running, half-stumbling through the clearing. His ears pricked as he caught the low whimpering they were following. The roots were set to take Shippo. Miroku didn't have his staff, and there was no sign of Hiraikotsu, but Sango still had her sword and she easily sliced through the roots and pulled Shippo into her arms. Kirara landed gently beside them and Inuyasha tentatively crept closer.

Shippo was wailing and burying into Sango's chest. She wrapped her arms awkwardly around the kit, still in a state of shock herself. Inuyasha knelt beside Miroku, placing a hand on the monk's shoulder. Large, lost violet eyes looked back at him.

"Y-you were all _gone!_" Shippo sobbed, barely able to form words between his tears. "I didn't know what h-happened to you!"

"We're here," Sango murmured faintly, her eyes fixed somewhere in the distance.

"Naraku must be somewhere nearby," Inuyasha whispered to Miroku. "And he'll still have Kikyo."

Miroku nodded slowly. He clamoured gracelessly to his feet and placed a firm hand on Sango's shoulder. She also nodded and rose, Shippo still tucked against her chest. Kirara walked over and gently bumped Sango with her head, earning a puff of air in a faint laugh but no smile. They followed after Inuyasha in a tight group as he tried to sniff out some trace of either Naraku or Kikyo. Normally, they would split up to search. That was absolutely not an option. Inuyasha kept on claw snagged on Miroku's sleeve, while Miroku had his left hand curled around Sango's wrist.

There was nothing. After some searching, they stumbled across the Hiraikotsu, but no sign of either of their targets. The roots still covered the ground, creeping closer towards them whenever they stood still for too long. They seemed to be becoming more and more active the longer they searched. At one point, Miroku pulled them all to a stop. His brow furrowed and he watched the roots carefully. He took a step in one direction and a root shot for his ankle. Inuyasha's claws flashed and Miroku stepped back. Then he took a step in the opposite direction. Nothing happened.

"They don't just want to capture us," he said quietly, voice hoarse from screaming. "They're trying to lure us somewhere."

"Great," Inuyasha said humourlessly, stalking in the second direction with Tessaiga over his shoulder.

The further they moved, the more the roots began to shrink away from them. After a little more fruitless searching, Inuyasha spotted one of Kikyo's soul collectors overhead. He launched into a run, just slow enough for the others to keep up. The telltale glow of a demonic barrier cast an eerie blue light against the trees, in sharp contrast to the stormy sky. The soul collector dashed against the barrier and disintegrated. The soul rose freely into the sky. Inuyasha slid to a stop, holding Tessaiga at the ready. And then the roots attacked.

They came from all directions, angled like daggers and spears towards the exhausted group. Inuyasha and Sango protected them as best they could, with Tessaiga slicing through the immediate threats while the Hiraikotsu's sweeping path cut many of the outer roots in half. But the roots also snaked along the ground, grasping at their legs. One encircled Kirara's waist and began dragging her away. She struggled to get free and Sango ran after her with her sword, but then another vine shot from a nearby tree and wrapped around her arm. Inuyasha moved to assist and Miroku followed. He felt utterly useless without his staff. He could slice through a few of the roots with his sutras, but they were quickly dwindling. There was a root making its way to Inuyasha's back as the hanyou freed Sango and Kirara. Miroku dived forward and held up a sutra, using it to spark a barrier to life.

There was a buzzing overhead, and they all glanced up with a sinking feeling. A hoard of Saimyosho was descending on them. The attack came from all sides, a mixture of roots, vines, and insects. Shippo jumped between Miroku and Inuyasha's shoulders, keeping a wall of foxfire between them and the Saimyosho. Inuyasha, Sango, and Kirara continued to battle the roots and vines, but they were all shaken, exhausted, and drained. It only took one misstep for Kirara to fall, an opportunistic root snagging her leg and wrenching it to the side. A cascade of vines shot between her and Miroku as he moved to help, forcing him back. As the others struggled to free Kirara, a vine shot out and wrapped around Miroku's arm. It tugged him sharply to one side, towards the barrier. He braced himself for a rough greeting, but instead he passed easily through.

Miroku glanced up and gasped. "Kikyo!" He could see her through the trees, nearly hidden behind the hulking form of Naraku. "I see Kikyo! I'm going to her!"

"_What?_" was Inuyasha's alarmed reply, but Miroku ignored him.

He took not two steps forward before Kikyo's eyes snapped open. She said something, too soft to catch, to Naraku. And then she slashed through his neck, taking the head of his baboon mask clean off with her spiritual power. A demon puppet flew from the white pelt, wrapped with one of Naraku's hairs. Kikyo snatched it from the air and, as her eyes met Miroku's, the puppet turned to dust in her hand.

"I see you've got a handle on things," Miroku said, warily stepping closer.

Kikyo ignored him, leaning down to pick up her bow and quiver from the ground. She wordlessly notched an arrow and aimed it straight at Miroku. He slowed to a stop and gave her a quizzical look.

"We were worried for you," he said calmly. "We came to save you."

There was a twang from the bow, a line of fire split across Miroku's cheek, and the arrow lodged itself into the barrier behind him. The entire thing pulsed and glowed, the demonic aura it emitted being replaced with a powerful pull of spiritual energy. Miroku's heart sank. That did not bode well. He turned back to Kikyo, keeping his gaze level despite the burning at his cheek and exhaustion racking through him.

"What is it you want this time?" he asked.

Kikyo silently reached into her quiver and notched another arrow. Miroku didn't move. If she wanted to shoot him, then so be it. The arrow struck the ground in front of him, sending a shock of spiritual power through the roots that gathered there. The earth began to sink away while the roots shot to him, wrapping around his legs and forcing him to his knees. Miroku tried to free himself, to reach into his robes to grab his final sutras, but the roots encircled his arms and held them in the air. Soon Miroku was suspended entirely by the roots, completely immobile. He could hear distant shouting some ways away, and figured that the others were trying to reach him.

"Naraku is frightened of you," Kikyo said coolly, examining him. "Of all of you, really. He fears what you pose together, so he tries to control me with the Shikon Jewel, hoping that I might be turned against you."

Soul collectors reached her, delivering a fresh source of souls to her body then coiling around Miroku, adding another layer of entrapment. He guessed that she must not have control over the roots as Naraku did, and she wanted him to be extra helpless. He supposed he should be flattered. His eyes caught an angry red glow coming from her chest, where he could just make out a Jewel shard. It was dark and angry, deeply tainted with malice. Miroku swallowed. He'd never seen anything so corrupted. How much of _Kikyo_ was left? She smirked knowingly, a hand coming to cover her chest.

"Surely the priestess who once guarded and purified the Jewel has not fallen so low as to be controlled by a mere shard," she said, sending a wave of power within herself. The Jewel shard shone brighter than any other, not a tinge of malignant energy remaining. She then reached out and simply pulled the Jewel shard from around Miroku's neck, easily snapping the twine that held it there.

"Don't do this," Miroku said, his voice uncharacteristically flat. "Kikyo, Naraku is seeking the shards. You don't know what he-"

"I am aware of Naraku and his childish games," Kikyo snapped. "He is a fool to think he can control me."

"He will kill you for the shards," Miroku warned.

"He can try," Kikyo replied, the ghost of a smile twisting her lips.

Miroku stared at her, hard, trying to figure out what was driving her this time. Did she know what Naraku had done to her? Had her desires shifted from entrapping Inuyasha?

"You want to face Naraku," Miroku said suddenly, the realization striking him. "You want to take him down alone. Kikyo, you can't-"

"Do not presume to tell me what I can or cannot do," she snarled, emotion lighting her eyes. "I know Naraku's weakness. He poses no threat to me. Nor do you, _monk._"

Miroku blinked, brows furrowing. What-?

"You can never be with him, you know," Kikyo continued, and unfortunately, Miroku had no doubts to whom she was referring. "I can feel the curse emanating from your body. I may be dead, but you are not far behind."

So that was it. She hadn't truly changed, after all. "Kikyo," he said firmly, exhausted beyond all reason. "Honestly, I don't care. Look at me." He attempted to throw his arms wide for effect, but was only partially successful in shifting around some roots. "Whether or not my feelings are reciprocated or whether we have any hope of being together is the least of my worries. Inuyasha and I are both fighting for our survival. What will be, will be, and we must all accept that."

Her eyes blazed. "You cannot have him!"

"Nor can you," he replied calmly. "The dead cannot be with the living. You said so yourself."

A smirk tugged at her lips. "Then I suppose we are at an impasse. But tell me, monk, who do you think Inuyasha would choose? Our love may be doomed, but it is _real_."

"Of course he loves you," Miroku sighed. "But he's slowly realizing that you cannot be together."

Her eyes narrowed dangerously. "We shall see."

She raised a hand, and the barrier dissolved behind them. A heartbeat later, Inuyasha burst through the trees, Tessaiga at the ready. He froze when he saw them, Kikyo standing over a bound Miroku. His eyes darted between them, fear and confusion evident in his gaze. Kikyo took two steps back, and as though given permission, Inuyasha leapt to Miroku's side. He tore apart the roots restricting him and gasped in alarm when the monk collapsed against him.

"Miroku?" Inuyasha asked, almost frightened by the empty look in Miroku's eyes. He was staring at Kikyo, and Inuyasha followed his gaze. He gasped when he saw what was clutched in Kikyo's hand. "Kikyo! Those are Miroku's Jewel shards."

He glanced back to Miroku, who was shaking anew in his arms, his heart pounding but his breath calm and even. What the hell? He dropped closer to the monk, grasping at his shoulder. "What did she do to you?" When it was obvious that Miroku wasn't going to respond, his eyes snapped back to Kikyo. "What did you do?" he demanded, shocked at the anger in his own voice.

"What's wrong, Inuyasha?" she asked innocently. "Why is it I feel you're unhappy to know I'm well?"

"Answer me!" he snarled, baring his teeth at her. "What did you do to him?"

"I tried to kill him," Kikyo said easily. "What is it that you plan to do about it? Will you kill _me?_"

A growl ripped from Inuyasha's throat as he shifted further in front of Miroku. Every muscle in his body was coiled for a fight, even though rationally he knew he could never.

"Tell me," she continued. "When Naraku had you under his spell, what was it that you thought about?"

Inuyasha rocked back, breathing hard. The answer must have shown on his face, because Kikyo chuckled and then laugh, throwing her head back in spectacle.

"Now, do you truly think you can kill me?" she asked, a challenge in her voice.

Inuyasha could say nothing. With one last, lingering look, Kikyo turned her back on him. Some of the circling soul collectors lowered to surround her, encircling her and lifting her up into the air.

"I will be waiting for you," Kikyo called down to him. "So we may embrace death together."

Inuyasha watched her go. Even though she was leaving _again_, even though she had _all _of their Jewel shards, he had no desire to chase after her. He turned his attention back to Miroku, who was kneeling hunched over, bracing himself with his hands. He reeked of exhaustion, pain, and miasma, but also the remnants of fear and sorrow, and something that Inuyasha couldn't identify. His heartrate had settled, but his eyes still had a faraway, empty look to them that shook Inuyasha to his core. He reached out tentatively and brushed a finger down the monk's cheek.

"Miroku?"

That elicited some response, at least. Miroku blinked back at him, his lips twisting into something caught between a smile and a grimace.

"What happened with Kikyo?" Inuyasha asked as gently as he could.

"Don't," Miroku replied softly, adding a minute shake of his head.

"But-"

Miroku shook his head firmly, closing his eyes. "She took the Sacred Jewel."

"That's not what I'm asking," Inuyasha growled quietly. "What-"

"Don't ask," Miroku said. "I can't. Inuyasha, after today, after what you must have seen in your own nightmare, please don't ask."

Inuyasha was lost. There was something deep inside Miroku, something that had been hurt _bad_, and he had no idea how to fix it. The monk pushed away from him, slowly, stiffly climbing to his feet. Inuyasha followed him, tentatively holding out an arm for Miroku to lean against. He took it with a small smile, and Inuyasha cherished the press of their bodies together. It would take a long time, he suspected, before the frantic cries of his pack, both real and illusory, left his mind. They walked back to the others, where Sango and Kirara stood around Shippo, a circle of smashed and broken roots around them. They were greeted with hollow eyes and tight frowns.

"Kirara," Miroku said quietly. "I know you're tried, but would you be able to take us to a nearby village? We need a safe place."

She nodded instantly and they gratefully climbed on her back.

"What about your staff?" Shippo asked in a quiet voice.

Miroku blinked at him then exchanged an exhausted look with Inuyasha and Sango.

"It was my father's," he said quietly.

"We'll find it," Inuyasha said decisively.

It didn't take too long to find it half-buried under some vines. And then they were safely in the air, far from the reach of the creeping roots that sought them still. The sky had cleared from clouds and miasma, leaving a mockingly gorgeous day. Kirara flew at a fraction of her normal speed, but they clung to her and each other in silence the entire ride. She brought them to a nearby town, setting down in front of what appeared to be a tavern. The group immediately earned several suspicious looks, hence why they usually didn't fly in on Kirara. Sango seriously considered just stabbing their eyes out, but didn't know if she had the energy. Miroku stumbled into the tavern and asked for a room. The man looked him over and then took in the ragged group standing behind him. He named his price, and it was exorbitantly high. Miroku's lips pressed together firmly, and Sango reached for her sword. Instead, the monk pulled the coin purse from his robes and silently handed over the amount. It was the first time she'd ever seen him pay without extensively haggling first.

The man led them to a small, shabby room. There was a pile of blankets on the floor, but no futons or screen divider, and the fire was unlit. They heaved a collective sigh and set to work. Inuyasha arranged the blankets into a nest beside the irori while Miroku stoked the fire to life. Sango pulled out the few bits of tried meats and vegetables from her carrying cloth and passed them over to Shippo. The kit half-heartedly gnawed on them for a little while, watching them all with careful eyes.

"We have access to a bath," Miroku said quietly. "We should probably use it before the other customers come in."

Another long, anxious look passed between the group. They were _loathed_ to be separated again, but they all stank and were covered in dirt, sweat, and grime. Sango picked up Shippo and went for their turn first. No one thought it worth mentioning that she brought Hiraikotsu with her. After some thought, Kirara padded after them, likely to stand guard. Inuyasha was left watching Miroku, noting how the monk avoided his gaze.

"I'm not going to ask what happened today," Inuyasha finally said. "I just want to know what I can do." A shake of the head was all the answer he got, and Inuyasha sighed. "Okay. Well, if you're not going to talk, I am. I almost lost all of you today, and that scared the shit out of me."

Miroku glanced up from the fire, emotion swirling in his eyes.

"In Naraku's illusion, I almost lost you as well. Kikyo was there, and it was fifty years ago and she was _dying _again, but you all were there as well. You were hurt and in danger and I couldn't save you!" Inuyasha huffed, running a hand down his face. "Miroku, my own personal hell was watching you suffer and not being able to do anything about it. And then I got out of it, and I heard you screaming, and the only thing I could focus on was getting to you. Then with Kikyo, when she asked if I was going to kill her, I honestly didn't know. She was threatening you and I couldn't-"

Inuyasha broke off, blinking hard at the wall. His ears were pinned back and his fingers curled into fists where they rested on his legs. Eventually, he continued.

"I saw you suffering so many times today, and it almost killed me. Being able to do something about it was the only thing that kept me sane. So I'm not going to push, I'm not going to demand that you talk about whatever happened. I can't imagine what horrors you saw, and I know that you and Sango will deal with that in your own time. But please," he turned shining eyes back to Miroku. "_Please_ let me help. I don't care what you need me to do, I'll do it. I just need to make things right."

Miroku stared back at him, tears stinging at his own eyes. Inuyasha's distress washed over him, brushing aside a little of his own hurt. His expression softened and he scooted over to sit beside Inuyasha, leaning against his chest. Inuyasha's arms instantly came to wrap around him, and he rested his chin on top of Miroku's head.

"You all were in danger in my illusion as well," Miroku murmured after a while, and Inuyasha's arms pressed him closer. "But it was the wind tunnel. It was drawing you in, and I couldn't stop it."

He didn't say any more, and Inuyasha closed his eyes. He had suspected something similar, but that didn't make it less painful. The worst fears were those that may come to pass – or those that already had. They were the same fears that had been lingering in each of their minds for ages, and he doubted they would go away.

Miroku breathed in Inuyasha's scent, slowly drawing the lingering tension from his body and mind. What he had said to Kikyo had been true – he would accept whatever came to pass. And his feelings for Inuyasha, well, he'd spoken the truth on that count as well. They all had more pressing issues at hand than some hopeless romance. But Kikyo's words had cut him deeply. He was a dead man walking, and he'd managed to forget that for a time. Kikyo had shown that Inuyasha's love lingered strongly, and Miroku knew he had no right to it. Not if he had no life to spend. Not with the cold shadow of the wind tunnel lingering over him, reminding him that at any moment he could be the death of all those dear to him. No, he would not be so cruel.

When Sango and Shippo returned from their bath, Sango nodded softly at the pair still entwined on the floor. She placed a gentle hand on Miroku's shoulder as she passed before curling up in the nest of blankets with Shippo. Kirara stood by the door, ready to guard the next group to the baths. Inuyasha and Miroku obediently stood and followed her lead.

The bath was a simple hole in the stone floor, heated by a fire underneath. It was barely big enough for two people, but they made do. They kept knocking elbows and knees, but both felt better after getting clean. Inuyasha determinedly didn't stare at the deep purple bruises forming along Miroku's skin. When they walked back to the room, they immediately joined the pile forming on the blankets. Everyone ended up twisted around at least two others, with heads pillowed on shoulders or chests or legs, arms clutching whatever body parts were near at hand. Inuyasha buried his nose into Miroku's shoulder and wrapped his arms tighter around Sango's waist and Shippo's back, with Kirara curled against his stomach. Even though it was barely midday, they all drifted off to sleep. Inuyasha knew that he would be woken up constantly to check on their surroundings, to comfort one of the others or to escape his own nightmares.

It didn't matter.

His pack was here, and they were safe.

They could deal with whatever else may come.


	34. Chapter 34: s2e07

You asked for it. Warnings for this chapter: characters experiencing the effects of trauma, drinking and drunkenness

* * *

Inuyasha, Miroku, and Sango sat on the en outside their inn, watching Shippo and Kirara playing in the garden. It was yet another shabby establishment, another safe place to stay. At least this one had been legitimate – the townspeople had asked them to slay the family of demons that had been plaguing them, so there was no need for Miroku to con the place. The battle had been short and easily won, and had earned them food, coin, and a room to sleep in. The nights had been growing noticeably colder of late, but that wasn't main reason for their favouring of inns and taverns recently. It was unquestionable that Naraku was gaining rapid interest in destroying them, and outside no longer felt safe. Since their last encounter with Kikyo, the few nights that had been spent under the stars, Inuyasha had kept watch the entire time, often with Kirara for company.

But today had been a good day. They had fought hard and defeated some vicious worm demons, no one had been injured, and their bellies were full of warm food. Shippo was having the time of his life, jumping between the rocks surrounding the small garden pond and chasing Kirara. Evenings were practically the only time he had to play, since every day was spent travelling from village to village. At least the little fox seemed largely recovered from what had transpired in Naraku's latest trap. Other than sticking within eyeshot of one of his companions at all times, his nightmare remained in the past. The rest of their group had not been so fortunate.

"Sometimes I worry about Shippo," Inuyasha murmured, watching the kit from under heavy-lidded eyes. "Y'know, that he's not getting the support he needs to grow up properly."

Miroku smirked but didn't look up from the sutras he was making. "He's an overly-small demon child who has repeated exposure to extreme fear and violence and has two mothers, one of whom _slays_ demons and the other of which is a cat, and two fathers, one of whom is younger than him and the other of which is the demon equivalent of a pubescent teenage rebel. Why would there be anything to worry about?"

Inuyasha nodded slowly before turning to glare at Miroku. "…Hey!"

"You came off fairly well in that description," Sango told Miroku wryly as she cleaned the Hiraikotsu.

"I always do," he smiled back, before sobering. "But you're right. His childhood isn't exactly what I'd like it to be."

"We should bring him back to Kaede," Inuyasha muttered. "That's what we planned to do before and we should have stuck to it."

"I vaguely remember loud words being spoken to the contrary by a certain fox demon," Miroku sighed. "But again, you're right. Kaede's village is the safest place for him."

"I'd love to see this village," Sango said thoughtfully. "It sounds lovely."

"We planned to return there much more frequently," Miroku shrugged. "Every few weeks to resupply. But it's been…" He thought for a moment. "Almost two months?"

"May as well go back soon," Inuyasha said. "It's not as though we have anywhere else to go. There's no sign of Naraku, and no Jewel shards nearby."

A sombre mood descended over the trio. Miroku's hand absently brushed over the front of his robes, as he had done many times over the past several days, feeling for Jewel shards that were no longer there. "I can't believe we lost them all," he murmured softly.

"S'not your fault," Inuyasha grumbled, his ears flicking back as he glared out into the garden. "It's not like she stole _all_ the shards out there. We just need to start over."

Sango glanced between the two of them with brows raised in question. Inuyasha refused to meet her gaze, while Miroku shrugged wearily. Inuyasha had been uncharacteristically calm about the whole ordeal, and it was no question as to why. His attentiveness to all of his pack but especially Miroku told of the guilt that still ate at him. The few times Sango had attempted to bring up what had happened with Kikyo, he had immediately become defensive and refused to talk about it. Miroku, too, had evaded the subject. She supposed it was never going to be easy for Inuyasha to accept that the woman he had loved had stolen from and threatened his pack.

"I'm gonna go find somethin' to eat," Inuyasha said, pushing to his feet then calling over to Shippo. "Hey, you want more food?"

Shippo instantly dropped the worm he was playing with and shot over like an arrow. He scampered up to Inuyasha's shoulder without a second thought and smiled eagerly. The two disappeared into the inn, and the others watched them go.

"At least we can keep Shippo safe for now," Sango sighed. "If it looks like we're landing in another dangerous situation, I can send him away on Kirara."

"If we're given any warning," Miroku mumbled darkly. "With Naraku's traps, there's often the element of surprise." He gathered his sutras quickly and pushed to his feet. "You'll have to excuse me. I'm going to the room to meditate."

Sango frowned and followed him with her gaze. She finished cleaning Hiraikotsu, but the itch soon started under her skin, urging her to find her companions. Kirara appeared to be thinking along similar lines, for though she sat by Sango's side, her ears were constantly swivelling, tracking all the sounds coming from the inn. They made their way back to the room but stopped just outside, as Sango picked up a quiet voice coming from inside. She listened in, but couldn't make out the words. A feeling of unease prickled along the back of her neck and she slid the door open slowly and silently.

"-and purify the area. He won't attack there…maybe. We'll need to prepare everyone. Kaede can keep them safe."

Miroku knelt alone on the floor, reorganizing the various items kept in his robes and muttering softly.

"Who are you talking to?" Sango asked, leaning Hiraikotsu against the wall and walking over.

"Myself," Miroku admitted, somewhat sheepishly.

"Alright," she smiled, kneeling down beside him. "Is he listening?"

"No."

"Always a good sign," she smirked.

"I realized that Naraku might attack Kaede's village simply because it's important to us," Miroku sighed heavily. "Try to eliminate those who help us. I have no idea how to navigate that."

"You'll come up with something," Sango said, a heaviness in her heart. "It's all we can do to make sure the people there are as prepared as possible. It might actually be safer for them if we don't visit too often. Naraku might not attack if he doesn't believe it's of value."

"I agree. Once we drop off Shippo, we should limit our visits to the barest necessity. The same should be said for anyone who helps us."

"Jinenji and Kura, for example," Sango said. "We should carry some of those herbs to fight miasma with us at all times, but we can't draw Naraku's attention to the garden."

They both shared a heavy sigh. Miroku scooted over to the irori and poured them both some tea. They sat quietly for a little while, leaning against one another.

"I hate that our battle has infected the lives of so many others," Sango said after a little while, breaking the delicate silence between them. "People who have nothing to do with Naraku are in danger because of us."

"I know. While we must do what we can to reduce the danger posed to them, we cannot blame ourselves for the actions of another. We are not responsible for Naraku's evil, even if it is our responsibility to fight him."

Sango blinked rapidly and looked away, her lips pressing firmly together. Miroku's brows furrowed and he placed a worried hand on her shoulder. After a few heavy breaths, Sango swiped angrily at her eyes and huffed.

"You're right – I know you're right – but I can't help but feel like it's my fault. My village, all the people Kohaku killed, I should have found some way to stop it."

"No," Miroku said firmly, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and hugging her close. "You had no way of knowing either of those things would happen. We are not at fault for those that Naraku decides to kill, and that includes Kohaku's actions."

"It's not just that," Sango whispered. "My village… My whole life I knew I wanted to be a slayer. And I was good at it. From the moment I started training, it felt right. I knew my place in the world. I wanted to help others, to protect those that needed protecting, but that wasn't all I wanted." She blinked up at him, her eyes shining. "I wanted a family. I wanted my own home. In my village, I could have that. I could be a slayer _and _a woman. They accepted me for who I wanted to be. And now, I don't know what I'll do. My home is gone, my people are gone, and I don't know what will happen to me after we defeat Naraku. I know I can still be a slayer, but that's not a life."

"I'm sorry," Miroku murmured, cradling her head to his chest. "I don't have the answers for that. I can't imagine all that you've lost. All I can say is, I know you can figure it out. If the world doesn't have a place for you, then you will make one for yourself. You are strong and brave and wise. You can still have that life." He leaned back, catching her gaze and holding it. "And I know it's not the same, but you still have a family with us."

"I know," Sango sniffled. "I'm so lucky to have you all." She frowned deeply. "And that's another reason I feel guilty. What right do I have to mourn the future when we still have to defeat Naraku? People's _lives _are in danger because of him. Kohaku is still trapped by him. And you!" She gestured weakly at Miroku's right hand. "What right do I have to complain when your life depends on defeating Naraku? And he's so powerful! I have no idea how to defeat a foe like that. We may never beat him, and I'm still worried about what comes after!"

"Sango," Miroku said firmly. "Stop talking. You're spouting nonsense. Of _course_ you should be concerned with your future! Just because your relationship with Naraku is different than mine doesn't mean that he hasn't stolen your life. And you have every right to hold on to your future. He is trying to take that from you as well, and that is unforgivable. I don't know what will happen after we defeat Naraku, but it's as important as the life we live now."

They hugged each other closer and stared into the fire, both drifting in their own thoughts.

"As for defeating Naraku," Miroku continued, much quieter. "I have no answer. He is the most powerful foe I could imagine. All I know is that he believes we pose a threat to him. Why else would he be so intent on destroying us? We may not be able to fight him as individuals, but together, we are strong." He smiled. "Besides, we have a weapon that Naraku could never match."

"And what's that?"

"Our dashing good looks."

Sango let out a startled snort, and they both chuckled softly.

"Our compassion," Miroku stated firmly. "Naraku cares about nothing but himself, and that will be his downfall. We have each other, and we have those who wish to help us. Kaede's village, Kura and Jinenji – true, they are in danger because of us, but they are also our allies. We have people who want to help us. Naraku could never."

Sango let out a small, laughing sob and brushed the tears from her eyes. "Thank you, Miroku. That does make me feel better."

"Anytime, Sango."

"It's nice to be able to talk to someone about this," she admitted. "Inuyasha's a good person, but he's not exactly the best with delicate emotions. And I love Shippo, but he has the attention span of a gnat."

The startled a laugh out of Miroku. They remained side-by-side, somewhat intertwined, until Inuyasha and Shippo returned to the room.

"Food's coming," Inuyasha reported, plopping down next to them. "Not much, since we already ate, but they agreed that we deserved more since we're heroes and all that."

"Sounds reasonable to me," Miroku nodded sagely.

The food that was delivered was almost entirely sweets. Miroku and Sango exchanged an amused look and then shot questioning glances at Inuyasha, who stubbornly refused to meet their gaze. It was unclear exactly how much Shippo had manipulated the request, but the result was piles of small cakes filed with sweet red and white bean paste, peach jelly, and sweet potatoes, intermingled with bowls of cherries, peaches, and pears. After all the food was laid out, Miroku and Sango couldn't stop staring at Inuyasha.

"Alright!" he finally snapped. "So I was intimidating and Shippo was cute and we convinced the innkeepers that we deserved a treat! You're welcome!"

"Thank you," they both wheezed dutifully.

They all had to admit that the food was well received. Even though Shippo inhaled most of the cakes on his own in an impressive display, they each enjoyed some of the sweet treats. They shared out the cakes and fruit with tea, while Kirara displayed an intriguing affinity for cherries. They chatted as they ate, and found some of the lingering tension dropping away. After the sun had set, and Shippo was sprawled across the floor in overstuffed sleep, the others sipped their tea in companionable silence. They had all but finished the drink when Miroku put a different pot over the irori. Inuyasha sniffed the air and wrinkled his nose, glancing at Miroku incredulously.

"Sake?"

"Why not?" Miroku shrugged. "It's here, so we may as well drink it."

"We never have before," Inuyasha muttered.

"We've never had such cause for celebration," Miroku smiled. "Today we rejoice in a job well done and the family we share."

Inuyasha's eyes darted between him and Sango. "You two had a moment while I was away, didn't you?"

"We simply expressed our gratitude for all of our friends," Miroku shrugged. "In these difficult times, our companions make all the difference."

"I'll drink to that!" Inuyasha cheered gruffly.

They passed out small cups of warm sake and each took a few tentative sips. Inuyasha hadn't had the stuff often, probably because it was a strong drink that bit back and affronted his senses. Still, it was warm, and he had two small cups before deciding that the peaches were better. He also noticed that despite his grand proclamation, Miroku stopped after one cup. He'd never seen the monk even touch the stuff before, despite it being offered at several of the places they'd stayed in previously. He suspected that growing up with Mushin had curbed Miroku's taste for the drink.

After Kirara wrinkled her nose at the cup they offered her, Sango was left to finish the provided jug alone. They curled up together with full stomachs, warmed by the sake and fire. It was some time later that Miroku woke to an elbow jabbing into his stomach. His grunt of surprise startled Inuyasha awake, and they both blinked sleepily at Sango as she struggled to her feet.

"Y'alright?" Inuyasha mumbled, rubbing at his eyes with the back of his fist.

"I need to pee," Sango hissed at them as she stumbled to the door.

"Have fun," Inuyasha said as he lay back down. Miroku, however, was not convinced. Sango could snap awake from a deep sleep and have Hiraikotsu in her hand in a heartbeat. Now, she was struggling to open the door properly. Realization slammed into him and he sucked in a startled gasp.

"She's drunk," he whispered fiercely to Inuyasha, whose eyes widened in response. They both turned to watch Sango struggling with the door and almost knock Hiraikotsu over in the process.

"I am _not _dealing with is," Inuyasha whispered firmly, pointedly hiding behind a blanket.

Miroku sighed and rose to his feet, padding after Sango and following her through the inn halls from a safe distance, Kirara trotting beside him. The slayer wasn't exactly _drunk_, per se, but she had clearly lost some coordination along the way. She hadn't even appeared to realize that she was being followed. Miroku hung back as Kirara made sure she completed her objective, and he breathed a sigh of relief as she began the return journey to the room. Hopefully, this would be nothing more than a good story that they mercilessly teased her about later.

They were almost back to the room when Sango froze, every muscle in her body tensing as she stared down a connecting hallway. She slowly shifted her stance, lowering her center of gravity closer to the ground, and sprang forward. There was a shout, and Miroku darted around the corner to see the innkeeper pressed up against the wall.

Sango glared the man down, holding her sword steadily at his throat. "I will stab you."

"Alright, that's enough," Miroku said firmly, taking the sword from her hands. He turned to place it safely on the ground. "We don't stab innocent- _Sango!_"

He turned around to find a dagger in her hand, now pressed against the man's belly. He had to wrestle this one away from her, as this time she had anticipated his movements and clumsily fought back. He threw the dagger aside next to her sword and turned to the man.

"I apologize- No!" Another, smaller knife appeared in her hand. "Where do you even _keep _all those?"

Miroku decided that the safest option was to simply remove Sango from the man, so he wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted her up and away from him. She wriggled and let out several noises of protest, but apparently found herself unable to escape.

"My deepest apologies," Miroku said to the innkeeper, who stared at them with wide eyes. "My companion has faced many enemies in the past. I assure you, this will not happen again."

He gathered her weapons and carried her back to the room, shooting a wry smile at Kirara, who looked like she was regretting her life decisions thus far. Inuyasha gave them a curious look as Miroku deposited Sango on the floor, no doubt having heard what transpired in the hallway. Miroku placed the sword and dagger against the wall next to the Hiraikotsu and simply hoped that Sango wouldn't find need to retrieve any of the other weapons hidden about her person.

"Where's Shippo?" Sango whispered loudly. "I need to hold Shippo _right now._"

Miroku dutifully passed the sleeping kit over to her and she immediately curled around him in a tight ball. Inuyasha shared a half-amused, half-concerned smile with Miroku as they lay down on either side of her. So much for a relaxing night.

Sesshomaru stood at the lip of the volcano, watching the lavafields below with veiled interest. Jaken struggled to make his way across the burning hot ground, his grating voice easily carrying to where Sesshomaru waited. He already knew from the lack of youki inside the giant demon skull lying in the volcano's mouth that their quarry had fled. Jaken's vocal struggle was poor consolation for the loss. He watched the imp disappear into the gaping jaws of the demon skull, calling out for Totosai. Jaken's habit of talking to himself told Sesshomaru all he needed to know of the situation. At the affronted exclamation "Moved?!" the dog demon leapt from the rim and easily floated down to land beside the giant skull. He walked up silently behind Jaken, causing the imp to startle.

"So he has fled," Sesshomaru said flatly, watching Jaken squirm.

"Please forgive me, Master Sesshomaru!" the imp begged. "That arrogant swordsmith is known to be very temperamental. He only forges swords if he takes a personal liking to the client who ordered it."

"I see. He has no intention of making a sword that suits my purpose."

"You can't really blame him," Jaken muttered and then froze, realizing his mistake.

He gasped in horror and chanced a look up at Sesshomaru, eyes bulging from his head. Sesshomaru kept his face blank other than the barest smile that twisted his lips. Jaken almost expired on the spot.

"You're smiling!" the imp shrieked, jumping up and down. "Oh, don't smile at me Master Sesshomaru! Please get angry! Please, I beg you!"

Sesshomaru silently turned and began walking away, allowing himself a small smirk. Jaken's heart was hammering and his scent sour with fear. Even if it was amusing, Totosai's broken promise was another matter entirely. Sesshomaru could not allow the swordsmith such disrespect. The world needed to know that betraying him was a death sentence.

They day was bright and warm as they walked along the dirt road. Shippo was chasing a butterfly and there was nothing around but forest and grassy fields. The townspeople had told them of a weasel demon terrorizing a nearby village which sounded as though it might have a Jewel shard. They decided to investigate before summoning Hachi to fly them to Kaede's village.

"They said the village was just on the other side of that mountain," Sango said, pointing out the path before them. "We should arrive before nightfall. That's when the weasel demon is said to attack."

"Sounds like a plan," Inuyasha said with a toothy grin. "Just be sure to save your stabbing for the demon, Sango."

She growled deep in her throat and glared at him. "I told you, we will never speak of that again."

"Go easy on her, Inuyasha," Miroku chided gently. "I'm sure that the ninety-year-old innkeeper and his teapot were a true danger in Sango's mind."

"I can kill you," she whispered fiercely.

"I'm _sure_ you can."

Sango opened her mouth to snap at their stupid, grinning faces, when she was interrupted by a moo. She froze, her expression clouding with confusion. A cow? She glanced around, but there was no sign of cattle anywhere in the area.

"Where is it?" Shippo asked, climbing higher on Miroku's shoulder to get a better vantage point. "I don't see any farms nearby."

Another mooing sound came from nearby, and this time they could pinpoint the direction. They all glanced up to the sky in disbelief. A faint dark smudge stood out in sharp contrast to the sun. As they squinted at it, a bolt of lightning struck down from above, splitting apart the earth between them. They all jumped back instinctively, grabbing at their weapons as the dust settled around them. A grizzled old human-looking youkai with bulging eyes sat upon a three-eyed ox demon. The old man wore a green and black kimono which fell from his bony shoulders and grasped a long-handled hammer. Inuyasha, who had been forced to the other side of the blast from the others, cast them a wide-eyed look.

"Who the heck are _you?_" he growled, dropping to a crouch in preparation for a fight.

"I am called Totosai," the old demon proclaimed in a wobbly voice. "Draw your sword, Inuyasha."

Inuyasha bared his teeth and narrowed his eyes. How did this old geezer know his name?

"I'm coming at you whether you put up your sword or not!" Totosai announced, waving his hammer in the air. He gathered his legs up from under him and leapt from the back of his ox. Inuyasha swore and pulled Tessaiga from its sheath, barely managing to swing it in front of himself to block the blow. The hammer connected with the blade with a loud clanging sound, pushing Inuyasha back with the force of it. He gasped as the sword quivered in his hands. How the hell had the old demon managed to push him back with a spindly old hammer?

Totosai jumped back and landed hard on the ground, muttering to himself. "That sword is singing like an old sod! Dull resonance- This kid can't be the right one to use it!"

Inuyasha growled, his ears flicking back and lifting the sword as he charged. "Tell me who the hell you are!"

The old demon reached into his robe and pulled out a strip of leather. A long, frog-like tongue darted from his mouth and licked along the strip, his bugging eyes never leaving Inuyasha. As the Tessaiga swung towards him, he lifted the strip of leather above his head and caught the blade. Inuyasha ground to a halt in disbelief. The old geezer had stopped Tessaiga using a piece of old leather! What the _fuck?_

"You've been too rough with 'er," Totosai muttered, moving the leather strip up and down the blade as though polishing it while humming to himself in displeasure. "This blade is all nicked up! Have you been chopping down trees? What a shame, what a shame!"

"Whaddya know about it?" Inuyasha snarled. "Who _are_ you?"

A dark speck sprang from Totosai's shoulder and landed on Inuyasha's. "I think that's enough, Totosai," a familiar voice announced.

"Myoga?" Inuyasha spluttered incredulously.

"Myoga, you told me this pup knew what he was doing!" Totosai accused angrily.

"I never said _that_," Myoga defended himself. "But he _is _the younger son of Lord Tōga, the rightful inheritor of the sword."

"Well, I suppose I can hear him out," Totosai grumbled, dropping down to sit cross-legged on the ground. His ox demon immediately walked over and plopped down behind him so he could rest on the creature's side. "What about those two humans? We can have a snack while we discuss."

Inuyasha's eyes widened as he realized what Totosai was suggesting and he instantly hurled himself between the old demon and the rest of his pack.

"Those are not for eating," Myoga chided. "They are Miroku and Sango, and I suggest you treat them with respect if you don't want to anger Inuyasha. He does not take kindly to any threat posed to his pack."

"These dog demons are so strange," Totosai muttered, shaking his head. "Though I can see he's inherited his father's soft spot for mortals."

"Myoga," Inuyasha growled dangerously. "Give me one reason why I shouldn't rip this old geezer to shreds right now."

"Totosai is the swordsmith who forged Tessaiga," Myoga explained quickly. "He will be able to help you with the sword's power."

Inuyasha blinked skeptically at the old demon. He glanced questioningly at Miroku and Sango, who both shrugged. Cautiously, Inuyasha sat down across from Totosai, keeping himself planted firmly in front of the others. "I'm listening."

"Many years ago, your father gave me one of his fangs to forge Tessaiga," Totosai reminisced. "He only wanted the best. Only certain circles of the finest blade-swinging demons are acquainted with my work. I am famous among those who know, and among those who don't, I'm not."

Inuyasha sniffed warily. "And what the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"I'm guessing it means he's not very well-known," Miroku mused flatly.

"Whatever," Inuyasha huffed. "I don't give a rat's ass if you're famous or not, old man! What do you want?"

"Well, now that I've seen the Tessaiga in action, I'd say the sword is being badly misused and abused," the old demon shook his head mournfully. "It sings a sad song, indeed. To see my work like this…it simply breaks my heart."

Inuyasha growled indignantly. "If you've come to pick a fight with me, just say so!"

"Oh, it's useless!" Totosai wailed. "Myoga, the Tessaiga can't be entrusted to someone so short-tempered and bloodthirsty as this arrogant whelp!"

"I see what you mean," Myoga sighed, leaping onto Totosai's lap. "He shouldn't be recklessly going into battle while relying on a strength he doesn't have the self-discipline to wield. He should probably just give up the sword."

"Yes, it's best for all if I break the sword in half," Totosai agreed. "Sooner rather than later."

Inuyasha sprang to his feet and jabbed the sword against Totosai's throat. "_What did you say?_" he snarled threateningly. Miroku and Sango instantly grabbed his shoulders, pulling back the bristling hanyou. "I don't care _who _made the sword, you dried up, metal-bending old skinbag!" Inuaysha spat, struggling in their arms. "It's mine, and I'll run you through with it if you even try to break it!"

"It was only a thought!" Totosai wheezed faintly.

"Sorry," Myoga muttered conspiratorially. "I forgot to warn you about his temper."

"Don't worry," Totosai whispered back. "I'll sneak it away when he's not looking and melt it into a pendant."

Inuyasha ripped from his friends' grasp and lunged for Totosai again. "Say that to my face you two-bit junker!"

"Master Inuyasha," Myoga said firmly. "You asked me to find out more information regarding Tessaiga's true power. Totosai knows the sword better than anyone else. He can help you unravel the mystery, which you have no hope of solving on your own. He can tell you how to tap into the power which allowed you to destroy a hundred demons in one sweep. He knows the sword's secrets! Please, just give him a chance!"

Inuyasha reluctantly sat back down, propping Tessaiga over his shoulders. "I ain't making no promises. I can get the hang of the sword on my own."

"I understand you've been collecting fragments of the Shikon Jewel for some time," Totosai said calmly. "Who knows how many demons have multiple pieces of the Jewel? Tessaiga's power would allow you to face even the most powerful foe. You just need to awaken its true potential."

"He has a point, Inuyasha," Miroku said quietly.

"I think you should at least hear what he has to say," Sango added.

Inuyasha scoffed and sheathed Tessaiga. "I guess it can't hurt. Alright, old man. What do I have to do?"

"First, I must tell you that someone seeks my life!" Totosai announced dramatically. "A young fool barged into my forge and demanded I make him a sword that would rival the strength of Tessaiga. He told me he would kill me if I refused! I want you to protect me from him."

Inuyasha lunged forward and grasped Totosai by the face. "Say 'please' before asking for favours."

"You never told me about this!" Myoga said to Totosai. "What did he look like?"

"That young mongrel," Totosai sighed. "He has long white hair and he wears a cloak made of thick furs."

Behind Inuyasha, Miroku sucked in a breath through his teeth. He had a bad feeling about this. "He specifically asked for a sword to rival Tessaiga?" he asked the old demon.

"What are you thinking?" Sango asked, glancing between Miroku and Inuyasha.

Totosai gasped and blanched, his eyes slowly raising up to the sky. "He's here!"

Inuyasha whipped around, instantly finding the figure flying towards them. Sesshomaru was a white blur against the two-headed horse-dragon he was riding. Inuyasha swore and drew Tessaiga.

"Who is _that?_" Sango asked as she pulled Hiraikotsu from her back.

"Inuyasha's older brother," Miroku informed her grimly. "They're not exactly on friendly terms."

"Protect me!" Totosai wailed, ducking for cover behind the hanyou.

"Inuyasha," Sesshomaru said from his mount. "Why do you conspire with Totosai?"

Totosai popped his head out from behind Inuyasha. "Because you happen to be evil incarnate?"

"Totosai," Sesshomaru smirked coldly. "I see you are rushing headlong into your grave."

"What's he saying?" Sango whispered to Miroku.

"No idea. He always speaks just loud enough for Inuyasha to hear. I think it's his way of insulting us mortals." Miroku grimaced. "He can hear everything we say, though."

"I never said I was talking about you, Lord Sesshomaru!" Totosai backpedaled wildly. "Why don't we discuss your sword after you battle it out with Inuyasha?"

"Such loyalty," Miroku grumbled darkly.

"Totosai, your word is as good as a blood-vow to me," Sesshomaru stated as he floated up off his mount. "Did you hear that, Inuyasha? He will forge my new sword after I kill you."

Inuyasha swore and held Tessaiga out in front of him. Recognizing the signs, Miroku grabbed Shippo and dragged Sango after him to the cover of a patch of trees.

"Shouldn't we help?" Sango asked, twisting around to see Sesshomaru descending rapidly towards Inuyasha.

"They like to battle it out alone," Miroku huffed, though he sounded unconvinced. "Sometimes limbs go missing in the process."

Sesshomaru lifted a hand, green poison glowing at the tips of his claws. He struck and Inuyasha darted back, barely evading the bolt of poison which cracked the ground at his feet. He leapt back at Sesshomaru, viciously swinging his sword. Sesshomaru easily dodged every blow, a smug smile on his face.

"You can tell by their tempers they're related," Totosai muttered, appearing behind the trees beside the others with his ox demon.

"You're the cause of all this," Miroku reminded him sourly.

Totosai gasped loudly and scratched his head. "Am I really?"

"Inuyasha!" Sango called out. "Remember what I said about facing different opponents!"

Inuyasha growled. She was right. At his next swing, he feigned right before jabbing at Sesshomaru's legs with a short thrust. His brother's eyes widened and he stumbled back, barely avoiding the blow. The short thrill of victory shriveled and died as Sesshomaru's eyes grew cold and hard. Light sparked at his fingertips and his yellow-green light-whip sprang from his claws. The whip snapped out at Inuyasha, who barely blocked it in time. He was forced back, giving up all the ground he'd gained, as the whip struck at him again and again. They were getting alarmingly close to where the others were hiding. A thrum of fear ran through Inuyasha and Tessaiga's blade glowed with amber light. The next time the whip struck, Inuyasha sliced through it, dissipating the power into the air.

Sesshomaru actually looked surprised, and Inuyasha wasted no time in pressing his advantage. He leapt into the air with a shout, bringing the Tessaiga slamming down towards his brother with a burst of power. The force travelled along the ground, kicking up clouds of dust. Sesshomaru rose through the debris into the air.

"Too slow," he hissed before bolting back down towards Inuyasha, his poison claws connecting with Tessaiga's blade. The resulting force sent a wave of poisons barrelling in all directions and pushed Inuyasha back. He coughed the toxins from his lungs but then Sesshomaru was pressing into his space. He didn't have time to react before a fist connected with his face, knocking him off his feet and sending him crashing into the ground.

"That kid is so slow, it's pathetic!" Totosai muttered from where he and the others watched. "Myoga, why did you lie about him using Tessaiga's full power?"

"He used it once before!" Myoga insisted.

"Totosai," Sesshomaru called, glancing over at them. "Don't you feel sorry for Tessaiga? It is no better than a club in Inuyasha's hands. The sword can live or die depending on its master."

Totosai nodded. "A wise observation, I agree."

Sango growled quietly. "Stop agreeing with him, you fool."

"Don't give me that, swordsmith, or you'll _really _have something to worry about," Inuyasha muttered as he climbed to his feet. "I'm only warming up! Just wait 'til you see what I really got!"

He swung at Sesshomaru again, who again dodged effortlessly.

"Oh, no," Myoga muttered from Miroku's shoulder. "The blood's rushed to his head."

Sesshomaru's hand darted out and snatched Inuyasha's wrist. Poison burned along his claws and sank, burning, into Inuyasha's skin. "Do you still refuse to make me a sword, Totosai?" he asked, dangerously low.

Totosai appeared to consider for a long moment, then nodded to himself. He leapt into the air, his cheeks puffing up before he spewed fire from his mouth onto the brothers below. Sesshomaru leapt out of the way while Inuyasha cried out, desperately covering his face with his sleeve. The flames faded away, revealing a smouldering hanyou. He stalked over to where Totosai had landed, smoke still rising from his robes. He struck the old demon across the face before brushing away the singed edges of his hair.

"You absolutely refuse?" Sesshomaru asked, landing lightly across from the scorched earth.

"You ungrateful mongrel!" Totosai shouted at him. "You know as well as I do I've already made you an excellent sword! It's not my fault that you're too stupid to wield Tenseiga!"

Sesshomaru's eyes darted to the sword at his hip, distain on his face.

"You have a great sword of swords," Totosai continued passionately, heedless of Sesshomaru's death glare. "No better and no worse than the Tessaiga, just as your father intended! You should learn to respect and love it, you ungrateful brat!"

Miroku swallowed and pushed Sango further behind the trees between them and Sesshomaru. The inu-demon's voice was deathly calm, his youki rising around him. "Do you dare imply that this useless sword is worthy of me?"

"Oh, I've made you angry, have I?" Totosai cackled. "Time to take our leave!"

He sprang into the air, swinging his hammer above his head and bringing it crashing into the ground. Fire and rock burst from the earth in a flaming torrent towards Sesshomaru. As the inu-demon leapt for safety, Totosai snagged Inuyasha by the robes and dragged him onto his waiting ox demon. Miroku and Sango exchanged a glance and jumped onto Kirara's back with Shippo. She sprang into the air after Totosai's ox, making their escape before Sesshomaru could follow. They hid in the low cloud cover as Totosai patted his mount affectionately.

"Good boy, Mo-Mo," he praised. The ox mooed in response.

"I didn't know you had _that _kind of power!" Shippo gasped at Totosai. "Why are you asking Inuyasha for protection? It should be the other way around!"

Inuyasha growled, while the old demon shook his head forlornly. "Sesshomaru calls his great sword useless, and Inuyasha _is _useless with his great sword! How I overestimated the both of you."

"So, Sesshomaru," Sango said, glancing between Miroku and Inuyasha. "Not much for brotherly affection?"

"Indeed," Miroku nodded. "He's a little…"

"He's an evil, selfish bastard with no regard for anyone's life but his own!" Inuyasha spat.

Miroku shrugged. "I was going to say 'unfriendly', but…"

They landed Kirara and Mo-Mo in a clearing by the river. As Inuyasha began cleaning the soot from his face and combing out the burnt ends of his hair with his fingers, Miroku turned to Totosai. "You made Sesshomaru's sword?"

"I sure could use a bite to eat," Totosai grumbled, ignoring the monk. "I'm practically fading away from hunger!"

"I'm hungry, too!" Shippo piped in helpfully.

Inuyasha heaved a sigh and turned to the swordsmith. "Look, if I find you something to eat, will you tell us about Sesshomaru's sword?"

Totosai nodded enthusiastically. Inuyasha sniffed the air, immediately picking up the scent of wild boar. He quickly tracked it down and killed it, carrying it back to the group. Totosai babbled delightedly as they set up a spit, and used his flaming breath to set the fire.

"So Tenseiga," Inuyasha prompted as they sat down around him. "Is it really as powerful as Tessaiga?"

"Its abilities are unlike anything I've heard of before," Totosai said wistfully. "When your father commissioned me to make it, I shuddered at the very thought of its immense powers!"

"And yet Sesshomaru refuses to use it," Miroku commented dryly. "I've never seen it out of its sheath. Have you, Inuyasha?"

"No, now that you mention it."

"The Great Dog General gave me two fangs," Totosai continued, lost in his own world. "The elder brother was to have Tenseiga, and the younger the Tessaiga. His instructions were very specific. Sesshomaru just isn't impressed with a sword that doesn't cut."

"Doesn't cut?" Inuyasha spluttered. "No wonder! Who the hell would want something like that? How're you supposed to even fight with it?"

"The Tenseiga is not a sword you use against foes," Totosai corrected. "It is a sword of _healing._ The Tessaiga is to defeat the powerful, but the Tenseiga is to save the lives of the weak."

"A sword that saves lives?" Sango asked. "I've never heard of anything like it!"

"If the bearer truly has kindness of heart towards humanity, then the Tenseiga may save a hundred in one sweep," Totosai nodded.

"How can that be used as a weapon?" Sango asked.

"It can turn the tide of a battle," Miroku murmured. "Such an ability could be very useful in these warring times."

"I almost called the sword the Coffin-Cheater, but Tenseiga was more classy," Totosai reminisced. "Actually, it was Lord Tōga that suggested the name!"

"So my father wanted you to make a sword for each of us," Inuyasha said, shaking his head. "No wonder Sesshomaru's pissed! He can't use his! He's a dried up husk of a demon with no soul. He could never feel kindness towards anyone!"

"He wouldn't be happy with it, even if he could use it," Totosai sighed mournfully. "Even though it was your father's last wish." He poked at the wild boar and licked his lips. "A well-roasted pig indeed!"

Everyone took a step towards the roast, ready to eat. Totosai lifted up the boar by the spit, unhinged his jaw, and swallowed the entire thing whole. His previously concave belly stuck out like a ball. Shippo wailed and Kirara stared at him with an absolutely heartbroken expression.

"Huh?" Totosai said, looking at the stick in his hand. "Where'd the roast go?"

Sango shared a glare with Miroku. "Can I stab _him?_" she muttered quietly.

"I didn't realize your sword was also your inheritance from your father," Jaken said as they walked along the swamp. "Why don't you use it, Master? What kind of power does it hold? It must be something remarkable!"

Sesshomaru stopped with a flash of annoyance. "You want to know, Jaken?"

"The idea of two swords forged from your father's fangs is extremely intriguing!" the imp prattled on, unaware. "It's like the swords are two brothers born from the same father, and yet…" His heartrate jumped as he realized his mistake. "Not that I mean to compare it to you and Inuyasha, Lord Sesshomaru! I'm not at all concerned that your hanyou brother can wield his sword! It doesn't make him more powerful- I'm sure you would use yours if you could- I mean-"

"Jaken!" Sesshomaru snapped.

"…yessir?" Jaken turned around slowly, trembling.

Sesshomaru unsheathed Tenseiga and slashed the imp across the chest. A pink light shone from the blade and trailed after Jaken as he fell to the ground. Sesshomaru almost sighed.

"Get up, Jaken. You're fine."

Jaken gasped as he realized that he was, indeed, alive and unharmed. "How can this be?" he asked, springing to his feet. "It's impossible! You just cut me in half!"

"Do you see now?" Sesshomaru asked flatly. "This useless Tenseiga is a sword that cannot kill."

"What's it good for, then?" Jaken asked as he sheathed the sword.

"Precisely."

A rumbling sound came from the swamp. Sesshomaru pursed his lips. This was why they had come. His father had seen fit to bestow upon him a useless sword, while blessing Inuyasha with its powerful twin. He would claim his rightful inheritance. When the dragon burst from the swamp, he met it with flashing claws and a wave of youki. He formed a light-whip with his claws, slicing the kami's head clean off. As it fell to the ground, another flash of power severed its arm from its body. Sesshomaru stepped forward and picked up the limb.

"This dragon has given me a gift," he said. "Now I can return and claim what is owed to me."

"I'll be off, now!" Totosai informed them jauntily, climbing onto Mo-Mo's back.

"Looks like he finally got tired of us feeding him," Inuyasha grumbled, incredibly peeved about the evening, night, and morning spent fishing and hunting, only to have everything disappear down the old demon's gullet.

"You're leaving?" Miroku asked flatly. "Just like that?"

"Well, Inuyasha's not exactly much protection for me," Totosai said.

"Let him go," Inuyasha growled. "The old geezer would only slow us down. I hope Sesshomaru _does _find him!"

Totosai's head whipped around, and his eyes narrowed. He jumped from Mo-Mo's back and reached for Inuyasha's sword. "Give it back! The Tessaiga is useless in your hands! It would be better off as scrap metal!"

Inuyasha snarled at him. "Any part of you that touches me or my sword is getting removed."

Totosai huffed and made an about turn. "Don't say I didn't warn ya!"

He leapt back onto Mo-Mo's back and smacked the ox's flank with his hammer. Mo-Mo shot forward, leaving a trail of dust behind him as he disappeared down the road.

"He's certainly not afraid to speak his mind," Miroku observed.

"He's either extremely brave, or extremely senile," Sango agreed.

"Should we go after him?" Miroku asked Inuyasha. "He never actually said how to control Tessaiga's power."

"I think it's better for everyone sanity if we leave the old fart to it," Inuyasha drawled, earning several nods of agreement.

A mooing sound came from behind them, and they all turned.

"And, he's back," Miroku sighed.

Mo-Mo was running toward them at breakneck speeds. Slowly, a white orb of light began growing from behind him. Inuaysha's heart sank as he recognized the concentrated youki. The orb caught Totosai and Mo-Mo, sending them flying through the air and crashing to the ground.

"Sesshomaru!" Inuyasha growled.

"Stay put, or I will tear you all to shreds," Sesshomaru warned as the dust cleared.

Totosai yelped and ran to hide behind Inuyasha. The hanyou sighed. "Listen, old man. You've got no intention of making Sesshomaru a new sword, _right?_"

"No!"

"Ya hear that?" he called out to Sesshomaru. "I've had it up to here with you and all this shit about the Tessaiga. Let's settle this once and for all!"

"Rest assured," Sesshomaru said, raising his left arm, to which the claw of a mighty dragon was fastened. "It will all end today. You may have won the Tessaiga, and you may be collecting mortals and weak demons, but you have no power to beat me – not without the Wind Scar."

Before Inuyasha could question what the hell _that _was, Sesshomaru darted forward, his dragon's arm clamping hard over Tessaiga's blade. Sparks flew, power surged along the sword, and the blade began to quiver under the force of it.

* * *

You put Kaede, Kura, Mushin, and Totosai alone in a room together. What happens next?

I'll be editing this work soon to update the formatting a bit. My apologies to anyone following the story who gets spammed with emails as a result.

Because apparently I am not my own friend, I've decided to start a oneshot-type series in correlation with this one. It will be filled with tidbits and explorations that don't really fit with the story or are non-canonical, and I'm absolutely open to suggestions! If I really like your prompt, it may either enter into this main story or accidentally become its own spinoff series. This will not interfere with the posting schedule on this story at all, never fear!


	35. Chapter 35: s2e08

Warnings for this chapter: child death, violence toward a child, mass slaughter by wild animals, depictions of gore and violence

* * *

The Tessaiga was slowly being pushed back from the force of Sesshomaru's arm, jolts of energy travelling through the blade. The remnant energy from the dragon's claw clashed violently with the sword's.

"Is that all the power you can muster?" Sesshomaru mocked, pressing further forward.

Inuyasha grunted with the sheer force pushing against him. He couldn't hold off for much longer. Sesshomaru raised his free hand and slashed it down at Inuyasha, catching him across the face with his poison claws. Inuyasha gasped and stumbled back, swiping once at the wound before turning on his brother with a growl.

"I see you've found another ugly army for me to chop off," he taunted.

"Go ahead and try it," Sesshomaru responded, holding up the claw menacingly as raw power sizzled along its length. "This will shield against the Tessaiga."

"I don't understand," Sango muttered quietly, glancing between the brothers. "Sesshomaru could defeat a dragon, but he can't stand against Inuyasha? Just the claw of a dragon has a great deal more power than exists in a typical youkai."

"He's gonna need it," Inuyasha growled. "I don't give a damn about how powerful it is – it won't do any better than the last two I ripped off! I've already taken a chunk of it off with my sword!"

Sango blinked in surprise and shot a questioning look at Miroku, who shrugged rather helplessly. They both turned their attention back to Sesshomaru, who had a small smirk eerily creeping its way across his face.

"The Tessaiga _is _amazing," the inu-demon purred. "Despite being kept from its true owner, its power is still formidable – yet it refuses to reveal the Wind Scar to the one it is burdened with. Tessaiga," he called out, seemingly to the sword itself. "Cut through the emptiness and reveal your power!"

Inuyasha snarled and lifted Tessaiga higher, shifting the blade to stand across his body like a shield. Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed and he launched himself forward, striking at the blade with his dragon's claw.

"Wait, does Sesshomaru actually want to _take_ the Tessaiga?" Sango asked in disbelief.

"He's been after it twice already," Miroku informed her quietly. "Both times I've met him, he was trying to take the sword."

"And he's always talking about how it's his rightfully his," Shippo chimed in from Miroku's shoulder.

"But demons can't even touch it!" Sango said.

"Hence the arm," Miroku nodded.

Sango's brows furrowed. "That seems impractical in the long-term."

"He desperately wants the Tessaiga's power," Totosai shook his head. "Andhe must be able to see the Wind Scar. _And _he knows how to wield a sword. Maybe I should just give him both of them."

"Don't even think about it," Miroku growled quietly, tapping the old man's head with his staff. "Now, what's the Wind Scar?"

"Simply put, the Wind Scar is the secret to mastering the Tessaiga," Totosai explained, waving his arm in a grandiose, story-teller fashion. "Slaying a hundred demons in one sweep would be virtually impossible unless you can see the Wind Scar. It is connected to the power within the sword, the wielder, and the enemy all at once. Only a great master can see it, and Sesshomaru can!"

"Can you teach Inuyasha to do the same?" Sango asked.

Totosai snorted and guffawed. "You can't just teach someone to see something like that! You humans and your quaint ideas. Inuyasha must discover it within himself, and if he does not, then he will die here."

Inuyasha spared a heartbeat away from Sesshomaru's merciless attacks to shoot a glare at Totosai. If he survived this battle, he would rip the old demon to shreds. But Sesshomaru was relentless, pushing him further and further back with each strike of his demon claws. Tessaiga's blade was vibrating under the force of it, letting out a worrying metallic ringing. Though Inuyasha's arm was aching from holding off against the brunt of the attacks, he barely had to move the sword at all – it was almost as though Sesshomaru was aiming right for it. He was also using brute strength and nothing else, not his light whip or other tricks. Other than the burn on his wrist from Sesshomaru's poison claws, Inuyasha didn't have a mark on him. This wasn't how his brother usually attacked, and it made him decidedly nervous.

"It's almost as though Sesshomaru is toying with him," Sango murmured, her eyes darting between the two brothers. "He's not even aiming for him."

"He rarely goes for the kill," Miroku shook his head. "I've seen the power he can unleash even without the sword. He's nearly killed Inuyasha several times, but not until they've fought for ages first."

Increasingly violent strikes sent Inuyasha stumbling back, Tessaiga screeching as sparks flew from the blade. Sesshomaru raised his dragon's arm above his head and brought it down in a final, powerful blow. It caught Inuyasha and sent him off his feet, crashing and skidding across the ground. Miroku and Sango both took an instinctive step forward, hands grasping their weapons. Inuyasha propped himself up on his elbows, ears pinned back as he stared at his sword. The blade was vibrating intensely, sending an even louder ringing through the air.

"It's like the Tessaiga is crying," Sango gasped.

"Sesshomaru's attacking the sword," Miroku added. "What could he possibly be trying to accomplish?"

"Oh, it's appalling!" Totosai wailed beside them. "He keeps on hacking away at the sword. Even the Tessaiga will eventually break under that kind of power!"

Inuyasha rolled to his feet just in time to dodge another attack, but Sesshomaru gave him no moment's rest. He continued to strike at the blade, not even sparing a glance at the one holding it. Inuyasha could see that he wasn't fighting with him, but with the actual Tessaiga. Fucking fantastic. How the hell was he supposed to counter that? This time he saw the dragon's arm raise higher than normal – alright, he had to admit that Sango was right, it was pretty obvious – but he couldn't get out of the way in time. The bone-shattering blow threw him to the ground once more, his arm screaming in protest from the force absorbed through his sword.

"Inuyasha!" Sango called out, running forward with Hiraikotsu raised over her head.

"Stay back!" Inuyasha snarled at her, causing her to skid to a halt mid-step. "Don't interfere! I will kill Sesshomaru, and I'll do it with the Tessaiga!"

Sango shot him an incredulous look before sending another questioning glance at Miroku. The monk frowned deeply, his eyes fixed on the two brothers as he slowly plucked Shippo from his shoulder and lowered him to the ground. He didn't move, though his left hand made a futile motion towards his mala beads.

Inuyasha held Sesshomaru's gaze as Sango made her retreat. Sesshomaru was trying to break Tessaiga, and there was no way he could just sit back and let that happen. It wasn't just that he couldn't let Sesshomaru have the satisfaction – and words couldn't describe how much he couldn't stand the thought of what the bastard's smug face would look like if he did – but he needed Tessaiga. Naraku was getting stronger all the time, especially with the new body he'd crafted for himself. They needed every advantage possible to stand against him, and that included Tessaiga.

"Is he always like this when his brother's around?" Sango asked as Miroku stepped to her side.

"More or less," he said wearily. "But Inuyasha has tapped into the Tessaiga's full power before. I know it was only once, but it proves he's capable of doing it again. We need to trust that he knows what he's doing."

Sango wished that it was an easier thing to do. She'd gotten to the point where she thought she _could _trust the hanyou, but the wild look in his eyes made her uneasy. He wasn't as in control as he normally was, and just like with Kikyo, his emotions appeared to be driving him more than his reason. She trusted that Inuyasha could tap into the Tessaiga's power once more, but he needed to do it quickly. Damn his pride if he thought she would simply watch while he died at his brother's hands.

"Why don't you roar, Tessaiga?" Sesshomaru taunted. "Then you shall die, along with your weakened master."

He leapt forward once more. Inuyasha lifted the sword up to meet the attack. Sesshomaru caught the blade easily in the dragon's claws, his other hand lifting up, curled in a fist. There was no time for Inuyasha to consider what he was doing, he simply moved. Tessaiga shifted to the side, he stepped forward, and Sesshomaru's fist landed solidly against his head. His vision whited out for a moment, and the skin of his brow split open at the impact, but a feral grin spread across his face. Sesshomaru looked as nonplussed and pissed as Inuyasha had ever seen him.

"You're protecting your sword?" the inu-demon growled, finally acknowledging Inuyasha once more.

"Why would I let you bust up the Tessaiga before I even have the chance to use its true power on you?" Inuyasha asked mockingly, even as blood dripped down his face.

Sesshomaru snarled, pulled back his fist, and struck again in the same spot. This time, poison flowed from his fingers. Inuyasha cried out and stumbled back as it spread across his face. He swiped his sleeve across his eyes but it was no use – he couldn't see! Sesshomaru's poison had seeped into his eyes, and his nose stung with the scent of blood and toxins. Inuyasha kept his hears pricked, honing in on the heartbeats of all those around him. He heard Sesshomaru's soft chuckle, the feather-light tap of his feet as he stepped back to survey his work. Then there was a light scraping sound, and Inuyasha just _knew _that his brother had leapt for him.

He honed in on Sesshomaru by his heartbeat and scent, marking the trail of his youki as he rose further above him. To his shock, a faint black vortex formed in his mind's eye when he focused on the presence, the youki forming a distinct mark. He brought up Tessaiga instinctually and felt claws connect with the blade, sending out another shower of sparks and sharp ringing through the air. The vortex in his mind flashed and sizzled – Sesshomaru had struck with his bare fist, not the dragon's claw, and Tessaiga rejected his demonic presence.

Inuyasha was unsteady on his feet, wildly guessing at the placement of each swinging blow, but this newfound sense seemed to be letting him block Sesshomaru's fist. He darted back a few steps, letting the vortex form again in his mind's eye. Swirling blue-black clouds crashed together in his mind's eye, pushed and pulled by some invisible source. He could almost hear the wind scraping, driving the power forward – oh _hey!_ Bright, sizzling energy sparked along the fissure where the waves of Sesshomaru's youki swirled and collided in on itself. Tessaiga seemed to hum in his hands, growing warm with its own power. Oh _hell _yes! He struck, and he could feel the energy releasing from the Tessaiga and go shooting forward. The bright golden wave lit up both his mind and his fuzzy vision as it sliced through Sesshomaru's youki.

Miroku and Sango drew in a breath in unison as the golden wave of power burst from Tessaiga and crashed into Sesshomaru. The inu-demon cried out, his eyes flashing bright red as he was flung backwards, his body enveloped in the light. The line of power surged forward regardless, and both of them realized its trajectory. In a heartbeat, they had both grabbed whichever small demon was closest to them and vaulted over Mo-Mo's flank to where Totosai was hiding. Sango slammed Hiraikotsu into the ground and braced for impact while Miroku sparked a spiritual barrier to life just as the wave caught them. He grunted at the impact, the barrier flaring white and beginning to dissolve under the force. Just as he thought they were doomed, a crackle of lightning surged around them, crashing into the Tessaiga's power and dissolving it. As the attack faded, the sparks of energy sizzled back around Mo-Mo, who continued chewing his cud obliviously.

Inuyasha gasped as Tessaiga's power, brighter than anything he'd ever seen before, burned in his mind. But there was something else there, a bottomless blue-tinged darkness that seemed to swallow the power up. He had no idea what it was, but it flashed across his mind and blocked out everything else, including Sesshomaru's youki. When the darkness faded and his vision returned, his brother was nowhere to be seen. The shattered remains of the metal armour at his shoulder lay on the ground. Six deep gouges were cut into the earth, spreading out from where he stood in an arc. Alarm coursed through him as the one furthest to the right reached all the way to where the others had been standing. But they were all crouching behind Totosai's ox demon, shocked confusion on their faces.

As the last hint of Tessaiga's energy faded, Inuyasha fell to his knees in utter exhaustion. It felt like the blow had taken everything he had – but he didn't feel drained. Instead, it was like something had awakened deep inside of him. A new force buzzed along the corners of his mind, tantalizing and just out of reach. Was it over? Did he win? He cast out his mind but could find no trace of Sesshomaru's presence. Footsteps pounded towards him then his pack was surrounding him. Several hands braced against him and he mumbled reassuringly.

"You need to wash the poison from your eyes before more damage is done," Sango told him firmly, helping him up with a hand on his sleeve. They led him to the nearby river, where he crouched down and splashed water on his face several times.

"Perhaps you're not as utterly useless as I thought," Totosai commented from somewhere behind him, and he sounded pleasantly surprised.

Inuyasha growled low in his throat. "Gee, thanks." He rubbed at his eyes and blinked a few times. The world was still a tinge blurry. At least his head wound had stopped bleeding. He turned to face Totosai. "So, that's the Wind Scar?"

"Lucky for you," Totosai sighed. "Hand over your sword, young pup. The Tessaiga is stressed beyond belief. I need to fix her up if you don't want her shattering the next time you use her."

With a reluctant look, Inuyasha pulled the sword from its sheath and held it out for the old demon to take before turning back to the water. "Sango," he called out. "If Totosai even _thinks _about breaking it, kill him."

"On it," came Sango's immediate reply, sending a grin to his face.

"I knew you could do it!" Shippo chirped, hanging off his sleeve. "It was amazing! I've never seen anything like it – well, except when Sesshomaru did it before. But this time was even better!"

Inuyasha pursed his lips and patted the fox stiffly on the head. He heard a hastily covered-up laugh-cough coming from Miroku's direction and shot the monk a glare for good measure.

"Does that mean that Sesshmaru's dead?" Shippo asked, looking between the various adults.

"I don't see how he could have survived," Miroku said, sobering significantly. "He received a direct blow from a fully-empowered Tessaiga."

"Hah!" Totosai harrumphed, puffing out his cheeks and blowing a stream of fire across the Tessaiga. He tapped along the red-hot blade with his long hammer, feeling out the strained spots. "I didn't see Inuyasha made a direct blow. All he did was wildly swing his sword around."

"What're you saying, old man?" Inuyasha asked, stalking over to him as he blew more fire onto the Tessaiga.

"Listen, Inuyasha," Totosai sighed, looking weary. "You discovered the Wind Scar, I'll give you that much, but all it means is that you now know what your brother knows. You're still not his equal, and now he is even more formidable than before!"

"You believe Sesshomaru is still alive?" Miroku asked the old demon.

"Of _course _he's still alive!" Totosai scoffed. "As much as he hates the Tenseiga, it protected his life. You can see why I'm fed up with both of these whelps, can't you?"

"How did Tenseiga protect him?" Sango asked.

Totosai completely ignored her and turned to look at Inuyasha as he continued to hammer away at Tessaiga. "You didn't _feel_ the Wind Scar strike him, did you?"

Inuyasha huffed and looked away, ears twitching in unease. "Hard to say. I was blinded! His youki felt like it disintegrated from the blast, but it didn't feel like I destroyed his body or nothin' – he just sort of disappeared."

"Tenseiga dark shield protected Sesshomaru against the power and light of Tessaiga," Totosai explained, pulling a whetstone from his robes and beginning to sharpen the blade. "It acted on its own accord to save its master, just as I'm sure the Tessaiga has done for you." He heaved a deep sigh. "And here he called the Tenseiga a useless sword, and despised it as his birthright! Of all the ungrateful, hot-headed mongrels-"

"You said that Tenseiga's purpose was to save those in need," Miroku cut him off easily. "So when Sesshomaru's life was in danger, it chose to save him. It makes him invincible against the Tessaiga!"

"Well, fuck," Inuyasha said simply, plopping down to sit at the riverbank.

Miroku couldn't help but nod in agreement. It certainly was convenient – a little too convenient, all things considered. Two swords, made from the same source, which prevented the owners from fighting against one another? Totosai had said that Inuyasha's father had specifically requested which sword was to be given to which son. Inuyasha, a hanyou facing a life of adversity – including his older brother – was given a powerful weapon that was untouchable by demons. Sesshomaru, who hated humans and hanyou, was given a sword of healing that also protected him from his younger brother's weapon. Had the Great Lord Tōga ensured that his sons' inheritance would make it futile for them to fight one another? Not that it necessarily prevented them trying, but at least they couldn't hack each other to bits with the swords he had gifted them.

"Do you suppose he'll be back for Tessaiga?" Sango asked, looking between Inuyasha and Miroku.

"Who knows?" Miroku shrugged. "He may know that he's protected from Tessaiga's attacks and be emboldened to try again, but he also knows that Inuyasha discovered the Wind Scar. Tenseiga may have saved his life, but I can't imagine he escaped unharmed. He's not the only one who's a formidable opponent."

"The idiot," Inuyasha smirked. "He practically handed me the secret to the Wind Scar when he blinded me." He caught the look that passed between Miroku and Sango. "What?"

"What do you mean, handed it to you?" Miroku asked cautiously.

"I'm not saying he meant to, or anything, but when I couldn't see anything else, the Wind Scar formed in my mind. It's like I could visualize the flow of his power, and knew exactly where to strike."

"Huh," Sango said, looking like she had a lot more to say.

"Interesting," Miroku agreed.

"_What?_" Inuyasha growled dangerously. "What're you two getting at?"

"I'm simply agreeing that it's an odd coincidence that his actions led to you discovering the Wind Scar," Sango said uncertainly. "I can't imagine that he would have done it on purpose…"

"Of course he didn't!" Inuyasha snapped.

"Of course not," Miroku echoed, nodding thoughtfully to himself.

Inuyasha growled as he glanced between them. "Don't you dare try and take this away from me! Why the hell would that heartless, slimy bastard give me the Wind Scar? He was pissed and tried to _blind _me!"

"Very true," Miroku agreed.

"It shouldn't have been at all difficult to unleash the Wind Scar," Totosai muttered. "No wonder it happened by accident."

"Are you done with the sword, or what?" Inuyasha snapped, glaring at the old man.

"As much as I can be," Totosai proclaimed dramatically. "You'd better take good care of her, Inuyasha! Just because you unleased the sword's power doesn't mean you can throw her around like the reckless half-wit you have been."

"Give me my sword back so I can stab you with it," Inuyasha growled, reaching for the blade.

Totosai leaps into the air and onto Mo-Mo, shooting Inuyasha a reproachful look. "You should be thanking me, you ungrateful whelp! I've sharpened the sword to perfection. You need to focus on training yourself to somehow defeat Sesshomaru and Tenseiga."

He tapped Mo-Mo on the flank and the ox began walking away. Inuyasha bared his teeth and looked away.

"Thank you, Totosai!" Shippo called after them. "Bye, Mo-Mo!"

xXx

The setting sun painted the sky with dozens of brilliant colours. It was the first thing that Sesshomaru saw as he slowly came back to himself, his youki fading away. Instinct had taken over when his life was in danger, and he hadn't even registered flying away. He couldn't believe it – almost killed by a hanyou's lucky strike. The blow hadn't broken his skin, but it had cut through some power deep inside himself, had struck his very core and left him weak. And to be saved by Tenseiga, of all things! He glanced down to where the sword thrummed softly with power. He had never felt its presence before, simply a dead weight at his side that he kept through pure obligation to his father's wishes. Now it was dormant no longer.

He could feel the world settling around him as his senses returned, but humans were barely enough to note. Therefore the rustling of leaves startled him, snapped his youki back to full force. He shot upright, eyes blazing red and baring his fangs as his power flared around him. The small human child gasped and shrank back against the tree. It blinked at him with wide eyes before its mouth set into a determined line. It took a few tentative steps towards him. Sesshomaru watched with detached interest. The child seemed to pause and consider, thoughts clattering around in its small human mind. When he made no move to acknowledge it, the child turned and ran away through the woods.

How odd.

Sesshomaru closed his eyes, but followed the sounds the child was making as it returned to the village with the other humans. No one acknowledged the youngling, and it didn't speak. Safe to say that it wasn't going to bring a swarm of armed humans down upon him. He dozed, settled just below consciousness. There was nothing to do but wait. His mount would have returned to Jaken, as instructed, and the imp would be looking for him. He would be fine, so long as no powerful youkai found him. Even he had to admit that he wouldn't be able to fight if one did. But within a day his strength would return, and then he would hunt down and kill Totosai.

The sound of footsteps drew him back to himself. The child was returning, a bamboo container grasped in its hands. It stopped a few paces away from him, tentatively setting down the container and backing away. He looked at the child incredulously. Was it truly trying to _feed _him? He wasn't some sickly, lost pup! He was the Lord of the Western Lands, son of the Great Dog General! How _dare_ this human-

It was looking at him. He bared his teeth, and it just blinked back. Was it broken? If so, he would waste no more thought on it. He pointedly looked away, and the child melted back into the forest. But it wasn't gone for long. It was just after dark and the child returned a third time, bearing a roasted fish and three mushrooms on a leaf. It placed them next to the untouched bamboo container and turned to walk away. What a stupid child. It was obviously unkempt: underfed, its hair long and tangled, dirt on its face, barefoot and in a thin kimono despite the ever colder weather. And yet it kept on providing for him? He forced himself to observe it. A young girl, less than a decade of age, no doubt. It was always hard to tell – humans bred and aged like rats – but she was certainly young, too young to be on her own.

"Mind your own business, girl," he muttered disinterestedly, catching her attention. "Your generosity is wasted. I don't eat what humans eat."

The child turned to look at him in surprise. He could hear her heart beating rapidly, but there was no trace of fear in her scent. A small frown furrowed her brow and she continued on her way with determination. He had to admit, his curiosity was piqued. As she returned to her village, he followed her movements. There was faint splashing, a slight sound of satisfaction, then angry male voices.

"I knew it! I knew you were the dirty culprit, Rin!"

"You're a lucky orphan to have the village take you in, but you must not steal fish from the preserve!"

Faint thuds. Grunts. Other barbaric human noises from the adult males.

"If you try this again, we'll beat you to death!"

A final slapping sound. Humans. They couldn't even value their own pups. What barbaric monsters. The village males continued talking about the child as she limped away. They thought she was unusual as well.

"That's a freakish child. She never shows any sign of remorse or fear. Won't even cry!"

"Disaster's left her mute. Her entire family was slaughtered by thieves in front of her and she hasn't spoken since. Can you blame her?"

Barbaric monsters, the lot of them.

The sun rose and Sesshomaru's strength hadn't returned as quickly as he had hoped. The unsightly bruises which had bloomed embarrassingly along his skin had faded away, but every breath was painful and a deep ache had settled in his bones. A familiar rustling sound drew his attention to where the child had returned yet again, carrying a few sprigs of rice on a leaf. He didn't deign her with a glance.

"No thanks."

She stumbled forward a few steps and sank to her knees, holding the leaf out like a sacrifice. Was that it? Did this strange little orphan child believe he was a deity? Well, she wasn't exactly wrong, but she was a fool if she thought she could buy his protection for something so low.

"I told you, I don't need anything from you."

There was a slight sigh of disappointment and a rustle of grass as she placed the leaf on the ground. As much as he tried not to, he could smell the pain on her, and see the bruises marring her face. Her right eye was unable to open entirely.

"Where did you get those bruises?" He didn't know why he asked. Why he cared. He _didn't _care. She didn't speak. Perhaps she truly couldn't? "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to."

The child remained silent. He glanced at her despite himself, and a broad grin spread across her face, including a missing tooth.

"What're you smiling about?" he demanded. "I simply asked a question. I don't care, I'm just curious."

Why in the hell was he justifying himself to a mute human child? Perhaps he truly was dying.

The girl laughed slightly and scampered off. Perhaps she was a simpleton. That would truly explain a great many things. She was simply so unthreatening, even less so than the prickly humans with their simplistic weapons. He enjoyed that she didn't speak. It was a pleasant change from his regular company. Perhaps that was why he had voluntarily spoken to a human for the first time – a moment of weakness towards an otherwise un-noteworthy presence. There was certainly no other reason for it.

A scent on the breeze caught his attention – the smell of wolves and their demon masters. He grimaced. Those filthy lowlifes were an insult to canine demons, but today they may pose an actual threat. There was no way in hell that he was going to allow himself to be killed by a wolf demon, of all things. Thankfully, the wolves weren't interested in him. He could hear screaming from the village as they attacked. Odds were that they wouldn't notice him amidst gorging themselves on humans, the stupid gluttons, but there was no telling what might happen if they discovered him. The hatred between dog and wolf ran deep. It was safer to leave before he gave them the chance to encounter him.

xXx

A howl filled the air, telling him exactly where to go. Kouga smirked and raced forward, following the call and the scent of his prey. He looked forward to killing that worthless lowlife. Simply being a rogue was enough for a death sentence – they were _always_ bad news for packs – but this one had the gall to steal a Jewel shard from him! That demanded blood.

Through the thick scent of human meat which filled the air, Kouga could smell his target. He could hear him, too, even over the din of screaming and growling and crying. He skidded to a stop in time to see his wolves leaping into the lake after the rogue. He chuckled, alerting them all to his presence. The wolves parted respectfully, ears back and tails down, avoiding his gaze. Others grabbed the rogue by his clothes and dragged him to the shore.

"I have to search high and low for you, you dirty thief," Kouga taunted, kneeling down in front of the rogue and lifting him up by a hand clamped to the top of his head. The rogue's one eye bulged out at him. "Now hand over the Jewel shard you stole."

The rogue reached into his pocket with trembling fingers, fear souring his already unpleasant scent. "Alright! I- I won't run!"

He placed the thin pink shard carefully on the ground and retreating, curling up pathetically into himself. Kouga sneered and picked up the shard. He chuckled to himself and turned to walk away.

"You're letting me go?" the rogue gasped. "Thank you for your mercy!"

Kouga stopped. The nerve of such a creature addressing him! He slashed behind him with his claws, not bothering to look back. The rogue's scream turned into a gargle as he choked on his own blood. "You fool! I would have forgotten." He shook the blood from his fingers and addressed his wolves. "Alright, work's done. I'm going on ahead. You can stay in the village and eat what you like. Catch up when you're done."

The wolves whined happily and wagged their tails, darting off in all directions. They had done well, and they deserved a treat – especially considering everything going on back at the den. They had put together a hunting party on a moment's notice! Kouga slid the Jewel shard back into his arm and took off running. He was needed at home, and the wolves would make their own way back. The human screams continued to fill the air, but he wasn't enticed. He had much bigger prey to focus on.

xXx

They made their way back to the previous town. After two nights sleeping outside, they were exhausted from restless sleep and keeping watch. And dealing with Totosai. After the old man left the previous evening, they kept on expecting him to pop up again any moment. Miroku had many more questions about the swordsmith – including where to find him, in the unfortunate event that they should need him again – but Myoga had yet to resurface after disappearing when Sesshomaru first arrived. He also wanted to know more about Sesshomaru. Presumably the flea had known him long before Inuyasha was born, as a servant of their father. He had guessed a fair amount about the family dynamics simply from observing, but he had a sneaking suspicion that there was more to the inu-youkai than he initially thought.

There was a faint, familiar tug at the back of his mind, and Miroku slowed to a stop. The others slowed in turn, already reaching for their weapons. He glanced behind them, back to the village they had been sent to investigate two days prior.

"It's faint, but I think there's a Jewel shard nearby," he told the others.

"At the village?" Inuyasha asked. "Think it's that weasel they told us about?"

"I'm not sure," Miroku frowned, feeling a fuzzy youkai presence at the edge of his mind. "There's definitely something happening over there."

"We should look into it," Sango said. "Even if there's not a Jewel shard, we should help these people. We can make it to Kaede's village tomorrow either way."

The others nodded and turned to walk back the way they had come. Though he didn't know why, Miroku griped his staff tighter as he cast out his mind for any signs of danger. Something didn't feel right.

xXx

A familiar scent in the air alerted Sesshomaru to Jaken's presence. He glanced up, seeing his two-headed mount with the imp at the reins, scouring the forest below. They were slowly heading in his direction, and he sat back, waiting. The wolves were far away yet, and he wanted to see how Jaken approached the situation. He could just make out the imp calling for him, begging him to answer. Good. However, anger and fear spiked through Jaken's faint scent, and then the traitorous imp steered his mount to land in a nearby meadow. Sesshomaru instantly moved to investigate. He would not tolerate disloyalty.

Jaken was muttering to himself, as he was apt to do, and playing with a flower while perched on the two-headed mount's back. What a disgrace.

"Lord Sesshomaru!" Jaken wailed gratingly to the sky. "Would you have let me die? You ungrateful dog!"

A small stone was not quite all that Sesshomaru wanted to hurl at the imp, but it sufficed to knock him off the mount. The two-heads of the dragon both rose from the ground, blinking at their master. Sesshomaru approached, interested to see how things played out.

"Lord Sesshomaru!" Jaken shrieked, jumping back onto one of the reptilian heads. "Before I continue in your service, were you actually testing your sword on me back at the swamp?"

Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed. "I expected a relieved welcome from you, Jaken, not an interrogation."

Jaken's scent flared with fear and he instantly backpedaled. "Err, well…I'm so glad to see you well – I thought you might be dead!"

Another rock was conveniently nearby for him to throw at the imp, once again striking him in the face. Jaken squealed as he picked himself up off the ground. Sesshomaru was prepared to intimidate him some more, but a gust of wind brought with it a familiar scent. The combination of wolves and human blood was not unexpected, but he recognized this blood. He didn't know what compelled him forward. He didn't know why the scent of this particular human bothered him in death. He flew back to the edge of the forest, trusting Jaken to follow with his mount. He walked along the dark forest path, along the scent trail blazed by several visits.

The sight of the child lying dead on the ground brought him to a halt. Her eyes were open and glassy, the clawing scent of death mingling with her blood and the stench of wolves. Sesshomaru couldn't describe the strange emotion building in his chest. He truly hadn't considered that the child would be killed with the rest of the village. He felt remorseful, almost guilty for her death. What was wrong with him?

"What is _that?_" Jaken asked, jumping from the mount and scurrying over to the girl. Sesshomaru didn't bother questioning why it made him want to tear the imp to shreds. "Whew, she's a goner! Must have been attacked by wolves. Look at the teeth markings!"

Every word built flashing red rage in Sesshomaru's vision. It was a highly peculiar feeling. He couldn't help but envision the child's face as she laughed and smiled.

"Do you recognize this pathetic human?" Jaken asked, turning back to him.

No. No he did not. Lord Sesshomaru would never stoop so low as to hold a human in his thoughts. And yet he did. A pang of _something_ shot through him, making him grimace. Tenseiga pulsed at his side. His eyes drifted to the sword curiously. Almost of its own accord, his hand reached out and grasped the sword, pulling it from its sheath. A faint pulse of blue light shone from the blade. Jaken was squawking a panicked question but Sesshomaru soundly ignored him, focusing on the odd whisper emanating from the sword.

He turned his attention back to the child. Faint blurred lines soon manifested into a cluster of youkai, messengers underworld gathering around the girl to claim her soul. He had never seen them before, and yet through Tenseiga, he could feel their presence.

"I shall perform another test," he said quietly. "I'll use the Tenseiga."

The sword pulsed in response, its influence growing stronger. He slashed experimentally across the youkai. A blaze of blue light shone from the blade as they disintegrated with a screech. Fascinating. And yet Tenseiga was not satisfied. He knelt down beside the child, propping up her head with his hand. This sword supposedly held great power. Had it truly been awakened? The child's heart stuttering to life forced a gasp from him. He kept his gaze fixed on her face as her brows furrowed and eyes opened. Jaken was shrieking away behind them but Sesshomaru was lost in the child's wide, brown eyes. She looked upon him without fear. All of her wounds – everything from the wolf bites to the bruises from the other villagers – had completely vanished.

An unexpected wave of relief washed over him, and that was enough. He had to resist dropping the girl entirely. She slid easily from his grasp as he rose, clambering to her feet after him. He turned and walked back without a word, eager to return to his mount and be gone from this cursed place. Jaken continued to yammer behind him, and he seriously considered killing the imp. He had discovered Sesshomaru's previous test with Tenseiga, piecing together that his master truly had no guarantee of his survival when striking him with the sword at the swamp. What Jaken didn't know was that he had no particular qualms about it, either.

He reached for his two-headed mount. If Jaken did not come quickly, he would leave him behind. Instead, the patter of human feet rushed after him. He did not know what to make of that. Tenseiga compelled him to save a human life. Did that make her his responsibility? He sincerely hoped not. And yet, the girl's entire village had been eaten by wolves. She had nowhere to go. And for some reason, the thought bothered him.

When the girl arrived at his side, he wordlessly lifted her onto his mount's back, to resulting screeches from Jaken. He would allow this small human child the honour of his presence until the next human village they came upon. Then he could be rid of her and the unpleasant emotions growing in his mind.

xXx

Inuyasha could smell the blood long before they reached the village. His first thought was that this was another of Naraku's horrible traps, but the scent of wolf soon drove the thought from his mind. Horrified gasps rose from his companions as they passed between the first houses, seeing the bodies littering the ground. It was far bloodier than any they had come across in the past, except perhaps the destruction of the slayers' village. The people here had been absolutely torn to shreds, many with large chunks of their bodies missing.

"Hey!" Shippo called out, jumping from Miroku's shoulder even as the monk tried to grab him. "Is anyone here left alive?"

"Was this done by a pack of wolves?" Sango asked, eyeing the tooth marks on the bodies and paw prints scattered across the ground.

"There must have been a large pack," Miroku muttered. "Could they be driven by the Jewel shard?"

"Probably," Inuyasha sniffed angrily. "This is too organized for regular wolves. They were led by a wolf demon."

Faint growling reached his ears and he snarled in turn, his ears flicking back as he dropped to a crouch. Wolves began to appear from behind the houses, bloodied saliva dripping from their jaws. Miroku and Sango both shifted to cover the sides of their group, both readying their weapons as Shippo scurried back onto Miroku's shoulder. Soon they were surrounded, though none of the wolves seemed eager to be the first to attack.

"Keh, these are stray," Inuyasha sneered, eyeing the wolves. "Their leader isn't even here! They're useless unless they're in a pack. Let's teach them a lesson!"

He didn't bother unsheathing Tessaiga, simply struck with his claws. Sango sent Hiraikotsu in a sweeping circle around them, cutting through a good number of the wolves. Miroku stayed near her, protecting Shippo while taking out any wolf that came too close with his staff. As a few of them began closing in from behind, Kirara jumped forward, transforming as she did so. The wolves yelped in surprise when faced with the giant neko and ran, tails between their legs.

Howling drew his attention to a nearby hill, where some of the wolves had gathered. They lifted their heads and called in unison. Calling the rest of their pack! Inuyasha swore and dropped back to the others. Wolves were no threat, but a pack of wolf demons could pose a real challenge.

xXx

The howls on the wind drew Kouga to a stop. He listened intently and his eyes widened as the information passed though. They needed him back, and quickly. Someone was attacking! Someone had slaughtered his wolves! Kouga snarled and spun around, running back to the human village. They may not be wolf demons, but they were still pack. It was as much a matter of pride and personal insult as it was an attack on his kind. He would be glad to rip apart whoever was killing his kin!

xXx

Light flashed through Miroku's mind and his gaze snapped to the outskirts of the village. "There are Jewel shards quickly approaching," he warned the others. "I don't know what or how many."

Inuyasha growled and rushed to the front of the group, placing himself between his pack and the approaching demon. He could smell the wolf stench rising from the newcomer. He arrived in the form of a whirlwind, which dissipated to reveal the wolf demon leader. He slid to a stop before them, dressed in wolf pelts with a sword strapped to his hip. The wolves instantly gathered around him, whining and apparently speaking to him in a language he could understand. The demon's eyes darted to Inuyasha and narrowed dangerously.

"Just who are you?" the demon asked in a growling voice. "Explain yourselves or die now. Why did you kill my wolves?"

Miroku's eyes darted over the demon's body, noting the glow of three Jewel shards, one in his right arm and one in each leg. That explained the demon's ferocious speed!

"So you're the one controlling this bloodthirsty pack," Inuyasha snarled, reaching slowly for Tessaiga.

The demon growled in return, his eyes darting over the group, selecting his prey.

* * *

Hey everyone. I'm sorry for not uploading Tuesday. I really wanted to take advantage of my less busy schedule, but my body decided that health was no longer necessary for a while. I really look forward to the upcoming chapters, and I hope to get them out soon, but I can't promise anything more than once a week for now. However, this week I'm also going to be editing this work a bit. I sincerely apologize to anyone following this story who's going to be spammed by emails, but I want to do some formatting for clarity's sake.

Also cheers for I-am-definitely-not-a-dad Sesshomaru becoming a dad


	36. Chapter 36: s2e09

Warnings for this chapter: references to humans being killed and eaten by wolves, threats of death, loss of autonomy, and being forced to make survival decisions in an abduction scenario

* * *

Inuyasha kept his eyes fixed to the wolf demon, even as his canine underlings drew closer on all sides. He had a bad feeling about this guy, his youki riling up within him. The wolf demon snarled and Inuyasha's hackles raised. He stepped further in front of his pack, trying to keep them from the demon's predatory gaze.

"Damn you all," the wolf demon snarled. "You'll pay for this with your lives!"

"Go on, try it!" Inuyasha snapped. "You reek of human blood. How many innocent people have you and your mongrels killed?"

The demon looked almost insulted. "They needed to eat. You got a problem with that, you mutt?"

Inuyasha squared his shoulders and bared his teeth. "Did you just call me a mutt? I'll-"

"No, you're right," the demon continued in a bored tone, crossing his arms. "That would be an insult to canines! You smell much worse – makes me sick to my stomach."

Inuyasha scoffed. "Don't like my smell? Then I'll cut off your nose and stab some air holes in your belly!"

He drew Tessaiga and leapt forward with a wild swing. The demon's eyes widened and he jumped back, easily avoiding the blade. He bounded through the air and rose higher through his youki before spinning wildly, forming a twister around himself once more. He moved so quickly that it was a blur, and Inuyasha couldn't track the demon's fist until it was hurtling at his head. He barely stumbled back in time, only to receive a kick to the face. The blow sent him flying back and skidding through the dirt.

"He's fast," Sango murmured, lifting up Hiraikotsu but unsure of where to aim.

"Inuyasha!" Miroku called over. "He has three Jewel shards – in his legs and right arm!"

The wolf demon whipped around from where he was advancing on Inuyasha, wide eyes immediately seeking out Miroku. Something registered in his gaze and the faintest smirk appeared on his lips.

"Why didn't you say so earlier?" Inuyasha grumbled, before he saw where the demon was looking. "Hey, wolf-for-brains!" he called out, challenging. "That explains why you're acting so cocky. But you haven't got any power on your own, do you?"

"Hah!" the demon snapped back, attention successfully diverted. "You gotta know how to _use _the power, you whining whelp!"

"If only you could fight as fast as you can talk," Inuyasha drawled, casually leaning on Tessaiga. "Then maybe we'd get somewhere."

"Shut up, you runt!"

"Back off, stinking stray!"

"Are they going somewhere with this?" Sango asked wryly, still eyeing the wolves surrounding them.

"They're certainly well-matched in maturity," Miroku grumbled, wrapping a sutra around his staff and handing a couple over to Sango. "We'll have to take our chance soon."

"These have to be from the Wolf Demon Pack," Sango said. "There are plenty more where they come from."

"I'm Kouga," the demon said, turning to glower at them menacingly. "The new leader of the Yorozoku. Remember my name – the name of your destroyer!"

He lunged at Inuyasha, attacking with blindingly fast fists and kicks. Inuyasha could barely evade them, darting back and unable to retaliate. He couldn't believe it. He'd never met anyone with such speed! It had to be the Jewel shards. This guy was unreal!

"Tell us what you know, Sango," Miroku encouraged, watching the fight worriedly. "Inuyasha can't keep up that pace for long."

"I've only heard about them from other slayers," Sango said. "They control wolves, and though they hold this human-like form, their true nature is much closer to the wolves. They're not particularly powerful on their own, but their large packs make them a serious threat."

"Speaking of…" Miroku said wryly, glancing at the wolves which continued to press closer on either side. It seemed that they were waiting for a signal from their leader to attack. He exchanged a look with Sango, glancing pointedly at Inuyasha and then the edge of the village behind them. She nodded and angle Hiraikotsu in the direction of the wolves closest to her.

"Kirara," she shouted, and the twin-tail immediately ran forward. She hissed at the wolves on Miroku's side and transformed, roaring menacingly. The wolves yelped and ran, not willing to tangle with her. Sango then threw Hiraikotsu in a wide arc to the right, clearing away as many of the wolves as possible on that side. Most of them scattered, but it was enough. Miroku ran forward, swinging at the few wolves between them and Inuyasha. The others followed close behind.

Inuyasha swung at Kouga but missed again. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of his pack running towards him. Unease prickled along his skin at the thought of Kouga getting any closer to them than he already was – if the demon attacked, he wouldn't be able to stop it. The momentary distraction was enough for Kouga's fist to connect with his check, knocking him to the ground. He landed hard on his back, but he knew where this was going. As Kouga dove for him, aiming for his exposed belly, Inuyasha kicked up with his feet and caught the demon straight in the abdomen, flipping him up and over his head. To his utter vexation, Kouga instantly adapted to the movement, twisting back around in the air before crash-landing in a hut.

"What a joke!" the demon sneered, climbing from the debris with his eyes fixed on Inuyasha. "You can barely keep up the defensive, let alone attack!"

Inuyasha growled back, baring his teeth with his ears flattening against his skull. As much as he hated it, the stupid smelly wolf was right. He couldn't land a blow with Tessaiga – but that didn't mean the sword was useless. He'd like to see Kouga just _try _to avoid the Wind Scar. It was the perfect opportunity to test it out, and Inuyasha had never found a better subject. He'd blast this mangy wolf into oblivion!

Kouga was running at him, a cloud of dust forming in his wake. Inuyasha raised Tessaiga, honing in on the pull from the demon's youki. Sure enough, a blue and red swirl formed in the air, crashing together in a sparking fissure of power. He could feel Tessaiga pulling him towards it, telling him directly where to strike. He pulled back, braced him self- And the demon suddenly changed directions. Inuyasha could just catch a look of fear in his eyes before Kouga pushed back through the air and landed a safe distance away. The swirling Wind Scar fizzled and dissipated, maddeningly unfulfilled.

"Everyone retreat!" Kouga called from the roof of a nearby hut. "This is too dangerous!"

He leapt from the roof in a blur and disappeared into another twister, which wound its way into the distance. The wolves instantly turned tail and followed him, not even glancing back once. Inuyasha watched them go in stunned disbelief. The fuck? What just happened? He heard footsteps coming towards him and turned to meet his pack.

"Did they just run away?" he asked incredulously.

"He did," Sango said in equal confusion. "Do we go after him?"

"'Course we do!" Inuyasha snapped, then he hesitated and glanced between her and Miroku. "Right?"

"Inuyasha, were you about to use the Wind Scar on him?" Miroku asked.

Inuyasha huffed a sigh and sheathed Tessaiga. "Yeah, but the coward up and ran away. I guess he was all talk and no action."

"Hm," Miroku frowned, turning to watch the wolves disappearing over the horizon. "It makes me wonder…"

"About what?" Inuyasha asked.

"You said before that you felt the Tessaiga connecting to the spirit of its target," Miroku said slowly, thoughtfully. "Is it possible that Kouga sensed the Wind Scar before it hit him? Perhaps his instincts told him he was in danger."

"If that's the case, then it's not just brute strength we're up against," Sango commented.

"Damn that bastard!" Inuyasha grumbled. "I should track him down and show him what he missed."

"We should find him regardless," Miroku said firmly. "He can't get away with killing all those people."

At his words, all their eyes were drawn to the bodies still littering the village. They knew with unspoken agreement that they had to attend to them before anything else, before scavengers or other demons could leave their mark. They sent off Shippo with Kirara to gather the wolf bodies from amongst the corpses and lay them at the outskirts of the village. The other three began to line up the dead humans. It wasn't long before Miroku saw the tight grimace on Sango's face, the way her movements were stiff and erratic.

"You shouldn't have endured this again," he said softly, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Take a moment for yourself. Inuyasha and I can handle this."

"I can do this," Sango argued, fiercely yet quietly. "They deserve peace as much as any others we've come across."

"Miroku's right," Inuyasha interrupted, walking over with a shovel propped against his shoulder. "We got it from here. If you still want to help, you can start digging, but I'd much rather you find us something to eat."

With a clenched jaw, Sango took the shovel from Inuyasha and made her way to the edge of the village. They both watched her go and sighed.

"We'll need to keep an eye on her," Miroku said, probably unnecessarily, but he had to acknowledge it somehow.

"She'll pull through," Inuyasha said gruffly, dragging another corpse onto the line. "There's even worse news – Sesshomaru was here."

"So he's still alive. You caught his scent? I'm assuming you didn't see him, else we would have heard about it much earlier."

Inuyasha's snort turned into an angry huff. "He must have been blocking his scent, because there's only a trace of it."

"He can do that? I've never heard of youkai having such abilities."

"Yeah, the strongest ones are able to – if they're being stupid, bastardly bastards."

Miroku smirked despite himself. "That's eloquent, even for you."

"Yeah, well," Inuyasha sighed, kicking at a rock. "It's been kind of a shit day."

"Can't argue there," Miroku sighed, throwing an arm around his shoulders and giving a quick squeeze. "Come on. I think that's all the bodies, and we should help Sango with the digging."

They ended up digging graves well into the evening. Once Shippo and Kirara returned from gathering and burning the wolf carcasses – thanks to Shippo's creative use of fox fire – Sango took the kit off to catch some fish while Kirara helped the others dig. For each body, Miroku said a prayer for their soul while Inuyasha covered them with dirt and placed a simple wooden marker on the mound. They all wished they could do more.

"I think that was the last of them," Miroku sighed, glancing down at the final grave.

"Man," Inuyasha shook his head, throwing his shovel aside. "All we seem to be doing lately is burying people. Makes me sick."

Miroku very carefully avoided asking whether it was the grave digging or finding bodies that Inuyasha was talking about. Instead, he glanced over the markers dejectedly. "Another village destroyed from the pursuit of a Jewel shard – more tragedy, more innocent lives lost."

Inuyasha eyed him suspiciously. "So?"

Miroku carefully kept his face neutral, though he was sure Inuyasha could detect the sorrow in his scent. "You already know my stance on using the shards ourselves."

Inuyasha's groan turned into a growl. "Don't start that up again! You're still gonna tell me not to use the shards, right after seeing that lowlife wolf demon use them? If I used the shards, I could have beaten him! I could have kept him from killing anyone else!"

"Maybe that's true," Miroku sighed, looking out at the sunset and refusing to meet Inuyasha's eyes. "But maybe that's what frightens me. You could use the power of the shards to kill Kouga, and the Jewel would be tainted with bloodshed once more. Naraku seeks to corrupt the Jewel with malice, and we would be doing exactly what he wants."

"It's not like it matters, seeing as we don't have any Jewel shards anymore," Inuyasha huffed. But he could sense Miroku's distress, and it urged him forward. He pulled the monk into a strong embrace, though he couldn't bring himself to say the words that he knew Miroku wanted to hear. He couldn't just give up on his plan to use the Jewel shards. In time, Miroku would understand that it was necessary. For the time being, he didn't want to argue. They'd been through enough strife for one day.

xXx

Shippo passed another bundle of sticks up to Sango enthusiastically. She smiled as he rushed away to grab a much bigger hunk of wood, practically tipping over from the weight of it.

"We need enough to last all night!" he informed her sternly, taking his responsibility very seriously.

"I'm sure we'll have plenty," she said reassuringly, hiding her smile. "Come on, the fish should be just about done." They began to walk back to the hut they'd chosen for the night, and Sango had to ask. "Shippo, have you heard of the Wolf Demon Pack as well?"

"Yeah! They live up in the mountains. They think they're the best, and they bully other demons off their land and claim it as their own territory. Smaller demons like me were driven out. They guard the mountains ruthlessly!"

Sango nodded. It made sense, with what she knew about wolves and what she'd heard before. "Have you heard of Kouga or the Yorozoku?"

Shippo hummed thoughtfully, shuffling along the ground with his log. "There are so many different packs, I'm not sure which is which. Kouga's just the leader of one of them, and he probably took control by using the power of the Jewel shards."

They set the wood down in the hut and Sango bent down to check on the fish roasting over the fire. Shippo was staring at them hungrily. They'd been sure to grab plenty, since no one had eaten yet, and Sango had no desire to fight off starving looks from both Shippo and Kirara – and occasionally Inuyasha. Speaking of which… Sango glanced around, but the hut was otherwise empty. She heard footsteps approaching, and she greeted Miroku as he stepped through the doorway.

"All done?"

"For now," he sighed, kneeling down beside her. "I'd like to do a more thorough purification ritual later to try to appease their spirits."

"That sounds good. Let me know what I can do to help." They shared a heavy glance and she moved to safer ground. "Have you seen Kirara?"

"Hm?" he blinked slowly. "I saw her walking around with Inuyasha just a little earlier."

"She's been following him around constantly lately," Sango shrugged before leaning in closer to him and murmuring in a soft voice "You look tired."

"Long day," he shrugged. "And another one tomorrow, if we're to find Kouga."

She sensed that something else was amiss, but she didn't pry. She poured a cup of tea from the pot on the fire and pressed it gently but firmly into Miroku's hand, letting him know that she was there if he needed her.

xXx

As he concentrated, the sound of the crickets and the heartbeats of his companions faded away, leaving nothing but the soft whisper of the breeze in the branches and grass. Inuyasha's ears swivelled, following the sound as it concentrated before him. He connected to the youki in front of him, convincing his mind that the soft presence of Kirara was a viable threat. It took a lot more effort than with that wolf demon, but thankfully Kirara was patiently standing still. She growled menacingly, and that helped, a bit.

What didn't help were the voices swirling in his head. Sesshomaru's taunts about the Tessaiga's true owner, Kouga's jibes – they both mixed with the resigned, bone-weary tone that Miroku had when they'd parted. A low energy thrummed beneath his skin, urging him to make things right with his friend, but he didn't know how. It left him feeling frustrated and utterly useless, and it wasn't a new feeling. Ever since their last encounter with Kikyo, Inuyasha had been constantly on edge with the need to protect and help his pack, and for some reason it was the strongest with Miroku. Even Shippo, the pup under his protection, didn't spark the same sense of urgency he got whenever he caught Miroku's tight frown or a negative emotion clouding his sweet scent.

A soft questioning grumble from Kirara drew his mind back to the present. Damn, he couldn't keep getting distracted. Blocking everything else out, Inuyasha focused solely on Kirara's presence and the swirling vortex of power slowly opening between them. He held Tessaiga out in front of him, letting it transform in his hands. He could see the Wind Scar developing through her youki, the sizzling, crackling fissure forming where the swirl of her power met his and that of Tessaiga. Inuyasha held on to it a moment longer then let it purposefully fade away, just as he had when they had practiced the night before. Kirara hummed pleasantly and eased her aggressive stance. He ran over to her and hugged her close, scratching behind her ears.

"How about that, Kirara?" he grinned. "Perfect form, huh? Thanks for letting me train with you." He paused and sniffed the air as he sheathed Tessaiga. "Smells like food. C'mon, let's head back. I'm starving!"

He started off back to the village, but soon the light padded footsteps behind him stopped. He turned to see Kirara staring back over her shoulder, the fur rippling along her haunches. He instantly jumped back to her side, following her gaze.

"You see something?"

Her lip curled and he also caught the scent. Wolves. He growled and reached for his sword, but quickly heard them scampering away through the woods.

"Not worth it, the mongrels," he muttered as Kirara grumbled menacingly beside him. "Let's get back to the others. I don't like leaving them unprotected."

That convinced her instantly, and they hurried back to the hut where the rest of the pack was waiting. They were greeted with half a dozen fish roasting over the fire, a pot full of rice taken from the village storehouse, and a warm pot of tea. Miroku and Sango both looked pale and drawn, but much more relaxed than they had been earlier. Shippo was successfully distracted from the carnage of the day, and instantly began telling them about a pretty butterfly he'd seen.

"We'll head out after Kouga first thing tomorrow," Sango said as she handed Inuyasha a fish. "Even travelling at such high speeds, we should be able to track his scent."

"He will likely lead us to the territory of his pack," Miroku added. "We should decide what to do if that's the case. Are we only hunting down Kouga, or going after the entire pack?"

"They're all a bunch of murderous mongrels," Inuyasha grumbled as he bit into his fish.

"That may be, but we haven't seen the rest of them kill anyone," Miroku pointed out. "Are we to pass judgement on all of them based on the actions of their leader?"

"I doubt we would be able to take down the entire pack, regardless," Sango said. "From what I understand, their packs can have more than twenty demons and more than fifty wolves."

"It may be too dangerous to even hunt down Kouga," Miroku sighed in frustration. "I know we all want revenge, but it may be a lost cause. We may have to admit defeat."

"It's not just about revenge," Inuyasha said with his mouth full. "Kirara and I caught some of his wolves watching us just now. I think he's planning another attack."

"If that's the case, he may have already called the pack to help," Sango said worriedly. "We should keep watch tonight."

"I'll do it," Inuyasha said instantly. "It's not like I can sleep anyway, with how this place reeks of wolf."

"Do you think Kouga is still angry that we killed his wolves?" Shippo asked, glancing between the three adults with wide eyes.

"So it would appear," Miroku said slowly. "It seemed to be a matter of pride for him."

They finished eating in relative silence, all weighed down by the phantom presence of eyes at their backs. Inuyasha positioned himself opposite the doorway, Tessaiga leaning against his shoulder. Miroku and Sango sat on either side of him, weapons within easy reach. Shippo curled up on Miroku's lap, while Kirara abandoned her usual position on Sango in favour of stretching out in front of the doorway. The night air was still and quiet, and it held an ominous quality. Inuyasha kept his ears pricked, but it meant that he was keenly aware of the heartbeats of his companions.

Shippo was the first to fall asleep – naturally – but no one else was quite so eager. Ever so slowly, Sango's eyes began to droop and her head fell back against the wall of the hut. Inuyasha waited until her heartbeat slowed and breathing evened out before glancing over at Miroku. Calm, violet eyes met his in return. Careful not to disturb the others, Inuyasha reached out an arm and tugged at Miroku's robes, drawing the monk closer. Miroku came easily, but shifted his trajectory from Inuyasha's lap to his shoulder, where he gently rested his head. Inuyasha huffed softly at the monk's stubbornness, and wrapped his hand around to press into the side of Miroku's head, his fingers curling into his hair. Some of the tension slowly drained from the monk and he closed his eyes. It was still a long time before he fell asleep. Inuyasha fixed his gaze back on the doorway, keeping watch in the long night.

xXx

It was still a long time before dawn when Inuyasha's focus was broken by a slight shifting. After quickly scanning the area and finding no trace of wolf or youkai, Inuyasha turned his attention back to his companions. Shippo was snoring softly, Miroku was still slumped over his shoulder, but Sango's heartrate was spiking and her brows had furrowed in her sleep. Inuyasha watched, unsure of what to do, until he caught the fear and bitter sorrow in her scent. His hand reached out of its own accord, gently touching her shoulder. She startled wildly awake, her eyes snapping open and Hiraikotsu lurching forward, stopping a hair's breadth away from his face.

Inuyasha blinked at her as her eyes widened in realization and her pale face flushed scarlet. She shook her head and mouthed a silent apology, but he gave her a stern look and she sighed. She shrugged helplessly and he placed his hand back on her shoulder. When she looked away, he squeezed her upper arm and tugged gently. She looked confused, but he gestured to Miroku and Shippo with his head then pointed at his vacant lap. Sango's eyes widened and she seemed unsure, but he smiled encouragingly with a small shrug. Flushed with embarrassment, Sango laid her head against his thigh and curled up tightly. Inuyasha wished that there was a blanket or something he could give her, but that would require breaking the precarious peace that had fallen over their group. Instead, he placed his free hand on the side of her head and waited for her to once again drift off into sleep.

xXx

It was easy to pick up the strong scent of Kouga and his wolves. They could follow it through the air on Kirara for a while, far enough to reach a line of rocky mountains. Inuyasha, Miroku, and Shippo slid off Kirara's back to search the ground while she and Sango scanned the air. Miroku glanced around the sheer cliffs uneasily, the back of his neck prickling. Something wasn't right here. He felt as though they were being watched, and there was the strong sense of _something _hovering around them.

"Alright!" Inuyasha called over to him from up the thin mountain path, crouched on all fours and sniffing the ground. "I caught that bastard's scent. It should lead us right to him."

"Good work!" Miroku called back before turning to Shippo. "Come up on my shoulder. There's something I don't like about this place, so I want you to stay close. Alright?"

"Mhmm," Shippo nodded, glancing around nervously. "There's the scent of a lot of different wolves around here. I don't like the idea of facing the entire pack."

"Don't worry," Miroku said, though he could think of nothing to follow up the sentiment. Inuyasha was still grumbling to himself as he crept along the ground, while Kirara had been flying in circles above them for a suspicious amount of time.

"It's a good thing Inuyasha's got his canine sense of smell," Shippo commented. "We need a dog to stand against the wolves."

"I heard that, you little runt!" Inuyasha shouted back to them angrily. "Come here and say that, I dare you!"

Shippo shrieked and darted to safety behind Miroku's head. "I meant it as a compliment!"

The arrival of Sango and Kirara saved them from Inuyasha's furious retort. They landed beside Miroku and he immediately caught their uneasy glances.

"Do you feel it as well?" he asked. "There's something very ominous in the air."

"You sense something, too?" Sango said tightly. "Kirara's been very restless."

"I feel a foreboding energy approaching. It seems very different from the wolves."

Her frowned deepened. "Do you think another demon is here?"

Kirara growled and looked up, her eyes scanning the sky. They followed her gaze but couldn't see anything. Inuyasha walked over to them, his ears twitching in annoyance.

"About time you guys arrived. Can you fly any slower?" he huffed.

"Inuyasha," Miroku cut him off smoothly. "Can you hear or smell anything unusual in this area?"

"Oh, don't you start, too!" Inuyasha barked. "Damn, you piss me off, the lot of you!"

Miroku shook his head at Sango's questioning glance. Inuyasha was always testy after a night of no sleep, and Kouga seemed to have gotten inside his head.

"That's not what I'm saying," he said calmly to Inuyasha. "I'm simply asking if you sensed another presence in the air like we do, something other than the wolves."

Inuyasha opened his mouth to answer, but suddenly his and Kirara's heads snapped up to the sky. Everyone else immediately looked up as well to see a pack of wolves running headlong down the steep cliff. They were growling and snapping, their tongues lolling out of their heads as they raced towards them. Before anyone could ready their weapons, the first wave crashed into Inuyasha and knocked him off the edge of the path. They went tumbling down the ravine below in a writhing, snarling mass.

"Inuyasha!" Sango called out, ready for Kirara to spring after him, but Miroku hurled himself into them and flattened himself against the cliff-face on the inner edge of the path. A second wave of wolves flew past them, most following after Inuyasha, while a few turned to face them. Sango met the first one that leapt for them with a swift kick to the abdomen. Kirara spun around and snapped at the few that tried to circle her.

Miroku blocked one that jumped for Kirara's unprotected side, catching his staff in its gaping jaws and punching it away. He spun around, ready for whichever ones decided to attack him next, but surprisingly, none did. All of the wolves seemed to be focusing solely on Sango and Kirara. Not bothering to question it, he ripped several wolves from the twin-tail's side and batted away several more with his staff.

But there were too many wolves, seemingly an endless supply streaming down from the cliffs above. "Get behind me!" he called out to Sango. "I'm going to use the wind tunnel!"

She froze, the Hiraikotsu still jammed in the jaws of a wolf that had jumped for her. "Is it ready?"

"We're about to find out," Miroku said darkly, reaching for the mala beads.

Inuyasha growled as he flailed and arm out between the wolves, catching the edge of the ravine with his claws and dragging himself to a stop. A few of the wolves were dislodged at the sudden jolt but others stuck firm, trying to get their teeth through the robes of the Fire Rat. Inuyasha tore at them with his free hand, aiming to get them off them rather than bothering with fatal injuries. However, a rumbling sound from below caught his ears. He whipped around to see a whirlwind rapidly climbing up the sheer cliff face below him, moving utterly unnaturally. As it approached, he could make out the smirking wolf demon in the dust cloud as he passed.

"See ya later, mutt-face!" he called as he passed.

Inuyasha growled but he had no time to respond. He continued to slide down the cliff as the wolves jostled him around, but his attention was firmly on the battle raging above. He had no idea what Kouga was planning, but the fact that the wolf demon was up there with the others while he was falling further and further away lent a frantic energy to his movements. His youki was screaming at him to get back to his pack, and to protect them from this unknown threat! Instead, he knocked the wolves from his body and landed with a splash in the river at the bottom of the ravine.

Sango kicked the last of the wolves over to Miroku's other side and he braced himself to open the wind tunnel, but something made him pause. He could feel Jewel shards approaching, and that could only mean one thing. Sure enough, Kouga sprang from the ravine below them, leaping up into the air before diving at him. He snatched Miroku by the waist and hauled him over his shoulder before springing back into the air. The wolves surged past them to catch Sango and Kirara as they tried to come to his aid. Miroku growled and tried to roll out of Kouga's tight grip, hurling all his weight to one side, but the wolf demon's grasp on him was unrelenting. From this angle, he couldn't reach into his robes for a sutra. He swung his staff around, trying to catch Kouga's face, but the demon's free hand shot out and snatched the staff from his grasp.

This was bad. Every heartbeat had Kouga running further and further from the others at breakneck speed. Miroku craned his neck back to see Kirara struggling to take off as the wolves mobbed her. When he looked forward again, he saw that Kouga was running straight off the edge of a cliff. He gasped and held on for dear life as Kouga leapt, clearing the valley below and aiming for another cliff opposite. It was too far away, even for a shard-empowered demon!

Kouga landed on the vertical cliff face, digging his heels and Miroku's staff into the rock to slow their fall. They eventually came to a stop, clinging to the bare rock. Miroku was far from entertained.

"What are you thinking?" he gasped, torn between flinging himself off the demon and holding on tighter. "We're going to fall to our deaths!"

"Please," Kouga scoffed, pulling himself up by Miroku's staff and using the momentum to begin hopping from rock to rock up the cliff until they reached another ledge. He ran along it until they the curve of the mountain brought them out of sight of the others. Then, Kouga slowed to a stop and looked behind them.

"Ha! They can't even try to keep up," he jeered. "No one can run as fast as I can!"

"Of course not!" Miroku snapped. "No one else is using Jewel shards. It's not winning if you cheat."

"What did you say to me?" Kouga snarled, glaring at him, though there was a hint of respect in his eyes.

"I said you're an asshole and you'll never get away with this," Miroku said flatly. "My companions aren't in favour of abductions."

The wolf demon opened his mouth to snap a reply, but something made him pause. He looked up overhead, and Miroku followed his gaze. A dark smudge moved across the sky, casting an alarmingly large shadow over them as it passed.

"I'm guessing that's not a bird," Miroku commented, softer this time.

"You'd be right, there," Kouga said wryly.

A giant, bulbous bird slowly sank down through the air. Its mouth stretched from wingtip to wingtip and a second, more human-like body sprouted from the top of its head, with its own arms and head. More and more of the creatures appeared, flying down from surrounding clifftops or rising up from the valley below. They hovered above their heads, screeches passing between them in some form of communication.

"What are they?" Miroku asked – he'd never seen anything like them before.

"They're no songbirds, I can tell you that much," Kouga huffed. "And I bet they're looking for their next meal. See if any of them have a Jewel shard." He caught Miroku's surprised look. "I know you have the power to see the Shikon Jewel, so tell me – do any of those birds have any?"

"What, so you can steal it from them, too?" Miroku asked dryly.

Kouga growled softly. "Listen, human. I can easily drop you here and leave you to them, if you'd prefer!"

"And that would help you, how?" Miroku shot back, but the point was made. He knew that he was at Kouga's mercy. He needed to appease the demon long enough to find his chance to escape. He looked out amongst the bird demons, but there was no hint of a Jewel emanating anywhere except from Kouga.

"I don't see any," he said softly. "Not from here, at any rate."

"Not even the ones over the cliff?" Kouga asked, and Miroku shook his head. "Fine, then I've got no use for 'em."

He took off at full speed. The birds instantly screeched and gave chase, but they quickly fell behind. Kouga shouted taunts at them over his shoulder, from "See ya, buzzard-brains!" to "Catch me if you can, feathery bastards!" Miroku was strongly reminded of his early days with Inuyasha, though he was fairly sure the hanyou had never been so uncouth.

Kouga carried him deep into the mountains, where grass and trees covered the barren rocks. Miroku could hear the sound of a waterfall approaching, and he guessed that they were entering deep into the territory of the Wolf Demon Pack. As the falls came into view, several shouts rose from guards stationed around the water. They were all dressed similarly to Kouga, with wolf pelts wrapped around their waists and calves and armour on their torso and chests. Most of them had spears, though there was the occasional sword, like the one on Kouga's hip.

"Hey, you're back!" one of the guards called down to them, scrambling to meet them with another hot on his heels.

"Yo!" Kouga greeted them, coming to a stop.

Around the base of the waterfall, even more wolf demons were gathered. Most were ragged and battle-scarred, and they glared down at Miroku with deep suspicion. More than a few wolves were scattered amongst them, lying down next to the demons and prowling along the ledges on the cliff face. This must be their den, Miroku realized. Kouga had brought him right to the heart of his territory. Either he didn't consider Miroku a threat, or he was planning on killing him before he could tell anyone of the den's location. Miroku honestly didn't know which option he hated more.

xXx

Inuyasha grabbed onto a rock at the edge of the river, fighting hard against the strong current. He could see Kirara flying towards him, but there was a distinct lack of wolves around. It made him nervous. Why had they all suddenly disappeared? Surely they knew that they outnumbered his tiny group more than ten-to-one. Did they just give up? Kirara landed on the rocky bank above him and Sango quickly slid from her back. She lowered Hiraikotsu down to him and he gratefully used the weapon to clamber up the rocks to dry land.

"Damn! I really got washed downriver," Inuyasha huffed, wringing some of the water out of his hair. "What happened back there?"

"Kouga took Miroku," Sango said immediately, and he could hear the worry in her voice. "We almost caught up with them, but we ran into some heavy interference."

"Damn it!" Inuyasha swore fiercely. "I guess that explains why the wolves took off. Did they hold you back?"

She shook her head. "It wasn't the wolves." She hopped back on Kirara's back and gestured for him to follow. "You need to see this."

Over the top of the cliff, a giant, round bird demon lay dead on the ground, its gaping mouth filled with rows of razor-sharp teeth. A creature sprouted from the top of its head, blue-skinned with birdlike talons instead of hands.

"The hell is this thing?" Inuyasha asked, sniffing along its body.

"I don't know," Sango sighed. "I've never seen anything like it before. There was an entire flock of them, enough to cover the sky. I believe these mountain peaks are their territory."

"I guess that explains the energy you and Miroku sensed," Inuyasha muttered, straightening. "If even you found these things a challenge, then we have more than just the wolf demons on our hands." He shook his head. "We can worry about that later. C'mon, we need to rescue Miroku." He glanced around and paused. "Wait, is Shippo not with you?"

"He was on Miroku's shoulder when Kouga took him," Sango said in realization. "He must have been abducted as well!"

"Miroku will keep him safe," Inuyasha said, though it sounded as though he was trying to convince himself more than her. "Kirara, take us to the last place you saw Miroku – we can track him from there. Kouga took him for a reason, so he'll keep them alive for now, but we can't waste any more time!"

xXx

Kouga strode purposefully along a path leading to the waterfall. When they got close, he crouched down and leapt forward, through the water and to the hidden cave behind the falls. There were even more wolves and demons inside, and the ground was littered with animal skins and skeletons of various kinds. Kouga set Miroku down but kept a firm hand on his arm. He began to walk Miroku to the back of the cave, and the eyes of all the other occupants followed them with interest, hunger, and veiled disgust.

"Hey, Kouga!" one of the demons called out. "Who's the human?"

Kouga soundly ignored the man, while Miroku tried not to stare at the human skulls littered amongst the ox, deer, and demon bones. They came to a stop in front of a nest at the back of the cave, a pile of hay and straw covered haphazardly with deerskin and wolf pelts. Kouga shoved Miroku forward onto the nest, and the other wolf demons began to creep in closer to take a look.

"Nice looking prey, Kouga!" one of the guards who had greeted them commented. "Can I have one of the legs?"

"I want the liver!" the other said, eyeing Miroku hungrily.

Grumbles and jeers rose from the gathered demons, but a harsh glare from Kouga silenced them instantly. "This human is off limits!" he snapped. "I'll kill anyone who tries to take a bite."

The demons shrank back as one, lowering their eyes and taking on submissive postures. Miroku couldn't quite bring himself to feel reassured by the gesture. Kouga had taken him because he could see the Jewel shards, which meant that he was safe for as long as he was useful. However, that was no guarantee that he wouldn't be killed and eaten – hopefully in that order – once his task was complete. He needed to find a way to escape as quickly as possible! He peered past Kouga to the cave entrance, trying to calculate whether or not he could make it if he opened the wind tunnel. He wasn't sure. Kouga had thrown his staff off to the side, but maybe if he could get to it without being seen…

A few wolves frantically sniffing at Kouga's backside drew Miroku's attention away from his half-formed plan. Kouga glanced over at them in surprise, and then reached around to grab at his tail. Miroku's heart sank as he saw what had piqued their interest – Shippo clung to the fur of Kouga's tail, eyes wide and breathing rapidly.

"Huh? Oh, yeah, this one," Kouga muttered, plucking Shippo off his tail by the scruff of the neck. "I forgot he grabbed on when I captured the monk. I assumed he fell off." He held Shippo up above the wolves, who eyed him hungrily. "Here, you can eat it."

"No!" Miroku screamed, leaping forward. The guards rushed forward to hold him back, and he thrashed in their grip. "Wait, stop! If you want my help then you will not harm him."

Kouga was eyeing him thoughtfully, calculating.

"Let him go and I will cooperate," Miroku pressed on, leaving no room for subtle guesswork. "I don't care what you do to me."

"Well, you got more guts than I thought," Kouga grinned wryly, tossing Shippo at Miroku and raising his voice to address his pack. "Hear that? The fox child is spoken for. They're both under my protection."

Miroku wrapped his arms around Shippo and tucked him against his chest. This changed everything. He could maybe fight his way out on his own, but he couldn't risk angering the demons enough to put Shippo in danger. He would have to wait things out and hope that Inuyasha, Sango, and Kirara would find him soon. As the demons and wolves turned away, no longer interested since eating him was forbidden, Miroku sat down on the nest of furs and reached out with his mind. It took a little searching, but he eventually felt the nenju beads brushing up on the edge of his consciousness. He gave them a solid tug, waited a moment, and then pulled again. It was only a matter of time before an overprotective hanyou and pissed off slayer burst into the wolves' den. He and Shippo could hold on until then.

Shouts sounded from the other end of the cave, and Miroku craned his neck to see what was happening. Cries of "Move!" and "Outta the way!" continued, and several demons ran to help the group that was passing through the waterfall.

"We've got injured!" the shout came, and the rest of the pack became a bustle of activity. Two pairs of demons moved into the cave, bearing wooden planks on which their injured companions lay. One was swathed in bloody bandages while the other had an arm ripped cleanly from his shoulder. In his other hand, he clutched several large, grey feathers in a white-knuckle grip.

"What happened out there?" one of the initial guards asked, kneeling down next to his companions.

"Get them some water!" another commanded, and several others scrambled to obey the order.

Miroku watched as the wolf demons rushed to tend to their companions, treating them with care similar to what Miroku showed his own friends.

"Was it them?" Kouga asked, crouching down and squeezing the shoulder of one of the injured demons.

"Yeah," the other guard shook his head forlornly. "They attacked hard during the midday changing of the watch. Only these two managed to escape. The others fell off the cliff or were carried away."

"Shippo, stay here," Miroku whispered, tucking the kit into the nest and trying to ignore his frightened squeak of protest. He walked over to Kouga, and the wolves and demons parted easily around him. "What happened?" he asked.

Kouga eyed him in mild surprise but quickly turned his attention back to his injured pack. "You saw them earlier. They call themselves the Birds of Paradise. They're our natural enemies. This is their doing." He sighed heavily. "They're brutal killers and we've lost many to them already. They swoop down silently and capture our kind with their powerful talons. Then they eat them."

He turned around abruptly, snagging Miroku's arm and marching him back to the nest. He threw the monk down again, more gently than before.

"We've come across their nests before and found them littered with hundreds of wolf bones."

"And you can't fight them?" Miroku asked, silently gathering Shippo into his lap.

"That's just it," Kouga sighed, coming to a seat at the edge of the nest. "One of the Birds of Paradise possesses a shard of the Shikon Jewel, and now it's even faster than we are. A few weeks ago they killed fifty of our wolves in one fell swoop. It's got to be the power of the Jewel!" He shook his head. "At this rate, I'm worried our pack will be wiped out completely!" He turned to level a hard glare on Miroku. "So we need to restore the balance of power."

"Which is why you need my help," Miroku nodded.

"You'll track down which bird has the shard, and we'll attack its nest and steal it from 'em. Otherwise the fighting between us will drag on and lives will continue to be sacrificed senselessly." His eyes burned into Miroku's. "So, you gonna help us out, or what?"

Miroku held his gaze evenly, keeping his face a stern mask. "You want my help to fight back against those killing your kind, but your wolves slaughtered entire villages of humans. You are _my _natural enemy."

Kouga's eyes flashed angrily, and he bared his teeth. Miroku refused to back down. Eventually, a small smirk spread across the wolf demon's face. "You're right. It's not right to ask you to betray your kind. So, I'll make you a deal." He shifted so he was kneeling in front of Miroku. "You help me fight back against these monsters, and my pack will never hunt another human so long as I'm in charge. What do you say?"

"You have a deal," Miroku nodded. "I'll help you."

Kouga smiled and abruptly stood. "Ginta! Hakkaku!" he called, and the two guards rushed over to them. "Get our guests some food and water. We need to make them feel welcome."

The guards shot Miroku a startled look, but rushed to obey Kouga's orders. Miroku sat back against the nest. He didn't know what to do. It wasn't as though he trusted Kouga, and the memory of the dead villagers was far from faded in his mind, but he was suddenly less keen for Inuyasha to burst in and kill everyone. They were a pack fighting for their survival, just like his. Did he owe it to them to keep his promise? Should he show them that humans' lives were worth more than just food? Could this be a chance to do some good?

xXx

Inuyasha swore fiercely as they came to a split in the mountain path. They'd followed the trail this far, but the scent of wolf was overwhelming everything else. He growled and stalked from one path to the other, searching for any clue of where that bastard had taken Miroku. The thin veneer of calm that came from knowing his pack wasn't in _immediate _danger was quickly eroding as they stalled.

"Can you pick up anything?" Sango asked nervously, her hand tightening over the strap of Hiraikotsu.

"Just wolf," he huffed, and took another, deep sniff of the air. He grimaced. "Wolf and bird."

"We don't have time for another battle," Sango said as she climbed onto Kirara's back.

"We may not have a choice," Inuyasha growled, before something tore away everything else on his mind. The beads around his neck glowed pink and tugged solidly in one direction. The light faded and they settled back down, only to jerk him to the side again.

"Miroku!" he cried, staring hard into the direction the beads had pulled him. Sango was staring at him, hard, her eyes darting from his face to the beads in stunned confusion. He didn't bother to explain. "Come on, we gotta go!"

He sprinted forward, but an ominous shadow blocked his path. He glanced up to see a flock of bird demons soaring down from the cliffs above. They screeched and dove for him, swooping down with talons poised.

"I don't have time for this!" he snarled, his youki prickling along his claws. "Get out of my way!" He leapt up to meet the closest bird and slashed it apart with one blow, shouting "Iron Reaver, Soul Stealer!" as the power shot from his claws.

His youki sending crackling energy under his skin, Inuyasha leapt through the air, taking on one bird after the next. He was barely aware of Kirara crashing into a bird which dove for him, or Hiraikotsu slicing through another above his head. All he knew was Miroku needed him, and he would stop at nothing to get him back!

* * *

And there you have it! Next chapter is coming next Friday, and please give me your thoughts in the comments! It really helps me feel out what you all want to see, and it makes me happy to know that real people are enjoying my work


	37. Chapter 37: s2e10

Warnings for this chapter: all warnings from the previous chapter apply as well as accusations of betrayal, emotional angst, emotional manipulation, and threats of death and violence

* * *

Miroku traded a wary glare with one of the several wolves watching him. They seemed even less willing to trust him than the demons, most of whom were resolutely ignoring him. Kouga had left a little while ago, and he'd seen many of the demons begin to whisper amongst themselves – it was obvious that they didn't like having him in their den. He could relate to the sentiment. While most of the pack was outside, enjoying one of the last warm days as autumn took hold, there were still about twenty wolves and at least a dozen demons between him and the cave entrance.

It wasn't just that he had to keep Shippo and himself alive that made Miroku hesitant to try to escape. Yes, the wolf demons were the enemy, but in all likelihood, so were the Birds of Paradise. Would it be better to work with Kouga to get the Jewel shard from the birds before confronting him? Kouga seemed pretty adamant that he and Shippo weren't to be harmed, which was a luxury not extended by the birds. And Kouga was fast. He was using the Jewel shards and apparently not becoming entirely corrupted by their power. It might be worth holding on to him as a pseudo-ally until more pressing threats went away.

But they may not have that option. Miroku could feel the hate and distrust seeping from the other demons. Even if Kouga was their leader, he was keeping Miroku alive out of sheer intimidation. The pack would never accept a human as an ally, and he suspected that it wouldn't take long for one of them to snap and kill him. Maybe after he got the Jewel shard they would be more willing to let him live, but he had no plans of staying with them long enough to find out. Perhaps it was better to escape now and worry about the birds another day.

Miroku startled and came back to himself, suddenly keenly aware that Shippo was no longer huddled in his lap. He looked around a little frantically, worried that one of the wolves had snuck a bite when he was distracted. Instead, he felt a presence behind him and spun around. Kouga was standing on the nest, glaring out at the wolves. But hadn't Kouga left already…?

"Stand up," the figure demanded, in a voice noticeably higher than Kouga's. Miroku didn't know whether to feel proud, elated, or very, very nervous. Shippo's eyes darted to his then away, and he whispered fervently "Please, Miroku, don't make it look suspicious."

Miroku stood and Shippo immediately took his upper arm and began dragging him through the cave. He could feel the youki swirling around the fox as he held the illusion, and he didn't know how long he could maintain it. The demons and wolves respectfully parted before them, though he caught a few sniffing the air suspiciously.

"Hey, Kouga," one of the demons called. "Where're you going?"

Shippo tensed but held a haughty, grumpy look on his face. "The human needs some fresh air. This place stinks – and I don't think it's the wolves."

Miroku would have burst out laughing if it wouldn't have gotten them killed. Shippo was doing so well! When this was over, he needed to ask him to impersonate Inuyasha. Or Kaede.

The demon seemed convinced, and Miroku breathed a sigh of relief until he called over his shoulder. "Hey, Ginta! Hakkaku! You two go watch Kouga's back."

"What're you talking about?" another demon drawled back from further up the side of the cave. "Ginta and Hakkaku already went out on patrol with Kouga."

Oh, dear. The first demon swung around to stare at them in angry confusion. Meanwhile, several wolves had come up behind them and were sniffing intently at Shippo's backside. When Miroku chanced a look, he saw that Shippo's bushy fox tail, there in the place of Kouga's wolf one, was drawing their attention. The wolves seemed bewildered, and one bit experimentally into the fluff. Shippo cried out and jumped up in the air, the illusion immediately melting away.

"Hey, you little thief!" the demon growled as he advanced on them. "Tryna fool us, are ya?"

"Run," Miroku ordered, sparing a moment go grab his staff from where it was leaning against the cave wall before hurrying after Shippo. The waterfall was quickly approaching, but so were the wolves. He knew they couldn't make it in time. Miroku spun around and, taking a scarce heartbeat to gather himself, brought a spiritual barrier to life. He got some small satisfaction from watching the wolves run headlong into it and look utterly befuddled. But they didn't have long – the furious shouts from the demons would already be alerting the ones outside to trouble. He ran after Shippo, feeling the demons' fists and weapons against the barrier hammering on his mind.

They jumped through the waterfall and to the left. There were already several wolf demons hurrying up the path before them, drawn by the noise from their companions, but a smaller, narrower path split off right before them, winding through the craggy rocks of the mountain cliffs. Miroku picked Shippo up off the ground and ran for all he was worth. The rocks soon fell away on the right, leaving them rushing precariously across a dizzyingly small path. The demons were giving chase, the barrier broken. Even more were following on the cliff above them to their left. Shouts of "Get back here!" and "Hold it!" were thrown at them, but Miroku ignored them. The path veered upwards until it joined the plateau above them. It was then that Miroku realized his mistake. They had reached the highest point of this area, the peak was behind them with the pack in between, and there was nothing but sheer, unforgiving cliffs on all sides. He didn't stop running, not until they reached the very edge of one of the cliffs.

"We're trapped!" Shippo screeched as he skidded to a stop.

"Shippo, listen carefully," Miroku told him sternly. "I need you to expand your body and fly. Go to Inuyasha."

"But I don't think I can carry you," Shippo said worriedly, eyeing the forest a dizzying distance below them. "Not this high up."

"I know," Miroku assured. "I'm not expecting you to. Find Inuyasha and Sango, hurry!"

There were angry voices right behind them. Shippo squeaked and threw himself off the cliff, while Miroku spun around just in time to see one of the demons winding back his arm to throw a blade-tipped chain after the kit. He lunged forward with his staff, interrupting the weapon's path and causing the chain to wind around his staff and arm instead. He spared a wild glance out after Shippo, just enough to see that he had transformed into his pink orb, before the fist of one of the wolf demons came crashing down on his cheek.

Miroku was knocked to the ground, but he didn't stay down for long. He rolled to avoid the next blow and jumped to his feet, yanking the chain from the first demon's hands and casting it back at him, catching him in the chest with the blunt end. Another demon ran at him with a sword, which he blocked with his staff and pushed him back. A wolf lunged for his exposed legs, but he kicked it away. Yet another demon was coming at him, lifting her spear to plunge into his side. Miroku stepped out of the way, using the sword-wielding demon's momentum to throw him into the spear-thrower. They both crashed to the ground, allowing Miroku to take on the next demon that rushed at him.

"You conniving scum!" the chain-wielding demon growled ferociously, advancing on him. "I'll devour you alive!"

An angry shout of "Hey!" came from above them, and then the carcass of a wild boar crashed down onto the demon who had just spoken. Miroku jumped back and looked up to see Kouga sanding at the mountain's peak far behind them.

"What did I saw about eating him?" Kouga called down indignantly. "I warned you!"

"Kouga?" one of the demons asked in surprise, pausing as she tried to drag her trapped companion out from under the boar.

Kouga growled and hopped down from the peak before stalking predatorily towards them. "I told you he was not to be harmed."

"He took out some of our best warriors," the chain-wielder blurted, gesturing wildly at the small pile of dazed or unconscious demons surrounding Miroku. "And he let the little fox escape!"

"Ha!" Kouga exclaimed delightedly, pushing past the others to stand in front of Miroku. "A Jewel-detector and a fighter? I'm starting to like the looks of you, human."

"Boss, let me go after the fox," another demon called over to him. "Before he tells anyone about our den."

Miroku grimaced and held his staff out in a futile gesture of protection. Shippo was already long past the reach of the wolves, and he prayed that the Birds of Paradise wouldn't find him, either. He had to trust in the kit's ability to keep himself alive. Meanwhile, Kouga looked thrilled.

"You're really sticking up for your friend, huh?" he mused, eyeing Miroku up and down. "You know, loyalty is the most important thing in a pack. That's why I'm going to make you my mate."

Miroku blinked. "Pardon?"

"I thought you were gonna eat 'im when you're done with him," one of the wolf demons muttered behind them.

"You can't mate with him – he's a human!" another scoffed angrily.

"Fools!" Kouga snarled, turning to face his pack. "This human can see the Shikon Jewel. The Birds of Paradise aren't the only ones with a shard, you know. With his ability, we'll be able to gather all the Jewel shards in the region!"

"That would make us incredibly powerful," one mused.

"Our pack would be unstoppable!" another proclaimed.

"That's the idea, yeah," Kouga smirked, turning back to Miroku. "He's way more valuable than just some other demon. Hey, what's your name?"

"Uh…" Miroku glanced warily between Kouga and the demons blocking every escape route. "I'm not exactly-"

"Don't be shy!" Kouga chided cheerfully. "We got a lot of time to get to know each other better after this is all over with. You're mine, now!"

"I am _not!_" Miroku said firmly. "My name is Miroku, and I am not interested."

"Why? You're not already claimed, are you?" Kouga asked, sniffing along Miroku's body. "You don't smell like anyone 'cept that lowlife half-breed. Wait!" He reeled back, looking disgusted. "You're not taken by that mutt, are you? He's trash! He can't even fight without cheating with that stupid magic sword of his!"

"His name is Inuyasha, and I suggest you stop insulting him," Miroku ground out. "I'm not _taken_ by anyone, but I am part of his pack."

"I don't see the appeal," Kouga sniffed.

"That's not my problem. I have my own life and my own mission to complete. I have my own people to worry about."

"I don't care," Kouga said flippantly. "Next time I see that runt, I'll put a spear through his heart and feed him to my wolves." He stalked away and casually hoisted the large boar carcass over his shoulder. "Then he won't be much of a competition."

That decided it. Shippo was out of harm's way, he had successfully made enemies with several members of the pack, and now Kouga was trying to claim him – whatever that meant. Miroku was done. As Kouga began to pointedly walk away, Miroku slipped a hand into his robes and subtly pulled out a few sutras. As the rest of the pack began to turn away, following after their leader, he ran. Startled cries immediately rose from the demons as they noticed him, but there was a pause as they struggled to figure out what to do. Kouga's declaration of ownership had appeared to have quelled their immediate instincts to rush after him. The confusion bought him an extra moment, and it might be enough to escape. Instead, Kouga crashed into him from behind, knocking them both to the ground.

One of Kouga's forearms braced in front of them, breaking their fall, while the other curled around Miroku's abdomen. It meant that while his dense youkai frame pinned Miroku to the ground, he had kept the monk from hitting the hard rock or being crushed by his body. It was a familiar move, one that Inuyasha had pulled many times in battle or other dangerous situations. The familiarity of it made Miroku instantly uneasy. He knew how to deal with bloodthirsty demons who wanted him dead. He didn't know how to handle this new threat.

"Spirited one, aren't you?" Kouga muttered as he dragged Miroku back to his feet. "Come on, monk. We need to talk."

He didn't let go of Miroku's arm all the way back to the nest of furs at the far end of the wolf cave. Once there, he shoved Miroku gently to the ground and crouched down in front of him.

"I realize we didn't have the best first impression," Kouga said. "But you'll soon see that I can be a good mate. I can keep you safe, I can provide for you, and once we collect all the shards of the Shikon Jewel, we will reign supreme. You will lead the pack by my side."

Miroku shot him a dour glare. "That would be wonderful, if I was interested in being your mate."

Kouga sighed heavily and plopped down beside him. "I'm not used to being denied what I want, and I'm not sure I like it."

"How tragic."

"Look, for now, just focus on helping me wipe out the Birds of Paradise. We can figure out the rest later."

"I already said that I would help you," Miroku pointed out.

"Yeah, and then you tried to escape with the fox child and again on your own," Kouga countered, earning a nod of acknowledgement. "I can understand that you wouldn't trust me after my wolves ate all those villagers, but my word is my bond – if you help us, then humans will never again be our prey. We have honour; the Birds of Paradise don't. They have no respect for life of any kind! They've attacked wounded or sick members of my pack with no mercy, no regard for a fair fight. They'll eat you alive if they get the chance."

"I can't take you at your word," Miroku sighed. "But I can give you mine that I will help you stop the birds, regardless of what comes after."

"I'll take it," Kouga said, shooting him a toothy grin before springing to his feet. "Now, stay here. I have some underlings to chew out."

xXx

Inuyasha cut through a bird demon with his claws and landed on the back of another, driving it headlong into a cliff face. He jumped back and unsheathed Tessaiga, scoring a deep gouge into the rock as he sliced through the demon. As he fell back to the ground, he saw Kirara bounding from bird to bird, ripping the human-like bodies off the tops of their heads. Sango was on the top of a nearby cliff, cutting the wings off as many demons as she could with Hiraikotsu and her sword. The bird demons weren't particularly strong, but there were many of them, and they were keeping Inuyasha from where he desperately needed to go.

There had been no sign from Miroku since the first tug on the nenju beads, and it made him decidedly nervous. Each moment they were delayed was a moment too long. Inuyasha caught another demon by the face with his claws and swung it into the cliff.

"Sango," he called out to the slayer as she dropped to Kirara's back. "Are they allies of the Wolf Demon Pack?"

"I'm not sure," she replied. "They showed up when I was chasing after Kouga, but I don't know if they were intentionally blocking my path."

"They're sure blocking us now," Inuyasha growled, eyeing the direction that the nenju beads had pulled him. Half a dozen more birds rose from the cliffs that same way. "And their nest looks like it's in the same place as the wolves' den, if that's where that mongrel was taking Miroku."

"How do you know that?" Sango asked as she cut through half of the newly emerged birds. "Can you smell Miroku?"

"Not from this distance, but he can pull at me through my necklace." He waved off her incoming questions. "I'll explain more later. Right now, I say we rip through these damn birds and get to the den!"

He tore apart a couple more bird demons and Kirara swooped down underneath him. He landed behind Sango and pointed Kirara in the right direction. They made quick progress to the clifftops, where dozens more birds were circling. They all looked around carefully for any sign of some wolves. Instead, a familiar voice cried out from far below "Inuyasha!"

The hanyou glanced down to see an orange blur streaking along a cliff ledge, being closely pursued by two bird demons. Inuyasha didn't bother to wait for Kirara to dive, instead choosing to fling himself off the twin-tail's back and crash into the ground between Shippo and the demons closing in on him. He ripped the wings off one and punched straight through the other before spinning around and catching the armful of fox that barrelled into him.

"Inuyasha!" Shippo squealed, burrowing into his chest. "I was so scared! The wolves wanted to eat me and Kouga's trying to get Miroku to take on one of the Birds of Paradise and I had to escape to come warn you but Miroku-"

"Slow down," Inuyasha instructed as Kirara landed behind them. "Where's Miroku now? Is he hurt?"

"I don't know," Shippo said tearfully, blinking up at him with wide eyes. "He was fighting a bunch of the pack when I left. Kouga told them not to hurt him – he knows that Miroku can see the Jewel shards and wants him to track one down for him – but Miroku had to fight them to allow me to escape. I didn't want to leave him, Inuyasha, but he told me I had to!"

"It's alright," Inuyasha assured, hugging the kit close as he shared a worried glance with Sango. "You did the right thing and I'm glad you're safe. Now, I need you to show us where Miroku is, okay?"

xXx

Kouga led the hunting party to the base of the highest mountain, the heart of the territory of the Birds of Paradise. The wolf demons were armed to the teeth and calling for blood, streaming through the narrow rocky path in an endless wave. More than half the pack was there, with only a few left behind to guard the den. All their faces were tilted upwards, the ears of both wolves and demons twitching at the unearthly screeches coming from the dozens of birds circling the mountain peak. Miroku stood beside Kouga at the head of the group, Ginta and Hakkaku on either side of him. Kouga bounded up to a rock overlooking the pack and surveyed them evenly.

"This is it," he called down to them, eyes and voice fierce. "Are you ready?"

"Yeah!" the pack chanted, raising their weapons and snarling as the wolves yipped and growled.

"This is gonna be rough," he warned seriously. "Once we attack, they're gonna come down hard and fast. They should all be in the nest by this time, and they can't see as well in the evening. Keep on the defensive and use the rocks for cover. We're here to get the Jewel shard, so all you gotta do is keep the grunts occupied for me. Defend the injured but don't try to get them out of here – if we scatter, they'll be able to pick us off." He turned to Miroku, lowering his voice. "Come on. You just need to point out which one has the shard. I'll take care of the rest."

Miroku nodded solemnly. It was far too late to back out, now. Besides, he could sense a Jewel shard from somewhere above them. He glanced up as a screech sounded from just above their heads. One of the birds had spotted them and was sounding the alarm as she circled down to them.

"They're onto us!" Kouga warned. "Here we go!"

He wrapped an arm around Miroku's waist and held on tight as he leapt from rock to rock up the steep side of the mountain. A dozen birds instantly dove for them, but Kouga broke through their line with a swipe of his claws. As the other tried to turn back to follow them, they were met with a volley of spears and arrows from the pack below. Kouga continued to punch through every bird that swooped down to meet them, pulling on the strength of his Jewel shards. They scaled half-way up the mountain, dodging and shifting through the air. Miroku clung tightly to his staff, bracing himself in case Kouga's guard slipped.

"Can you see which one has the Jewel shard?" the wolf demon asked.

"Not at this speed," Miroku said, though he cast out his mind all the same. "Still above us, I think."

Kouga nodded and sprang further up the cliff, reaching closer to the mountain's peak. Miroku tried to catch on to the faint smear of power he could detect, but the jostling movement and Kouga's heightened youki were making it difficult to concentrate. That's why he could give no warning before a two-headed Bird of Paradise burst from the cliff face, showering them with rocks. They were twice the size of any of the other birds, their teeth protruding from their head. They slammed into Miroku, and he could feel Kouga's grasp sliding from his waist. One of their giant feet came out and closed around Miroku, tearing him away. He saw a flash as Kouga leapt back and away, catching himself on a ledge before hurling himself forward. He tackled the bird, clawed at their body as he made his way down to the talons grasping Miroku. The bird's other foot came up, trying to kick Kouga off and catching his torso with the razor sharp talons. Kouga swore but didn't let go, and snapped one of the bird's three toes cleanly in half.

The bird shrieked and released Miroku, and Kouga maneuvered them safely back against the cliff, pressing Miroku against the rock and shielding him with his body.

"You wolf brat!" the bird screeched in pain, turning back to face them. "You'll pay for that – with the Jewel shards in your body. I have been seeking them everywhere! At least you have saved me the trouble of hunting you down."

"Heh! I was thinking the same thing," Kouga sneered. "Miroku, where's the Jewel fragment?"

Miroku looked around wildly before detecting a faint pink glow emanating from between giant teeth. "It's in their mouth!"

One of the bird's heads snickered menacingly. "And you'll get a good glimpse of it as I swallow you down and devour you! A wolf and a human – delicious!"

The bird's mouth opened wide as they lunged forward, to where Miroku and Kouga were trapped against the cliff face. Kouga swore and threw them to the side, barely avoiding the incoming teeth. The bird crashed into the wall, while Kouga snagged a hold on the craggy cliff to slow their fall. Below them, the pack was fighting ferociously against the majority of the birds, though many still circled overhead. They had killed some, while others were being held down with chains and spears. Kouga caught sight of a few members and altered his course, dropping down beside Ginta and Hakkaku.

"Hey!" he called out, and they instantly turned to meet him. "Protect Miroku!" he ordered, shoving the monk at them before spinning back around.

"What're you gonna do?" Ginta asked, one hand already on Miroku's shoulder.

"I'll cut that mouth wide open," Kouga sneered, pulling a free spear from the body of another bird.

"You're going up there alone?" Miroku asked, glancing between the slight holes in Kouga's side and the lead bird, who had detached from the cliff and was scanning the ground for them.

"I'm the only one strong enough to take that two-headed monster down," Kouga said solemnly, crouching down for a mighty leap. "Here goes nothing!"

He shot back up the cliff, leaving Miroku and a cloud of dust in his wake.

"Don't worry, brother," Ginta said reassuringly. "We'll get you to safety."

"We can't- Brother?" Miroku asked, blinking in surprise.

"Well, yeah," Hakkaku said, like it was obvious, grabbing two spears and passing one over to Ginta. "You're Kouga's mate! You're one of us, now."

"About that…" Miroku said, a little wryly, but was cut off by warning shouts from the rest of the pack. Another bird was swooping down at them, talons poised for the catch. Ginta and Hakkaku immediately moved to either side of him, their spears raised.

"Watch out," Ginta said, bracing himself. As the bird barrelled towards them, he pushed Miroku towards Hakkaku and was swept up instead. He cried out and clung to the bird's leg, thankfully not pierced by the talons. His calls for help resonated across the rocky walls.

"We have to do something," Miroku said, casting around for the first solution that presented itself.

"It's too late!" Hakkaku said, his eyes glued to his lost companion. "He'll be taken up to their nest and devoured!"

"Not if I can help it," Miroku muttered, snatching the spear from Hakkaku's hands, slapping a sutra on it, and throwing it as hard as possible. It wasn't as weighty as his staff, but it shot towards the bird and the desperately struggling Ginta. It tore through the bird's wing, sending them both careening towards the ground. Ginta shouted in surprise but twisted out of the bird's grip, swinging himself above the bird's body so he landed on it rather than the hard ground.

Miroku followed Hakkaku as he ran for Ginta. "You're okay!" the demon shouted in bewildered relief.

"Thanks…" Ginta said, staring at Miroku with wide eyes. A few of the other wolf demons had paused around them, taking in the spectacle.

"Who is this guy, anyway?" one of them asked, something like awe in his voice.

"Look out!" Ginta suddenly cried, pointing over Miroku's shoulder. "There's more!"

Miroku spun around and, without stopping to think, slammed his staff into the ground. A barrier sprung up around them, just in time to send the nearest bird bouncing off it. The barrier flared and reverberated at the impact, and Miroku knew he couldn't take too many more hits like that. The other birds swerved in the air, avoiding the barrier and coming in from the side. Miroku caught one with his sutras and another with his staff, cutting off a wing. He killed neither, but both crashed to the ground and were soon set upon by wolves and wolf demons. The pack moved to surround them, keeping their weapons raised to prevent any of the birds from landing.

The pack was well organized and on the defensive, but with the emergence of their leader, every single bird in the colony had come to fight. They began swooping down in greater numbers, targeting holes in the pack's defense. Many seemed to be concentrating around Miroku – he wondered if they deemed him a threat. Ginta and Hakkaku stuck to his side, but more and more of their companions were being snatched by the birds' claws. Miroku glanced up, trying to see how Kouga was making out. Instead of a vicious battle between him and the lead bird, he saw Kouga ripping one of the smaller birds off some of the pack. Their eyes met and he saw something approaching fear in Kouga's gaze. He looked away as another bird swooped down for the wolf leader, and he tore it to shreds.

They couldn't hold out like this much longer. Even on the defensive, the pack was taking heavy casualties. The arrows were all but spent, meaning the wolf demons had to rely on spears and chains to bring the birds close enough to the ground to take them out. Miroku caught sight of the lead bird, skimming through a cluster of wolves like it was nothing, unfazed by any of the weapons being thrown at them. Kouga needed to take out the two-headed bird, and fast, but he was still trying to protect his pack. So Miroku had an idea. He had a very bad, no-good stupid idea.

He shoved past Ginta and Hakkaku, heading back to the cliffs leading up to the mountain peak. As he cleared the edge of the pack, he became easily recognizable to the bird demons – and that's what he wanted. He heard the telltale shriek as the leader spied him. They instantly dove for him, abandoning the wolves already snatched in their talons. Miroku looked around wildly until he found Kouga, caught the instant the wolf demon saw that he was in danger. He took off across the battlefield, dodging wolves and birds on all sides. Miroku prayed that the speed from three Jewel shards would be enough. He could hold off the bird leader, but not for long.

He summoned another barrier, but this was the third one in a day and it was feeble at best. The lead bird slammed into it and it instantly dissolved. Then Kouga slammed into the bird. He gabbed onto their back and hurled his weight to one side, dragging them away from Miroku. The bird screeched and turned to face the wolf demon, but their cries summoned all the rest of the birds. A wave dove for Miroku in unison, and he knew there was no way that he could block them all. He gripped his staff tighter, his hand snaking towards his mala beads.

And then Inuyasha was in front of him.

He ripped straight through two of the birds with Tessaiga before landing in front of Miroku, not bothering to slow down before colliding with the monk at full force. He spared only a moment to look Miroku up and down before spinning around to face the rest of the flock. He growled, Tessaiga glowed golden, and a wave of power shot from the blade with his next swing, cutting most of the birds into pieces. Satisfied that they were out of immediate danger, he spun back around and crushed Miroku to his chest.

"You're not supposed to get abducted, you asshole!" he snarled, cradling Miroku's head to his shoulder.

"It wasn't the plan," Miroku replied, burying his face in the hanyou's neck for a brief moment before parting.

"Miroku!" Shippo shouted from Kirara's back, jumping into the monk's arm. Miroku caught him easily and nodded to Sango, who shot him a good-natured glare before turning her attention back to the birds.

"You're in a battle?" she called down as Kirara landed beside them.

"The Birds of Paradise have a Jewel shard and the wolves are trying to get it," Miroku explained, carefully evading his own role in the debacle. He searched out the majority of the birds still in the air, who were circling around them in a tight formation. They seemed significantly less willing to come near them after Inuyasha arrived. Miroku then sought out Kouga, who had escaped the clutches of the lead bird and was running back towards him at breakneck speed. The birds spotted him moments later, and seemed to choose the wolf demon as their new target. They broke formation and dove for him, talons raised.

Kouga was quickly approaching from behind. The birds were still in front of them. Miroku pushed past Inuyasha and tore the beads from his hand. He almost stumbled back from the force of it. Part of it, he thought, was not having used the wind tunnel in more than a month. But the void had definitely changed. It was bigger, more powerful, and it drew in every bird in the sky. Miroku gasped and sealed off his hand, instantly feeling the too-full pressure that came with drawing in too much. Inuyasha's hands were on his arm and back, while the pack stared in wonder all around them. Kouga skidded to a stop in front of them, grinning from ear to ear.

"You're just getting better and better!" he called over to Miroku.

"I'm fully aware that I'm amazing," Miroku shot back, sagging slightly into Inuyasha. "But that doesn't change my answer!"

"What answer?" Inuyasha asked, glaring at Kouga suspiciously.

The wolf demon's eyes narrowed in kind. "Great, it's the mutt! Stay out of my way, dog-breath. I don't have time for you today! Run home with your tail between your legs, and I'll let you live!"

"Dream on, you bastard!" Inuyasha snarled, drawing Tessaiga once more. "You're gonna pay for taking Miroku!"

"Miroku?" Kouga had started back towards the lead bird, but whirled around once more. "You mongrel, I'm giving you a chance to run, but keep your half-breed paws off my mate, got it?"

"Your _what_ now?" Inuyasha asked, taking a stumbling step back out of shock.

"You saw him rescue me!" Kouga said over his shoulder, already climbing up the cliff face to meet the two-headed bird. "We're in love!"

"He wasn't saving you!" Inuyasha shouted, Miroku's weight in his arms the only thing keeping him from chasing after the wolf. "He was saving himself from the danger _you _put him in!"

"How dare you?" Kouga growled, pausing to throw a glare at them and curl his hands into fists. "I would never let him be in danger!"

As Inuyasha shouted back incredulously "Then what do you call this?!" Miroku caught Sango's persistent questioning gaze. He shrugged and shook his head – he really didn't know.

"He's helping his new pack!" Kouga shouted, rising higher and higher towards the mountain's peak. "I've claimed him! I'm in love with you, Miroku, and I'm going to make you my mate!"

"Really, I got nothing," Miroku muttered to Sango and she stepped up to his side. Meanwhile, Inuyasha had placed himself solidly in front of the monk.

"Are we fighting the wolf demons, too?" Sango asked, eyeing the pack around them.

"Not at the moment," Miroku shrugged noncommittally.

"You're far better off with me, and you know it!" Kouga challenged, finally addressing Miroku and bypassing Inuyasha altogether. "It's time to leave that group of weaklings and give up on that pathetic mutt-face! He's not good enough for you. Forget about him! I'll kill him once I'm done here. Once you've been with a real warrior like me, you'll never go back to scraps again!"

The pack cheered and jeered around them. Kouga smirked and continued his upward climb.

"He does know that there's a battle going on, right?" Sango asked, leading Miroku back to lean against Kirara.

"There's certainly _something _going on," Miroku muttered darkly, watching Inuyasha snarl with his eyes fixed unwaveringly on the wolf demon. It wasn't much of a surprise when he leapt off the ground in pursuit of Kouga. The wolf leader instantly spotted him.

"Stupid mutt," he yelled, climbing even faster than before. "I told you, I'm busy! Go away!"

Miroku frowned, a familiar energy flashing through his mind. "Kouga, the bird is coming at you from above!"

Inuyasha froze, spinning around to stare at Miroku in stunned disbelief. Meanwhile, Kouga looked around wildly, at the bare sky surrounding the peak. It was when his back was turned that the lead bird dove from the cover of a cloud, talons reaching. Kouga dodged upwards and they followed, their jaws gaping open to catch the wolf demon. Kouga jammed his spear into their mouth, but they simply bit down hard, catching his arm between their teeth.

"Thanks for the hand," the bird cackled. "Now I will tear it off!"

"Damnit," Kouga swore, bracing against the teeth as the bird rushed even higher. He kicked at one of the teeth, breaking it off into the bird's mouth, and tore his arm from their grip. Blood immediately spurted from the wound, but that wasn't what caught his attention. The Jewel shard flew from his arm, too far for him to catch it as he fell. He watched with disgust as the bird snatched it from the air right before he crash-landed on the top of the mountain. He coughed and groaned at the impact, and the bird was already circling back around. No doubt they wanted the Jewel shards in his legs. Damn! This stupid bird was hard enough to deal with when he had three shards and they had only one. He didn't like his odds now. A faint scent and soft landing drew his attention to the edge of the peak, where the stupid hanyou was walking over to him.

"Oh, great," Kouga growled. "Why are _you _here?"

The hanyou flicked an ear at him with a sneer, his sword hoisted over his shoulder. "Shaddup and take notes, fleabag," he growled, walking past. "You're about to witness some _real _power!"

The bird was diving at them, already having grown in size and completely healed from their wounds attained in battle. They cackled with all three heads – both human-like and bird – as they aimed for Kouga. Inuyasha pushed aside his animosity towards the wolf, and the instincts telling him that he was a threat, and focused his attention solely on the bird. He let the rest of the world drop away as the Wind Scar crackled along their youki. He tried not to think about the fact that he was saving the life of the stupid bastard – it didn't matter, since he would be ripping him to shreds as soon as he was done with this oversized chicken. He sliced through the air with a powerful swing, sending a burst of energy cutting towards the bird demon. Five burning lines shot across the ground and turned the bird to dust.

Kouga watched in stunned amazement as the glaring bright light faded, leaving only small chunks of bird and two Jewel shards to fall to the ground. Inuyasha sneered at him, picked up the two shards, and jumped off down the cliff.

Sango walked through the carnage, where bird and wolf demon bodies were scattered indiscriminately. It seemed as though both sides had suffered heavy losses before Miroku opened the wind tunnel. She was reminded of the people lying dead in the village, massacred by the wolves from this very pack. She had hated the wolf demons for it, but in death, they looked so very similar. Miroku had said that they weren't fighting the pack. He had helped Kouga. She had to trust that he knew what he was doing.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Miroku approach Kirara and speak to her quietly. After a moment, she nodded and he climbed on her back. She soon took off, heading up to the mountain peak. Sango watched worriedly. The bright blast of Tessaiga through the night sky had been unmistakable, even from her vantage point – she knew that the lead bird was dead and the battle won. She didn't know about Kouga, or how Inuyasha was taking it. Even as Miroku and Kirara disappeared into the clouds swirling around the peak, Inuyasha leapt from rock to rock down to the battlefield. The wolf demons that weren't injured were all drawn to him in a cautious half-circle. He snarled at them but Sango knew it was half-hearted. It was hard to turn around and attack after fighting a common enemy.

"You got the shards?" she asked, partially to break the strained tension between Inuyasha and the pack.

"Yeah," Inuyasha said gruffly.

"You've truly mastered the Wind Scar," she ventured as Shippo scurried onto her shoulder, emerging from where she'd stashed him during the battle.

"Yeah, well," he shrugged. "Now that I've singlehandedly gotten rid of the pigeon from hell, I think it's their turn."

He glared over at the wolves, who shrank back at the intensity. The demons raised their weapons uncertainly, unsure of whether they had another fight on their hands. A shadow overhead broke their focus. Kirara touched down on the ground, Miroku and a wounded Kouga on her back. The wolf leader was grimacing in pain and clutching his mangled right arm. Miroku carefully helped Kouga off Kirara and lowered him to the ground, while Inuyasha gaped in furious disbelief. Sango watched all three of them with a feeling of growing dread.

"What the hell are you _doing?_" Inuyasha gasped, his eyes darting between Miroku and Kouga.

"This is no time to settle a score," Miroku muttered, pulling a roll of bandages from his robes and wrapping Kouga's arm. "He's injured. It's not a fair fight."

"Please," Kouga scoffed, brushing Miroku off and struggling to stand with a wince. "This is nothing!"

"Don't get up," Miroku told him firmly, pressing him back down with a hand on his forehead. "You both are acting far too stubborn for your own good."

Inuyasha curled back, hurt mingling with anger and disbelief. Why the hell was Miroku coddling the very creature that threatened to kill him, abducted him, and almost got him eaten by oversized birds? When the hell had they gotten so familiar with one another? He'd been so desperate to find Miroku, absolutely frantic to make sure he was okay, and now he was, what? Clinging to some human-eating wolf demon?

"Tryna get me when I'm down?" Kouga growled, pushing to his feet through pure determination. "I can take you one-handed, you powerless half-breed!"

"Again with the insults," Inuyasha snarled, raising a fist and charging. "You're dead!"

Miroku stepped firmly between the two of them. Inuaysha skidded to a stop, his claws a hair's breadth from Miroku's eyes. The monk didn't so much as blink, just surveyed the hanyou coolly. He barely tilted his head to the side to address the pack.

"The fighting is over for today. See to your injured and get back to the den. Ginta, Hakkaku, get Kouga out of here."

The wolves and wolf demons scattered, Kouga hoisted between two of them as they ran. Miroku remained firmly planted in front of Inuyasha, their chests almost pressed together. Inuyasha still had one clawed hand raised. He was breathing hard and his ears were pinned to his head, as he studied Miroku's face with an expression of absolute heartbreak.

"Why?" he whispered, shaking and scared and furious.

"He wasn't fit to fight," Miroku said calmly. "And there has been enough bloodshed for one day. He's not our enemy."

"Not our-" Inuyasha spluttered. "He abducted you! He threatened to _eat _you! The fucking hell do you mean, not our enemy?!"

"He saved my life," Miroku said.

"_I _saved your life!" Inuyasha growled.

"The situation is more complicated than good or evil," Miroku sighed, suddenly exhausted. "We may still have to fight against the wolf demons, but not today."

Inuyasha's mouth opened and closed a few times, but he seemed at a loss for words. Finally, he drew the Jewel shards from his robes and threw them on the ground. "Here," he spat. "Go give them back to that wolf of yours for all I care."

He turned away with a snarl and stalked off to the edge of the battlefield. Miroku watched him go with sorrowful eyes and a resigned expression.

"Now what?" Sango asked, picking the shards up off the ground and handing them over to Miroku.

"The pack will want to return to retrieve their dead," Miroku sighed. "And I, for one, don't feel the need to stay in these cursed mountains any longer."

Sango nodded silently. She picked up Shippo and climbed onto Kirara's back with Miroku right behind her. Inuyasha made no move to join them, though she had no doubts that he had heard. When Kirara lifted into the air, she flew slow and close to the ground, so Sango could keep an eye on the red-clad figure keeping pace with them through the mountains. It was almost dawn by the time they settled on a low cliff at the very edge of the mountain range. Inuyasha clambered onto the plateau and plopped himself down with his back to them, steadfastly ignoring each and every one of them.

Miroku knelt down and tried to build a fire out of the few broken branches that Kirara had retrieved from the forest below. She and Shippo were sitting off to the side, watching him with wide eyes. Sango realized that she would have to be the brave one as she crouched down beside him.

"Two shards?" she asked, not really asking but needing to break the silence.

"Mm," he nodded slightly. "The Bird of Paradise tore one of these from Kouga's arm."

"Won't he come after us in search for it?" Sango wondered.

"Probably."

"It seems unlikely that he would try to harm you, based on what he said," Sango prompted.

"Mm," Miroku shrugged, and sighed at the look she gave him. "He wants to collect as many shards as possible. I was a way for him to do that."

"And you said he saved your life."

"Yes, well, I suppose we're even now," Miroku shook his head, changing the subject as he unsuccessfully worked on the fire. "How's Shippo?"

They both glanced over to where the kit had fallen asleep, Kirara carefully curled around him protectively.

"Doing remarkably well, seeing as he was abducted and almost killed."

"He's having such a rich childhood," Miroku said with dry humour.

"We can't go on like this," Sango said seriously.

"I know. We'll go to Kaede's immediately and leave him with her. It's what we should have done long ago."

Sango glanced over at Inuyasha. Miroku followed her gaze. "You should talk to him," she urged quietly. "He was so worried about you. This whole event upset him."

Miroku nodded tightly. She rose with him and gave his shoulders a quick squeeze before pushing him gently towards the hanyou. Inuyasha was staring into the sunrise, his ears still flat to his head. Miroku sat next to him and received no acknowledgement.

"I didn't mean to appear ungrateful," Miroku said softly, gazing out across the valley below them. "I'm very appreciative of you coming to save me. Thank you."

"Looks like you and Kouga had things covered," Inuyasha sneered, not looking at him.

Miroku held back a sigh. "Does it bother you that I asked you to spare his life?" Inuyasha huffed and looked away, but Miroku caught something else in his eyes. "Does it bother you that Kouga said he loves me?"

That hit a nerve, if the tightening of the muscles along Inuyasha's back was anything to go by. He stubbornly refused to meet Miroku's eyes, leaving the monk to puzzle out that that entailed.

"Are you jealous?" he finally asked frankly, unsure what else could be the cause of such a reaction.

Inuyasha sprang to his feet, glaring down at him. "Why the fuck would I be jealous of that bastard? I don't care!"

While utterly unconvinced, Miroku made sure to keep his voice calm and even. "I am not attracted to Kouga, if that's what this is about, and I don't care that he wants me to be his mate."

Inuyasha's shoulders slumped and he crouched back to the ground, still angled away from Miroku. "He offered, though. He's the leader of a powerful pack. He could protect you."

'The way I couldn't' sat heavy and unspoken in the air. Miroku closed his eyes and took a deep breath, holding it for a moment and releasing it slowly from his mouth. "Inuyasha, I want you to listen to me."

Inuyasha grudgingly turned to face him, his eyes darting up to meet Miroku's before sliding away once more.

"Kouga decided that he wanted me, but I made no such decision," Miroku said firmly. "Just because he offered me a place does not mean that I'd abandon everything we have together. Putting aside that I still have to collect the Jewel shards and defeat Naraku, I'd still choose to be with you. You and Sango, and Shippo and Kirara, you are _my _pack, and nothing will ever change that."

Inuyasha huffed and angry breath and looked away, his ears still pinned to his head. "He can offer you more than I can."

"He can't offer me what I want," Miroku said easily, sincerely.

He placed a gentle hand on Inuyasha's shoulder and walked away, leaving him to his thoughts. However, his own mind was in turmoil. Inuyasha was acting far more like a scorned, jealous lover than a friend and comrade. Were those things the same for him? Was losing a pack member to another pack equivalent to a lover having the object of their affections stolen away? Was it Kouga's declarations of love that had Inuyasha so riled up, or the inherent abandonment associated with them?

Quietly, the most poignant question sounded in Miroku's mind, desperate with faint hope.

Did Inuyasha have feelings for him as well?

* * *

Headcanon about Kouga: Demons don't give a flying fuck about humans' hang-ups about sexual orientation. Kouga is for all intents-and-purposes straight, but he'd have no issues with banging a man or taking one as his mate if he liked him enough. Demons have sexual preferences, but because there was never the assumption of heterosexual as default, they never defined labels such as straight or gay. All demons are sexually fluid and super casual about it. For them, it's more about species, class, and power.

In terms of Miroku and Inuyasha's relationship, it might be like pulling teeth, but we're slowly getting there! Just a little bit further to go


	38. Chapter 38: s2e11

Warnings for this chapter: emotional angst, references to potential homophobia, way too many genuine feels, conspicuous absence of plot

* * *

An uncomfortable silence had fallen over the group all the way to Kaede's village. A few of the villagers called out to them from the rice fields as they approached, happy to see them after so long away and no longer questioning the new additions that Inuyasha and Miroku had a habit of attracting. Kaede was waiting for them outside her hut, looking over each of them appraisingly.

"I see that you are alive and relatively intact," she commented dryly.

"Relatively," Miroku agreed, coming to stand beside her. "Kaede, meet Sango, a demon slayer, and Kirara."

"It's an honour to meet you," Sango said bowing deeply.

"You are welcome here, child," Kaede replied evenly. "Though I hope you have better manners than the tanuki."

She stepped out of the way to let them in to her hut. Miroku, Sango, and Kirara obliged. Shippo jumped into Kaede's arms. Inuyasha turned and walked away. The old miko watched him go and turned a questioning gaze on Miroku.

"He needs some time alone," he shrugged.

Sango saw the suspicious look that flashed across Kaede's face, the weariness in the set of Miroku's shoulders, and the apprehension in the hunch of Shippo's body. The old miko knelt down by the fire and poured them all a cup of tea.

"Why don't you start at the beginning?" she suggested.

Miroku nodded, thinking back to the last time they had left the village. "Right. First things first… Kaede, Kikyo is still alive."

"Ah," she nodded. "I wondered if ye had seen her."

"I'm sorry," Miroku blinked. "You _knew?_"

"She came to me several weeks ago," Kaede said calmly. "Wanting me to tell her everything there was to know about Naraku. She didn't mention either you or Inuyasha, but I assumed that some encounter had prompted her to seek me."

"She wanted to take Inuyasha's soul so that they could be together. We encountered her once more after that, when she was captured by Naraku. She wants to destroy him."

"My sister's powers remain strong, even after her death," Kaede sighed. "It is possible that she could do him some harm."

Sango frowned as Miroku didn't mention either the Jewel shards or Kikyo's involvement in Naraku's new form. However, her attention was quickly diverted. Miroku recounted their journey together, referencing Naraku's attack on the slayer's village in broad strokes. Kaede nodded, apparently having heard of the destruction, and gave Sango a sympathetic look. He went into more detail regarding Naraku's plot to taint the Shikon Jewel with malice and what they had discovered at Midoriko's cave. He touched briefly on Sesshomaru, Tenseiga, and Totosai – "He was a doddering old man. Honestly, Kaede, you would have killed him" – and Jinenji – "I hope that you can meet him one day. His herbs are unlike anything I've seen before" – and completely avoided anything about Mushin's temple, Kohaku, or Kouga. Sango remained silent other than a few added details here and there, and she saw Shippo nodding along studiously, no doubt noting which stories they were allowed to share with Kaede and which were to be kept amongst themselves.

"Naraku is more powerful now," Miroku finished. "We have no idea what he's planning next, but we can't have seen the last of his plots."

"This is grave, indeed," Kaede nodded. "There are many challenges you have yet to overcome. Is this what is bothering Inuyasha?"

Miroku and Sango exchanged an uneasy look. "Somewhat," the monk said noncommittally. "I believe he is worried for us and our group."

"A demon abducted Miroku recently," Sango added, ignoring the betrayed look shot at her by the monk.

"Ah," Kaede nodded, as though that explained everything. Sango had a suspicion that for her, it might.

"He still seems so gloomy," Shippo said mournfully. "Usually he only gets this upset about Kikyo, but he's been sighing and moping around for two days now!"

"I should go talk to him again," Miroku sighed, beginning to stand.

"Wait, I'll go," Sango cut him off, rising smoothly. "You already spoke to him on the cliffs. It's my turn."

Miroku nodded tentatively and sat back down. After a brief hesitation, she picked up Hiraikotsu and left the hut. Miroku watched her go, and Sango could sense the general apprehension coming from him in waves. She wasn't sure if Inuyasha would be any more likely to reveal what was troubling him to her more than Miroku, but since the monk seemed to be the root of his distress, he might need an outside perspective. It didn't take long for her to find him, either. He stood in the middle of a small grassy clearing just outside the village, pacing a crater into the ground.

"You seem to be having fun," she observed wryly, setting down Hiraikotsu.

"I'm not in the mood to talk," Inuyasha grumbled, not looking up at her.

"That's fine," she shrugged, sitting down on the ground.

He continued ignoring her for a while longer before he came to a sudden stop and sighed. "I need to do something. Can we do some training?"

It wasn't what she had been hoping for, but Sango nodded nonetheless. Inuyasha instantly drew Tessaiga, and Sango slowly unsheathed her own sword. They circled each other for a time, each seeking out the other's tells. It was rare for Sango to fight a sword-wielding opponent, but regular sparring had kept her sharp, and Inuyasha, while strong, lacked the more advanced techniques she had learned over the years. He waited for her to make the first move, a distinct change from his initial habit of rushing in swinging. They started tentatively, with single blows and easy parries, getting a feel for the practice. Slowly, Sango grew more daring, forcing Inuyasha to try his footwork or block from odd angles.

He was silent and tense, and she could tell that his heart wasn't in it. Sango began increasing the pressure, attacking more quickly, keeping him on the defensive. She pulled out her dirtiest moves, the ones that were usually reserved for real battle. She swung high then swept his legs, goaded him into attacking into an obvious trap, and stopped just short of pulling his hair. He was getting frustrated, sloppy, and stressed to the breaking point. That's what she wanted. Something had to give, and she would rather have the confrontation now than later. He growled and rushed at her. She spun out of the way, stuck out her foot to trip him, and caught his back with the flat of her sword. Inuyasha stumble and whirled on her, snarling. She stared him down with ease.

Slowly, the fight bled from his shoulders and he sank to his need. "Fuck."

"You need to talk to him," Sango said, coming to sit beside him.

"No, I need to kill something," he huffed. "Sango, can you find me something to kill?"

She gave him a half-smile. "I think this is a situation where killing something won't help."

"Ridiculous," he scoffed. "Every situation would be helped by killing something. And in this situation, that thing is Kouga."

"Inuyasha," Sango sighed. "I know that you are uncomfortable with letting Kouga escape – so am I. But Miroku was the one who spent time with him, and I trust his judgement. You heard what he said about Kouga's promise. It's better to have a flawed ally than yet another enemy. We can address the pack once fewer people are trying to kill us."

"He's a murderer!" Inuyasha snarled. "He killed people, and Miroku acts like that doesn't matter!"

"Of course it matters," Sango said in a low voice. "Miroku hasn't forgotten that, and neither have I. But we both know that's not the issue here."

He whipped around to glare at her. "What do you mean?"

"Kouga took Miroku and threatened him," Sango said plainly. "You have every right to be furious about that. He's our friend and he was in danger, but that danger is passed now, Inuyasha. Miroku did what he thought was right. Even if you feel differently, you need to respect that." She shook her head. "And you need to _speak _with him. He can see that you're angry – we all can – but he doesn't know why."

"He fucking knows why," Inuyasha grumbled darkly.

"No, he doesn't," Sango murmured. "All he knows is that you've been avoiding even looking at him since Kouga escaped. You two need to work things through together." She stood. "And if you need an ear or a shoulder, I'll always be here."

She walked back to Kaede's hut, leaving a confused and guilty hanyou in her wake.

xXx

A warm, delicious smell greeted Inuyasha as he rejoined the others that evening. He paused just outside, listening in to the conversation that flowed freely between his pack.

"My father brought a recipe back from Ibaraki," Miroku was saying. "It's what we ate most commonly back at the temple. Mushin always said that if you weren't crying, then it wasn't hot enough."

His curiosity and hunger outweighing the awkwardness he felt, Inuyasha stepped into the hut. Miroku didn't so much as blink when he saw him, simply handed him a steaming-hot bowl of stew from Kaede's cooking pot.

"Nattō curry," he said by way of explanation. "With more red chillies than is advisable."

"Is it usual for it to be this spicy?" Sango asked, tentatively poking the red-tinted mixture in her own bowl.

"Mushin had his way with the recipe for several years," Miroku shrugged. "So, it's impossible to tell but probably not, no."

"This is delicious!" Shippo chirped, absolutely demolishing his share. "Miroku, you should cook more often!"

"How are you eating so fast?" Sango asked incredulously, her face already slightly pink. "I've been set on fire and it didn't burn as much."

Inuyasha ignored them and dutifully shovelled food into his mouth. He had to admit, it was good, but his mind was decidedly elsewhere. Once everyone had eaten and the others were settling down for the night, Inuyasha walked over to Miroku's side.

"Can we talk?"

Miroku nodded and followed him outside, down to the outskirts of the village and to an old tree where they had spoken several times before.

"Do we have time?" Miroku asked, looking up at the setting sun, knowing full well what night it was.

"We have to head back soon," Inuyasha shrugged. "But I wanted us to talk privately first."

A wary, serious expression shifted over Miroku's face. "Alright."

"Look," Inuyasha huffed, kicking at the ground and glaring at his feet. "It wasn't right for me to lash out at you the way I did. You were in danger, and it scared the shit out of me, and I couldn't just turn around and see Kouga as an ally right after hunting him down because I thought he was going to kill you."

"I understand that," Miroku said softly. "And I didn't mean to take sides. Despite everything he's done, I owe him my life, and I truly believe that we may be able to work together in the future. I'm not happy about it, but I think it's necessary."

"I can understand that." Inuyasha lifted his head to glare up at the sky. "And I trust your plan – still don't like it, but that doesn't mean I won't play along if I have to. It just bothers me the way he treated you – like he owned you, or something. And you were just okay with that?"

"I wasn't," Miroku said firmly. "You weren't there, but when he originally stated his intent to make me his mate, I told him that it wasn't happening. He was all attitude and overconfidence, and he only wanted me to hunt down Jewel shards for him, anyway."

"I know you wouldn't leave our group," Inuyasha sighed, finally looking up at Miroku. "But I got scared. I don't want to be alone again, and losing you – whether you're hurt or killed or just leave – it scares me more than anything else."

"You're not going to lose me," Miroku said firmly, taking a step closer to him, hovering just out of his personal space. "We're friends – we're family."

"I know that! And I trust you – I _do _– it just messes with my head."

"I'm sorry," Miroku sighed. "What can I do, other than give you my assurances that I have no plans on leaving?"

"Nothing," Inuyasha grumbled. "You don't need to reassure me like I'm some kid. This is my shit, and I'll deal with it. You and Sango and Kirara can make your own decisions and I can live with that."

"We all made a commitment to repairing the Jewel and defeating Naraku," Miroku said softly. "None of us are going anywhere until that's done."

Inuyasha clenched his jaw and looked away. He didn't know how to say the things that were jumbled in his mind, the feelings pressing against his chest so hard that it felt like he was going to burst. He knew that Sango might leave at any time to hunt down her brother or simply give up her quest for revenge. He knew that Kirara would probably follow wherever she went. And he was okay with that. It hurt, to be sure, but he could live with them gone. Hell, they were leaving Shippo behind for good this time, and even though it was more painful than he care to admit, he knew it was for the best.

But Miroku? He couldn't explain it. Miroku was the one most likely to stay, the one most committed to their task. He was dead-set on finding the Jewel shards, and he couldn't exactly walk away from destroying Naraku. And yet for some reason, Inuyasha couldn't shake the simmering anxiety that told him that Miroku might leave. That he would be gone one day and he would never see him again. It could be the wind tunnel, and the daily threat to his life and safety, but that wasn't everything – the rest of his pack was also in danger regularly. This felt different. This felt like he would be losing a part of himself if Miroku was gone. Inuyasha knew he would never be able to put it into words, but he needed Miroku to stay. He needed the monk near him, to keep him close. Because if he truly lost Miroku? He honestly didn't know what he would do. It went way beyond companionship and into something instinctual and wild and ugly. He wanted to curl up around the monk and keep the rest of the world away.

He'd always had a possessive streak, he knew, especially when it came to those he truly cared about. And he cared about Miroku. He wanted to protect his pack from everything because he couldn't stand to lose them. If they got hurt, it was his fault. If they needed something, it was his job to provide it. But with Miroku… It could be that Miroku was his first friend after waking up fifty years later – his first friend ever, if he was being honest. There had only been two people in all the world that he'd ever felt this close to, and both of them were dead – though one hadn't stuck. But that was it – his relationship with Miroku felt very similar to how it was with Kikyo. He didn't just want Miroku nearby – he _wanted _him, in a way that he couldn't quite grasp. He needed more of him – his touch, his voice, his presence, everything. And he didn't know what to do.

"Inuyasha?" A soft voice startled him from his thoughts with a fleeting touch and gentle violet eyes. "It's almost dark."

He nodded silently and turned his feet to Kaede's hut. He thought he would feel better after they talked, and it _was _better now that he and Miroku were good, but he still felt as lost and confused as ever. He found himself eyeing the monk, taking in the stiffness of his movements, the way he still favoured his right hand. He had been utterly exhausted the day before, the effects of too many spiritual barriers and sucking in too many bird demons.

"You used the wind tunnel again for the first time," Inuyasha said carefully, keeping his gaze fixed in front of them.

"Yeah."

"Did it feel any different?"

Miroku looked at him in surprise, then away. He opened his mouth, closed it again, and his shoulders sagged. "A little."

Inuyasha treated him to a stern glare.

"It felt bigger," Miroku finally admitted. "More powerful. It definitely spread."

"Damn," Inuyasha muttered. "What does that mean for you?"

Miroku shrugged. "That depends on whether or not we defeat Naraku."

They ducked into Kaede's house just as the sun was setting. Kaede looked up to greet them, and her gaze immediately locked on Inuyasha's face. The hanyou didn't meet her eye, but sat down by the fire and watched his hair turn dark and his claws shorten into blunt human nails. It helped that the rest of the pack, who were in various stages of falling asleep, treated this occurrence with no particular interest.

"Once a month I turn human for a night," Inuyasha explained, hoping that it would be enough.

Thankfully it was, and Kaede ignored him in favour of heading off to bed. Miroku sat down next to Inuyasha, across from the doorway. He pressed their shoulders together and Inuyasha felt some of the stress of the day fall away. Even if he didn't know what was going on in his own mind, things were better between him and Miroku. It felt as though something had settled in his chest, and he could breathe easier. He watched the rest of his pack drift off into sleep, mourning the loss of their heartbeats and scent. But Miroku was a solid presence beside him, and Kaede's hut was safe. He found that he could let his mind wander, and it sidled right over to the monk once more.

"Miroku?" he asked tentatively.

"Mm?"

"What _would _happen if we tore your arm off?"

Miroku blinked at him. "Huh?"

"Say we cut it off at the wrist or shoulder, whatever. Do you think the wind tunnel would disappear?"

"I don't know," the monk murmured, looking down at his covered palm. "I feel as though Naraku wouldn't let me out of it that easily."

Inuyasha eyed him incredulously. "You think ripping off an arm is _easy?_"

"I don't know the limits of the curse," Miroku sighed. "A new wind tunnel could spring from the stump of my arm, or something else horrible could happen. But I'll tell you what – if I get desperate enough, I might just consider it."

"I wonder if regular people have choices like we do," Inuyasha huffed. "For once, I'd like the biggest problem in my day to be what to eat."

"To be fair, I think that's a problem in many people's lives," Miroku smiled sadly. "We may have dangerous lives, but at least we can survive."

"Yay."

Miroku chuckled softly and pressed their arms more firmly together. Inuyasha closed his eyes and tried to relax as he waited for the sun to return.

xXx

It was a beautiful day, and Miroku decided that he badly needed some fresh air. They had decided to stay another day in Kaede's village before leaving, Inuyasha had been quiet all morning, and Miroku needed to think. Too many things were happening all at once, and he didn't know what to do about any of them. He didn't know how they were going to convince Shippo to stay behind. He didn't know how they were going to face Naraku with his newly powerful form. He didn't know what they were going to do about Kikyo, or why she had taken the Jewel shards. And he didn't know what to do about Inuyasha.

Every time he convinced himself that there was something between them, he reminded himself that his friend was half dog demon and had a deep fear of abandonment – it was only natural for him to be protective of his pack. And every time he convinced himself that Inuyasha's behaviour was simply fear-based possessiveness, he was reminded of all the ways that Inuyasha treated him differently than anyone else. The casual touches, sleeping side-by-side, the attentiveness that the hanyou showed him whenever he was hurt or in need of comfort… Was it just their relationship? Would Inuyasha do the same for the others given the opportunity? He didn't know. Just because his actions were verging on courtship in human societies didn't mean that half-demons ascribed to the same standards.

Miroku sighed.

He supposed he could just ask Inuyasha if there was something between them, but that had the potential for disastrous consequences. Inuyasha had been raised in a human village. Even if other demons like Kouga were apparently fine with declaring their love for another man, there was no guarantee that Inuyasha would be accepting of his advances. Even if he was comfortable with the concept, would Inuyasha accept _his_ advances, specifically? Would it change everything between them? Would it ruin their friendship, their group?

And even if everything worked out perfectly, and Inuyasha not only accepted but returned his feelings, then what? Miroku was a disaster waiting to happen. They had no future together.

Miroku shook his head, casting off the melancholy and returning his attention to the outside world. He would address each problem as it presented itself. Shippo, Naraku, Kikyo…all would come in their time. And Inuyasha, well, there was no need to make a decision. There was no need to cause trouble. Miroku was content with where he stood with the hanyou, and unless something drastically changed, he saw no need to jeopardize what they already had. As it was, it was a beautiful day, and he finally had a chance to breathe.

And yet, despite the soothing peace of his surroundings, Miroku found that he missed the bustle and chatter of his companions. It felt odd not having them by his side, like something was missing. It was strange that after so many years alone, it should feel so wrong.

He turned around earlier than he was expecting and made his way back to the village.

xXx

Sango hunted around for ages before she found the monk. He'd been gone for too long, Inuyasha was restless but refusing to go after him, so apparently it was up to her to deal with it. She found him sitting on a fence at the edge of the village, a group of women surrounding him. Sango instantly clenched her teeth, not knowing whether Hiraikotsu was needed more or less in this situation. As she approached, she could hear the women laughing, and Miroku's steady voice with a thick layer of charm telling them that they would have many children. Hopefully with him. Sango couldn't believe it.

"So this is what you do when you're here?" she asked with distain.

"Sango!" he exclaimed, fixing a sheepish smile on his face. "Just a little fun-"

"I can't believe you," she hissed, dragging him away from the gathered women by his sleeve. "You and Inuyasha have just worked things out, and now you're doing this?"

"There's no harm-"

"Just don't," she huffed. "Don't stir up more trouble – we have enough already."

"I wasn't trying to," he muttered.

"I know you weren't," she sighed. "But we need to be solid right now."

xXx

Shippo was perched on a rock by the river, intently watching as Inuyasha pulled some fish from the river.

"Are you and Miroku done fighting?" the kit asked, green eyes wide.

"We weren't fighting," Inuyasha muttered, grabbing for another fish and missing. "We had a disagreement because of a misunderstanding. We're fine, now."

"Good," Shippo nodded decisively. "Because Miroku was really brave with Kouga."

Inuyasha frowned and stepped out of the river. "How do you mean?"

"Well, he saved my life," Shippo said as though it was obvious. "And he fought a lot of the wolves so I could escape. And he had to use the wind tunnel again, and that's scary."

"Yeah," Inuyasha sighed. "And then I went and yelled at him. I know I shouldn't have, but I apologized and he knows I didn't mean it."

"I guess," Shippo mumbled.

Inuyasha tossed two of the fish at him to carry and picked up the rest himself. He didn't like that everyone was throwing his mistakes in his face. He didn't like it even more that the kit was right. If he ever saw Kouga again, there was still a good chance that he would kill the mangy wolf, but he would try harder not to react so strongly where Miroku was concerned. He swung Shippo up on his shoulder and took off through the forest for the village. He couldn't make what he did right, but he could take care of his pack, and he could start by shoving them full of food.

The others were in Kaede's hut when they got back. Kirara immediately perked up at the sight of fish, and Inuyasha held up the largest one for her. "You want this cooked, or no?"

She cocked her head thoughtfully and then darted forward, taking it from his hand and dragging it to the corner to begin chomping down.

"At least one of ye has some manners," Kaede grumbled under her breath, patting Kirara's head approvingly.

"Kaede, she's eating off the floor," Inuyasha drawled, dropping down the rest of the fish next to the fire.

"Ye'll be eating off the floor if you keep that up," Kaede warned, gesturing at him threateningly with her wooden spoon. "Thank you for the fish."

"I take it she's in a good mood?" Inuyasha asked wryly, sitting down between Miroku and Sango.

"There are some fears for the autumn harvest," Miroku answered smoothly.

"And Miroku used up her ink supply on his sutras," Sango added instantly.

Miroku shot her a betrayed look as Inuyasha snorted. "I said I was sorry! I can pay you back, Kaede-sama."

"Don't even think about it," Kaede responded harshly. "Ye need it more than I, young monk."

Miroku threw up his hands dramatically while Inuyasha and Sango chuckled into their hands.

"Ye must be cautious," Kaede continued seriously. "If what ye tell me of Naraku's new form is true, then he is a more formidable enemy than ever. Why, he can hold the Tessaiga!"

"We don't know if he can wield it," Miroku said. "And I think not, otherwise he would have used it when he fought Sango."

"He shouldn't even be able to hold it," Inuyasha grumbled.

"Perhaps, but I have been thinking about that," Miroku said slowly. "Naraku was once Onigumo. No matter how he changes his body, that fact remains. Other demons cannot so much as touch the sword, but humans are able to hold it, just not transform it. I wonder if Tessaiga allows Naraku to do the same because he was once human."

The group was quiet around the fire as they absorbed this information.

"That could be the case," Sango said slowly. "But does that mean that he can transform the sword, or not? Sesshomaru could do it, so long as he had a non-demon arm, and he would have about the same human-to-demon ratio as Naraku."

"Maybe Naraku isn't powerful enough?" Miroku shrugged. "Or maybe he had to be born with youki? Maybe, because he's comprised of lesser demons, it doesn't work? Who knows."

"At least the bastard can't use it," Inuyasha snarled. "That's all that matters. He's not likely to try to steal it again, after what happened to him last time."

They cooked the fish and relaxed over their meal, chatting easily amongst themselves. Once they were done, Kaede turned to Inuyasha. "Can you help me bring in some more wood for the night? I feel that it will be a cold one."

He instantly nodded and rose to his feet, Shippo hot on his heels. They followed her outside and Miroku and Sango watched them go.

"Do you think she's going to talk to him?" Sango asked.

"Who knows," Miroku shrugged. "A lot of words are being passed."

"Yeah, well, someone needs to make sure you two are getting along," Sango grinned.

"Speaking of which," Miroku said slowly. "Can I ask your advice about something?"

"Depends on what you want to ask," she said warily. "Though you could always use some advice, especially from me."

"With Kouga, did I do the right thing?" Miroku asked. "He killed people. That's supposed to be enough for us to go after a demon."

"Technically he didn't kill anyone," Sango said slowly. "He simply ordered his wolves to do so."

"You know that doesn't make a difference."

"You spent the most time with him," Sango shrugged. "We have to trust your gut. And if it turns out that we should have killed him, well, it's a much easier mistake to remedy than the other way around."

"I suppose so," Miroku sighed. "I believe that he will keep his word, or try to, anyway."

"He seemed quite taken with you."

"That's another thing. Sango, what do you know about demon mates?"

Sango slowly lowered her cup of tea, eyes flashing to his. "What do you want to know?"

"Anything, really. I heard about them once before from the demons that killed Shippo's father, then again from Kouga, but I don't know what it means. I know that it's something that occurs between individuals rather than a pack, but not much else."

"From what I understand, I can vary depending on the type of demon," Sango said thoughtfully. "All of them involve a very close bond. They are sworn to protect each other and will always remain loyal to one another. For some of the more powerful demons, a link is formed between their minds, so that they can share emotions or even thoughts, if the rumours are true." She flushed slightly and shifted her weight on her knees uncomfortably. "They, uh, are occasionally platonic bonds, simply very close to one another, but it's more often…not. It's more similar to marriage than anything else."

"Oh," Miroku said softly.

"I don't know what kind is most common with wolf demons – I think it varies based on the individual," Sango rushed to explain. "It doesn't mean that he was suggesting anything romantic or sexual with you."

"He said he loved me," Miroku pointed out.

"Yes, well," Sango shrugged. "Look, I know it's a strange concept, but…"

She trailed off, and Miroku couldn't hide the scarlet flush that was slowly spreading across his face. Her eyes narrowed at him, analyzing, before suddenly widening.

"Oh!" she said, the sound startled out of her. "Oh, well…then. Well, then."

Miroku blushed harder and hid his face behind his cup of tea.

"Are you…interested in his proposition?" Sango asked slowly.

"Sango!" Miroku exclaimed. "He's a wolf demon who ate people! I just finished explaining this to Inuyasha. I can't deal with the same from you!"

"I'm not saying to run off with him!" Sango defended, raising her hands. "But you have to admit, he's attractive."

"We are not having this conversation," Miroku muttered.

"It's nothing to be ashamed of," Sango pointed out.

"I'm not ashamed that I'm attracted to men," Miroku replied evenly. "I have long accepted that part of myself. However, I am uncomfortable with the concept of a murderous demon proclaiming that he loves me."

"Fine, fine," Sango nodded. "So, with the women…?"

"Them, too," Miroku shrugged. "Who am I to deny beauty in all its forms?"

"You're shameless."

"Yes."

"Does Inuyasha know?" Sango asked softly.

"No," Miroku murmured, looking down. "It never came up before and, well, it didn't seem like a good idea to open up the possibility of returning Kouga's feelings in his eyes."

"Fair point. But I think you should tell him."

Miroku nervously picked at his robes.

"He's our friend. It won't change anything," Sango prompted gently. "We all love you, you know."

"I'll think about it," Miroku said noncommittally. "When things calm down a bit."

Sango watched him carefully as he poured them both another cup of tea. She had suspected for a time that something was growing between her two friends, and this only furthered the matter. She had seen Miroku casting mournful looks at Inuyasha more than a few times, and the hanyou's recent behaviour made her wonder.

"So perhaps not Kouga," she said softly. "But I hope that you find someone. You deserve to be happy."

Miroku snorted bitterly, and she was instantly on guard. "Even if I _was _interested in Kouga, or anyone else, it wouldn't matter. I can't afford to get that close to anyone. It's irresponsible."

"Why?" she asked incredulously. He raised his right hand in answer. "That's a steaming pile of shit, Miroku, and you know it."

He stared back at her, startled.

"Yes, it's dangerous, but so is everything else!" she snarled. "You deserve good things in your life, and you deserve someone who will make you happy. You _deserve_ happiness, Miroku!"

"I…" he swallowed hard and looked away. "So do you, Sango. So do Inuyasha and Shippo and Kirara, and everyone else. Right now I need to focus on defeating Naraku so that we all have the chance to be happy. I can't think about anything else before then."

Sango didn't know how to respond to that. She couldn't exactly tell him how to live his life – she had no idea what it was like living under the wind tunnel's curse. But she knew that what she said was unquestionably true, and she would do everything in her power to make that happen. She scooted over beside Miroku and tugged him into her embrace. He melted in her arms. As she held him close, Sango swore silently that she would make sure that he – and every other member of their pack – got the happiness that they deserved.

* * *

You know that shit gets real when Sango's on the case. I love a good Aggressively Supportive Friend™ for our Sad Pining Boys™. It takes a village, after all.

Now, I believe in my heart of hearts that Miroku is ~wildly bisexual~ and has joined the infamous ranks alongside Apollo and Jack Harkness for promiscuity. This is a standard that should no way be applied to the entire bi/pan community, but can definitely be held as a life goal for some.

This isn't the last we'll see of Shippo. I want to stick to my guns in terms of anti-child-endangerment, but he's also an important part of the series, so he'll be popping up from time to time.

I wanted this chapter to be longer than it was, but it's been one absolute hell of a week. On the bright side, there's a distinct possibility that I'll have more free time in upcoming weeks, which would mean a return of Tuesday uploads. This is good, since there's going to be a lot happening plot-wise real soon


	39. Chapter 39: s2e12

Warnings for this chapter: references to sex, voluntary and consensual sex work/prostitution (not actively depicted), outed character, minor negative reactions to sex work, references to death of family, references to depression, emotional manipulation, depictions of massacre and death

* * *

They sat Shippo down that evening for a conversation all of them were dreading. Miroku had already spoken to Kaede and she was in full support of their plan. That didn't make it any easier. When Shippo saw all of them sitting on the floor, looking at him, he became instantly suspicious. That only got worse once Miroku started talking.

"Shippo, we need you to stay here with Kaede," he said, gently but firmly.

"You can't make me!" the kit shouted, jumping to his feet. "I found a way to follow you before – I can do it again! You can't force me to stay!"

Miroku exchanged a glance with Inuyasha. This was going well. "No, we can't force you, but we need you to stay. Naraku is more powerful now. What happened the last time we saw him cannot happen again. We need to give ourselves the best possible chance to fight him, and we can't do that if we're all worried about you."

"I can help!" Shippo insisted. "I can spy on him from the air or find his castle or-"

"We know you can help," Sango cut him off smoothly. "That's not the issue. Naraku knows that you're important to us, and he may use that against us. He could capture you and demand that we do whatever he wanted, and we would have to because we care about you so much."

"He could do that with any of you!" Shippo argued. "You would always do anything to help each other."

"That's true," Miroku said slowly. "But there are others we care about as well, and they are also in danger. Naraku could be watching us at any time, which means that anyone who helps us is at risk. Can you imagine what would happen if he found out about Kaede's village?"

Shippo paled, and Miroku felt immensely guilty. But this was what they needed to do. They had discussed the best way to convince him to stay and this was it.

"We need you to stay here to keep an eye on things," he pressed on. "No one here knows about demon puppets or Saimyosho, or any other threat that Naraku may pose. They need you to teach them, and to warn them if danger is coming."

Shippo looked between them all, wide-eyed and tearful. "But what about you?" he asked softly.

"We need to destroy Naraku," Inuyasha said firmly. "Once he's gone, everyone will be safe. We're not asking you to stay here forever, but right now we need to protect what we have, and we all need to do our part."

Shippo sniffed, and large tears rolled down his cheeks. "But I'll _miss _you!"

"We'll miss you, too, squirt," Inuyasha mumbled, dragging him into a hug. "But we're counting on you."

They slept in a pile that night, with Shippo firmly wedged between their bodies. His eyes were red from crying and he made little gasping sounds in his sleep, but he'd agreed to stay. Kaede insisted that it was no trouble on her part to take the kit for as long as they needed, but they all still felt like utter shit. The next morning, Kirara was aggressively grooming Shippo's hair as they ate. He made them each individually promise to be safe and come back to him alive. They left him standing by Kaede's side, holding tightly onto her hand and waving goodbye with the other. They all tried stoically not to cry at the sight, and looked steadfastly ahead until he was gone from sight.

Many nights had been spent talking amongst themselves, figuring out the best way to fight what was becoming a seemingly endless battle. They knew that they had to do better, which was why they were heading for the largest town within a two-day flight. Sango had made them a list of everything they needed and where to find it. Kirara flew them hard all day, and managed to get them to the town by early afternoon. As it would take at least two days to get everything done, Miroku sent the others off to scout out what they needed while he took care of accommodations. He didn't tell them that he meant more than just the inn.

Sango's list of supplies, weapons, and tools was all necessary, but it didn't come cheap. Miroku knew that even with his most impressive haggling, they wouldn't be able to afford it all. Unfortunately, people weren't paying for demon exterminations too often, and he couldn't risk conning people out of money in this town if they wanted to come back here. But there were other ways, and he knew how to find them.

For four months now, Miroku had been travelling with Inuyasha, and while he enjoyed it immensely, it prevented certain _other _activities from taking place. The familiar itch under his skin had turned into a pressing need, and even flirting with the women in Kaede's village hadn't satisfied it. He needed to have sex with someone or he was going to shrivel up and die. Thankfully, he knew a way to make that work to his advantage.

Anyone who worked in one knew where the brothels were located in a town like this, and it didn't take him too long to find it. A woman waiting outside smiled flirtatiously at him as he approached and shrugged her shoulder suggestively.

"Can I help you?" she asked in a sultry voice.

Miroku swallowed hard and make sure to keep his eyes and voice level. No distractions. "I was hoping you could tell me where your head mistress is. I have some business I would like to discuss with her."

The woman's eyes flashed and she stood up straight, giving him the once-over. "What kind of business?"

xXx

Inuyasha spotted the ironworker and pointed him out to Sango. "That's the last of them, right?"

"Mhmm," Sango nodded, checking her list. "This one should work for the masks. That other blacksmith is known to make good swords."

"Now we just need our coinpurse and haggler," Inuyasha grinned as they turned towards the inn. "Do you think he got us a deal?"

"I wouldn't doubt it."

They found him coming down the stair of the tavern, smiling smugly.

"We get the first night free of charge," Miroku reported. "They had a family of rat demons living in the ceiling."

Inuyasha narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "Real ones?"

"Anyway, did you find what you were looking for?"

"We did," Sango replied. "We spoke to the apothecary and they have everything we need for poison powders. The blacksmith is ready to make a dagger, he just wants to talk to you about it first, and the ironworker should be able to make masks for both of you. The blacksmith also has the other tools already made, so they will be less expensive than if we requested them."

"Excellent!" Miroku smiled. "Shall we?"

They went to the blacksmith first, where both Inuyasha and Miroku described the kind of dagger they wanted and they discussed the price. Miroku bargained them down to a fair sum, considering they were buying other tools as well, but also wanted to stay in the blacksmith's good graces.

"All for the tools and half for the daggers," the man told them sternly. "Other half when you come to get them."

"Deal," Miroku nodded, handing over the coins. "You said ten days?"

"At least. Could be longer."

"Then we will be back in two weeks."

They left with a new hidden blade for Sango and a small steel box for each of them to carry demon-repellant poison. They went to the ironworker next, where the old man spent ages measuring every aspect of Inuyasha and Miroku's faces. He inspected Sango's own mask closely to see the style that they wanted, and nodded.

"It can be done, but such intricate work will take longer than my usual pieces. It may take a month."

"We will stop by in two weeks and see where you are," Miroku told him. "We want these done properly, but time is of the essence."

Their final stop was to the apothecary. Sango described the three different poisons she wanted made, each aimed at debilitating demons in different ways. Two were replacements for ones she had used before, while the third was a more general deterrent that would be safe for Inuyasha to carry. Miroku knew how hard it was for her to have to turn to outside sources, when she was used to everything from armour to weapons to poisons being made in her village. But she was in her element, and the old woman promised that, for an added cost, all three types of poison could be ready within a day. They thanked her profusely and began their walk back to the inn.

"So we head out tomorrow as soon as the herb lady is done?" Inuyasha asked.

"Unless something else keeps us here," Miroku shrugged. "It might be worth looking around to see if anyone else has a demon problem we could help with. We have just enough to cover the apothecary but not enough to pay her a little extra, which would be better if we want to come to her again in the future. Either way, we're all out of money after that."

"Who knew weapons were so expensive?" Inuyasha grumbled.

"Not all of us can find our swords in our fathers' skeletons," Miroku pointed out.

As they approached the inn, a woman standing outside nodded subtly at Miroku. He smiled at her and turned to the others.

"It appears our luck is turning! I asked the innkeeper to spread the word and see if anyone else needed spiritual attention. I believe this young woman may be seeking our aid."

"Yes, hoshi-sama," she said as they approached. "My master said that we needed a powerful spiritual practitioner to purify our entire house."

"The entire house, hm?" Miroku nodded thoughtfully. "That may take all night." He looked back to his companions. "Well, I'd better get started. I'll rejoin you in the morning."

"One of us will come with you," Sango started.

"No need," Miroku waved her off with a hand. "It will require a vast amount of spiritual energy, which might make Inuyasha or Kirara ill."

"Then I'll come," she said, narrowing her eyes suspiciously.

"And stay up all night? I'll be fine, Sango. I'll be just down the road. You'll be well within earshot if there's any trouble. Take the chance to rest."

"Alright," Sango said slowly. "If you're sure. Just be careful."

"You as well."

Miroku waved to them as he followed the woman away. All three of them looked wary, but then again, they had all been extra cautious in recent weeks. Once they had walked far enough into the town center, the woman changed course and headed back towards the brothel.

"Well done," Miroku said, passing her a coin. "You have someone for me?"

"Yes. My mistress was very pleased with your proposition."

Miroku smirked. "Can I at least know who I will be seeing?"

The young woman eyed him cautiously. "Your client expects a certain level of discretion."

"I know how it goes," Miroku assured her.

"Sometimes a man just wants to lay back and relax," she said evasively, but the instructions were clear. Miroku nodded, keeping his face pleasantly neutral despite the excitement buzzing under his skin. Finally.

xXx

Sango knew to expect a nervous Inuyasha that evening. However, she had hoped that he would stop pacing long enough for her to get at least a _little _sleep. Kirara had buried under her blanket in an attempt to escape the constant footfalls and occasional angry huffs. Sango gave it until after sundown to speak up.

"If you don't stop, I'm going to throw something at you," she warned. "And many of the things within easy reach are weapons."

"I don't like it," Inuyasha grumbled, thankfully standing still. "He shouldn't be alone."

"Miroku can handle himself," Sango pointed out. "And like he said, he's nearby and in no danger. And if it means a little more money, well, all the better."

"Don't you start, too," Inuyasha sighed, sitting down heavily beside the fire. "Miroku already worries about that stuff way too much."

"It's important," she shrugged. "And it's how he had to live before. We need to be well-rested and well-fed if we're going to take down Naraku, but that usually costs money. Now that it's getting colder, we won't be able to spend many nights outside anymore. We'll need to rely on taverns and inns more often, and we need money to do that."

"Or a family of demon rats."

"Yeah, well, maybe there was one," she sighed. "The point is, Miroku is doing what he knows how to do, and we need to trust him and get some sleep."

"Fine," Inuyasha grumbled, sitting back against the wall and tucking his hands into his sleeves. He waited until Sango and Kirara were asleep before falling into a light doze. He kept one ear trained on the door, just in case Miroku came back during the night. He didn't. When Inuyasha woke with the dawn the next morning, the monk was still conspicuously absent.

Inuyasha stood and made his way to the door. An inquisitive trill from Kirara stopped him and woke Sango.

"He still not back?" she asked, rubbing her eyes.

"I'm going to find the house he's in," Inuyasha told her. "He should be done by now."

She nodded sleepily and he slipped outside. He took a deep breath of the crisp morning air, letting the menagerie of scents wash over him. There were two hints of Miroku's smell, one trail left from the direction he walked yesterday evening, and another, fresher scent in the opposite direction. Inuyasha frowned. Why the hell would Miroku have gone one way only to double back? Had he found another house to exorcise or something? He followed his nose through the waking town to a small mansion. It was finely built and meticulously kept, and Inuyasha could hear at least a dozen heartbeats inside. He took another deep breath to see if Miroku was inside, and was slapped in the face with the heavy scent of arousal and sex. He stumbled back, breathing carefully through his mouth as his mind raced. What the hell was Miroku doing here? Was _this _the house he'd been asked to purify? Well, it would certainly take a long time for that. But why hide it? Was something else going on?

Inuyasha growled at the obvious answer. There was no way in hell that Miroku had just gone and wasted all their money in one night! After whining again and again about being careful with their finances? He couldn't believe it! There was movement inside the house, and Inuyasha was stalking forward before the door even slid open.

"How dare you!" he hissed, keeping his voice low as to not cause a scene but still pissed as all hell. "How _fucking _dare you waste money like this. Was this why you were so eager to find some demons to kill? So you could pay some woman to sit on your dick?"

"I didn't," Miroku said, curling away from him as a calm, blank mask slid over his features. "Like I said, one of the wealthy families heard about me from the innkeeper and wanted me to bless their shrine."

"Don't lie to me!" Inuyasha snapped. "You spent all night in there and you smell like-"

He cut himself off. Because yes, Miroku smelled like sex. He smelled like sex and another man.

Inuyasha stared at him, utterly uncomprehending. The two pieces of the puzzle floated in front of him but refused to connect. Miroku paid to see another _man? _But how- Why- What? He could see the realization hit the monk, the way his eyes widened and heartrate spiked. He shrunk back further, and that twisted something deep inside Inuyasha. He growled.

"You think paying another man is any better? That's not the part I care about! You're supposed to be in charge of the money for _all _of us, and instead you just throw it all away on some-"

"Inuyasha," Miroku cut him off quietly. "I didn't."

"Don't fucking lie!" Inuyasha practically shouted, his voice rising. "Why the hell else would you be inside a fucking whorehouse smelling like-"

"I'm not saying I didn't have sex," Miroku hissed, faint anger in his voice. "But I didn't throw our money away. You _know_ I wouldn't do that."

"Then what-"

"It doesn't matter," Miroku said decisively. "You said that was what you cared about, so you have no need to worry."

"The _hell_ I don't need to worry! What do you mean, you didn't pay? Did you scam them, too? That's low, even for you."

Miroku pushed past him and began walking back to the inn. Inuyasha wasn't having it. He caught the monk's arm and dragged him to the quiet space between two houses. He was about to ask again when Miroku cut him off, eyes blazing.

"_I _was the one who got paid, alright? I knew we needed money, so I asked them to keep an eye out for anyone who would take me. I didn't throw our money away and I didn't scam these people."

"But…" Inuyasha blinked rapidly. "How did you manage that? Don't you have to be working there to get-"

"I know my way around," Miroku cut him off smoothly, his voice carefully controlled. "A town this size and there's bound to be a client looking for a man my age, but it's not big enough for most brothels to always have one handy. I took a chance and it paid off."

Inuyasha scrutinized his expression. "You've done this before, haven't you?" he asked, his voice quiet and oddly gentle.

"That's no one's business but my own," Miroku replied calmly. "And I would appreciate it if you didn't mention this to Sango."

He started to walk back to the inn but Inuyasha grabbed onto his sleeve once again.

"Miroku," he said, his ears flicking back and eyes on the ground. "We didn't- I mean, with the money- You didn't feel like you had to do this, did you? Because there are other-"

"Inuyasha," the monk said firmly. "I have been flirting with every woman I meet for months and it hasn't gone anywhere. I needed this. The money was an added bonus."

Inuyasha stared hard at the ground, but he let go of Miroku's sleeve. When the monk started walking, he silently followed. Miroku held back a sigh. That hadn't exactly gone the way he'd planned. Oh well. He didn't regret it. He'd had a remarkably pleasant night, the burning desire that had been plaguing his mind had dissipated some, and now they had more than enough to pay the apothecary owner with a little left over.

Sango and Kirara were waiting for them outside the inn. Sango glanced between the two of them, confusion clearly written on her face. Kirara's eyes narrowed as she saw Miroku, and her nose was twitching as she sniffed the air, but she'd been in the hut when Miroku had his conversation with Sango. She knew, at least some of it. She nodded.

"You finished up at the house?" Sango asked.

"I did. Should we check in at the apothecary?"

Sango followed them through the town, keeping an eye on both of them. She could tell that something had happened between them, but she couldn't tell what, and Miroku seemed intent on not talking about it. Both of them were avoiding looking at her or each other. Great. Just great.

The woman in the apothecary told them that the poison powders were almost done and would be ready by the afternoon. As they walked back outside, a couple of townspeople had gathered and were speaking urgently amongst themselves. Inuyasha nodded at his companions and turned his back to the people, his ears swivelling around to catch their conversation. At the words "giant man-eating bear" he turned around.

"Excuse me," Sango called as they approached the townspeople. "My companions and I are demon slayers, and I believe you might be in need of our assistance."

"Demon slayers?" one of the men asked, glancing at the others. "You might be just what we need."

"A bear demon is terrorizing the fields just outside of town," another reported anxiously. "It appeared out of nowhere!"

"You should come with us and speak to the ronin they called," a woman told them. "He was one of the few to survive."

They followed her to the physician's house, where a man was being treated for two giant claw marks that caught his chest and crushed his armour. After a few words of encouragement from the woman, he agreed to tell them everything.

"It was just a little cub," he told them. "Just playing at the edge of the fields. The farmers thought it was just a mischievous youngster, nothing to worry about. But suddenly it grew huge and attacked some of the houses out there. It ate right through the storehouse!"

"Can you tell us which way it went?" Miroku asked. "We will be able to kill it for you."

"Truly?" the ronin asked, looking up at them with wide eyes. "It was just southeast of here. It wandered into the forest. You can't miss it – its tracks are ginormous!"

They headed out as quickly as possible. A transformation like that could only mean a Jewel shard. With any luck, they could save some lives, gain some extra coin, and be back in time to stop by the apothecary.

xXx

Kouga shoved the deer's leg bone away with his foot in disgust. This place was a dump. Yet he couldn't find it within himself to tell his pack to clean up the den. After mourning their family lost in the battle, they had been celebrating their victory over the Birds of Paradise for three days solid. The few stragglers left behind had been easy enough to pick off, and they were finally free from their menace. Kouga had found it difficult to join in the celebrations. He and many others were still nursing wounds, but his pride hurt more than anything else. That stinking mutt had stolen his mate! He couldn't stand it.

A commotion was occurring outside, and several of his wolves poked their heads through the waterfall to see what was happening. Their whines drew the attention of the rest of the pack. Soon, Ginta and Hakkaku walked through the water with five strangers following them. Kouga recognized their scent as a pack from the northern caves. They walked up to him and knelt down in submission and respect. Kouga didn't bother to get up.

"Kouga of the Yorozoku," the lead demon said in a hushed voice. "We come bearing an offer."

Kouga's eyes narrowed and he waved for them to continue.

"Someone possesses a huge fragment of the Sacred Shikon Jewel," he said. "He's the lord of some castle to the northeast. I know it's hard to believe, but we're not joking about this guy."

"We want to combine forces with your pack to storm the castle," another of the demons added excitedly. "We'll take the Jewel shard and divvy it up equally."

"Well, Kouga?" the first asked expectantly. "Wanna join us?"

Kouga pointedly looked away. "Sorry, but I'm not interested."

"What?" the second demon burst out. "Why the hell not?"

"I have something I have to take care of, first."

"What the-" the second demon snapped, only to be cut off by a growl from the first.

"We won't force the issue," he said, calmly rising and signalling his companions to do the same. "Thank you for your time."

Scattered murmurs and hushed whispers travelled through the cave as the northern packmembers left. Even over the din and the roar of the waterfall, Kouga could pick up the hushed words passed between the two demons who had spoken. "Did you see his arm? He's injured."

Kouga growled and clamped his hand over his injured forearm. It wasn't healing as quickly as he would have liked, and he hated feeling weak. His own pack moved restlessly, coming to stand around him. Takeshi walked to his side and knelt down.

"You sure you want to turn them down, Kouga?" his second-in-command asked.

"If we don't join them, then the north clans with get all the Sacred Jewel shard!" another voice rose from the bodies pressing in on him from all sides.

"Let them go," Kouga muttered. "It doesn't matter."

"Well, it matters to me!" another voice rose from the crowd. "I'm gonna go with them!"

"Me, too!" another added.

"Go ahead!" Kouga scoffed, crossing his arms. "I couldn't care less. If you want to leave, I'm not going to stop you."

Takeshi frowned and stood. Kouga held his gaze. "Sorry, boss," he shrugged, and turned to run after the others.

Kouga watched a dozen of his pack run off after the members of the northern clan. None of the wolves, though. They were more set on their territory and couldn't care less about the Jewel shard. No, just the demons. Just his kin. Kouga's hand once again wrapped around his injured forearm. He'd never thought that the lead Bird of Paradise would be able to steal the Jewel shard right out of his flesh, but he would get it back. Sooner or later he'd collect _all _the Jewel shards. But first, he had to take care of that stupid interfering mutt. How some half-breed mongrel had the power to kill that bird with one sweep of his sword, he would never know, but it didn't matter. He would track that puppy down and kill him with his own hands.

xXx

The ronin had been right – even without the stench of bear permeating the mountain air, the giant tracks gouged into the earth were easy to follow. It didn't take long for Miroku to pick up the pull of a Jewel shard, too, and they took off in earnest. Inuyasha tried to focus on the job, he really did, but his mind was still a sticky, clunky whirl. He hadn't had time to properly process the information that morning, and it was still crashing through any other thought.

He snuck a glance over at the monk, trying to figure him out. It wasn't exactly a shock that Miroku would find some way to make money from sex – he already used his charm to get them food and housing, more often than not. And Miroku didn't act as though it was something he despised. The thought of him forcing himself to bed strangers to get by made his skin crawl, but Miroku acted as though it was a much-needed opportunity to release some tension. Was that what it was to him? A win-win scenario? Inuyasha couldn't imagine it had always been that way.

Behind that revelation, though, was another, quieter piece of information that set his heart pounding. Miroku liked men. That in itself wasn't an issue – he knew that it was rare for humans, even rarer for them to be so open about it, but Inuyasha had been around enough demons for it not to make a difference. Except it did. It made all the difference. Because all this time, he'd seen Miroku flirting with every other woman and talking about having a child, and he'd just assumed that the monk was some womanizer. And he _was_, undoubtedly – he couldn't imagine that it was all an act. But now… A tiny, unrealized possibility that he'd repeatedly shoved down and hadn't even allowed himself to _consider_ had now jammed its way to the forefront of his mind.

Miroku liked men. Inuyasha, as it happened, was a man. And those two pieces of information had never been so important. He'd only ever considered Miroku a friend, even as his feelings stretched into something beyond that. The possibility that Miroku might be open to- No. Inuyasha firmly shook his head. Miroku wasn't interested in him. He couldn't be. He was just…well, him. It didn't change anything. Miroku was still Miroku and he was still his friend. That's all there was to it.

"Inuyasha?" a warm, familiar voice asked. "You looked displeased."

Inuyasha shook himself from his thoughts and realized that he'd been utterly glaring at the world around him all the way through the forest.

"Yeah, wonder why," he grumbled, channelling his frustration into something easier to deal with. "We're hunting down another Jewel shard, but we all know where two more perfectly good shards are being wasted on a mongrel!"

Miroku sighed and looked like he was going to say something, which Inuyasha keenly wanted to avoid right now. He pressed on, talking right over the monk.

"We already know that Kouga has two Jewel shards jammed in those skinny little hairy legs of his. I'm more in the mood to hunt wolf, not bear."

"So your priority right now is butchering Kouga?" Miroku asked, a hint of exasperation leaking into his calm. "Come on, Yash."

Inuyasha stopped, looking startled. "Yash?"

Miroku also came to a halt. "What? Has no one ever given you a nickname before?"

"No!" Inuyasha said like it was obvious. "Most of the time, people don't even use my name. Why the hell would anyone give me a nickname?"

Miroku shot Sango a bewildered look and saw a flash of determination in return. Well, that decided it. "Better get used to it, then, Yash," he shrugged. "As it is, we need your energy directed towards something other than animosity. This bear has a Jewel shard and is threatening the town."

Rustling bushes nearby cut off Inuyasha's angry retort. He instantly stepped in front of the group, reaching for Tessaiga. A group of five men emerged from the underbrush, wearing cheap armour and holding rusting, ill-maintained swords. Sango lowered Hiraikotsu with a relieved sigh.

"Thank goodness. I thought it was the bear!"

"Just ordinary thieves," Miroku agreed.

"Who are you calling ordinary!" one of the thieves asked, utterly insulted. "You're pretty cocky, kid, and by the looks of it, you ain't even got no money. So why don't you leave us the woman and we'll call it even?"

Miroku glanced at Sango. "Well? Do you want to teach these men a lesson?"

"We don't exactly have the time," she said regretfully.

"She's right," Inuyasha said, crossing his arms as one ear flicked. "We don't have any time to waste on you pathetic lowlifes! If you don't wanna get hurt, you better leave."

Sango reached for Hiraikotsu, her eyes snapping to the patch of forest behind the men. Miroku nodded, readying his staff.

"What did you just say to us, you arrogant bastard?" one of the men spluttered.

"Get back!" Sango warned, lifting her weapon above her head.

The thieves whirled around, one asking "What's she talking about?" while another shouted "I can't see anything. Can you?" and a third raised his sword menacingly. "Are you threatening us, woman?"

Inuyasha watched unflinchingly as the ground rumbled and a giant bear rose up to twice the height of the surrounding trees. It roared, the sound shaking the branches, and slammed into a tree with its giant paw. The tree was ripped from the ground and flew over the heads of the thieves, heading towards Inuyasha and the others. Sango threw Hiraikotsu, cutting straight through the trunk. It split in two and the halves rolled on either side of Miroku and Kirara. The thieves looked terrified, just as much by Sango as by the approaching bear. Another roar shook the ground and the thieves ran, giving Inuyasha and the others a wide berth.

The bear crashed through the trees, snapping them like twigs. Its eyes glowed red and its skin had morphed into thick, leathery armour. Miroku frowned. He could sense the Jewel shard in its forehead, but there was no trace of youki from this creature. It was just a regular bear cub!

"It's in the forehead," he warned, and the others nodded.

"Damn, that's a big son of a bitch," Inuyasha breathed, raising Tessaiga. "But it still has the brain of an animal."

He leapt at the bear, slicing across its throat. He landed on the top of a nearby tree and turned to survey the damage. To his surprise, there was only a shallow wound across its neck. Damn! Most demons would have their head off after that! This must be some shard of the Jewel! He raised his sword and crouched to jump again. Instead, a faint buzzing caught his ears. A dark cloud was descending on the bear, circling around its head. Saimyosho! Inuyasha hurled himself from the tree and landed safely in front of Miroku.

"Inuyasha, look!" the monk was saying, his eyes fixed on the bear. The insects were swarming over the bear's body, causing the poor creature to thrash back and forth in pain, trying to dislodge them. As most of the insects crawled along its skin and bit into its flesh, one of the Saimyosho burrowed into its forehead. It quickly emerged, holding a large chunk of the Sacred Jewel. Inuyasha gaped as the insect flew up into the sky. The rest of the swarm remained, still covering the bear in a writhing mass. Eventually, the bear moaned deep and low, tipping over like a fallen tree. It crashed into the ground with a resounding thud. When the insects lifted into the air, only bones remained. They had eaten it alive!

"Is it a trap?" Miroku asked, his eyes following the fading light of the Jewel shard.

"Probably," Sango said grimly, knowing they had no choice but to follow.

"Fine with me!" Inuyasha growled. "And this time, Naraku won't escape!"

They ran, Miroku and Sango swinging onto Kirara's back as she rose into the air while Inuyasha leapt from treetop to treetop, his senses straining to catch any whiff of his prey.

xXx

Kouga sat on his nest, gnawing on a rabbit, when the smell of blood caught his nose. Familiar blood. Pack blood. He was up and running even before the shouts filled the air. He leapt through the waterfall and landed on the opposite shore, instantly seeking out the mass of bodies huddled by one of the paths. He shoved through them to find Takeshi, ragged and broken and covered in blood. He was still standing by some miracle, but Kouga knew he wouldn't be for long.

"What happened?" Kouga asked, reaching out but afraid to cause him more pain.

Takeshi stretched out a trembling hand, something clenched in his fist. "I was only able to get one…" he gasped, opening his fingers to reveal a sliver of a Jewel shard.

Kouga stared at him in shock. What the hell had happened with the northern packs? What about his own people who had gone with them?!

"Hurry to the castle, Kouga," Takeshi stuttered, pressing the shard into Kouga's hand. "If you don't, everyone will be slaughtered!"

Kouga ran. He knew that his pack would take care of Takeshi. For now, he had his missing people to focus on. He leapt up a sheer cliff and didn't slow down as he pressed the Jewel shard into the still-healing wound on his arm. Damn it! The scent of Takeshi's blood painted a glowing line all the way to the castle where some murderous bastard was threatening his pack. He wouldn't stop until whoever it was, was dead!

xXx

The Saimyosho weren't hard to follow. As the sky darkened, it gained an unnatural purple tinge and the scent of miasma filled the air. Sango swore and pressed her mask to her face, casting a worried glance at Miroku behind her. The sooner the others' masks were completed, the better. A sprawling mansion rose from the fog, a dark shape looming before them. Kirara touched down behind Inuyasha just as the hanyou punched through the heavy wood and metal doors surrounding the mansion. He gasped and stepped back, and it didn't take long for Sango to see what had caught him off guard.

Bodies littered the ground. Deep gouges cut across them in crimson stripes. Their weapons lay on the ground around them, none of them having made the killing blow. These people, whoever they were, hadn't been fighting each other. The pointed ears, deerskins and wolf hides, and hair ranging from white to grey to black told her exactly who they were.

"Wolf demons!" she gasped. "Could they be from Kouga's pack? Miroku, do you recognize any of them?"

Miroku frowned tightly as they moved into the courtyard. "It's impossible to say. What were they even doing here?" He stopped. "More importantly…"

His gaze rose to the mansion. It was faint, but he could just make out a youki emanating from one of the rooms. As he watched, a gust of wind rustled the walls and blew open the woven mats covering the doorway. It spread over the bodies, which suddenly began to grow and move. Miroku and the others gasped in horror as the dead wolf demons began climbing to their feet. Miroku raised his staff but his mind was reeling. They couldn't be still alive! He cast out his mind, and found nothing.

"I don't sense any life in them," he told the others, who looked as lost as he felt. "Their youki is gone. Their souls have left them!"

"That means their undead," Sango said, raising Hiraikotsu.

The groaning, shambling demons threw themselves forward in an uncoordinated attack. The group fell back into formation. Sango cut through as many of them as possible with Hiraikotsu's passing sweep, Inuyasha took on the ones in front, while Miroku and Kirara covered their sides. They knocked down the bodies easily, but they got right back up again, their wounds sealing shut. Slowly, Sango and the others were pressed back into a tight group, their backs almost pressed together.

"They're supposed to be dead!" Inuyasha snarled, ripping at the bodies with his claws. "How come they keep coming back alive?"

"I'm going to use the wind tunnel," Miroku told them firmly. "Sango, can you clear the way so you can get behind me?"

She nodded grimly and threw Hiraikotsu in another pass. Meanwhile, Inuyasha froze. A soft, feminine voice was coming from inside the mansion, barely loud enough for even him to hear.

"If a man loses his head, I'll put it back on. If he's cut down to size, he can still tag along. He's simply dancing my undead death song."

"Inuyasha," Miroku said urgently, his hand already on his mala beads.

Inuyasha swore as the bodies lifted into the air before flinging themselves at him. All the wounds that had closed suddenly burst open, sending limbs flying and spraying blood everywhere. Inuyasha shoved the bodies away from him but he was drenched.

"What the hell?" he asked faintly as the bodies slumped to the ground, lifeless once more.

Miroku and Sango exchanged a wide-eyed look. This wasn't good. There was unseen danger lurking here. A startled gasp from behind them made them whip around. Kouga stood on the top of the wall at the entrance to the courtyard, horror etched on his face. His eyes fixed on Inuyasha, who was surrounded by the corpses of wolf demons. Miroku's stomach dropped.

"Inuyasha!" Kouga shouted, his voice hoarse with rage and grief. "How dare you do this? How could you possibly be so cruel?"

Inuyasha swore softly before shouting back. "Before you jump to conclusions, your packmates were already dead by the time I got here."

"Shut up!" Kouga snarled, eyes blazing. "You're covered head to foot in their blood. You can't lie to me!"

He was right. Inuyasha swore again, looking down at the red painting his hands. He'd been set up, and it was a masterful trap. Kouga knew that he was more than ready to fight him before, and the wolf demon probably also wanted him dead.

"Kouga, listen to me," Miroku called, stepping forward. Kouga's eyes fixed on him wildly. "We came here in search of a demon named Naraku. We found your pack slaughtered. Their bodies came to life and started attacking us, but they weren't really alive. Someone else is controlling them!"

Kouga growled, shaking his head. "Miroku, don't even try protecting that cur! 'Already dead when you got here.'" He turned back to Inuyasha. "How stupid do you think I am, you bloodthirsty mutt?"

Inuyasha opened his mouth, apparently going to answer that last question, and Miroku quietly growled "Don't."

"He arrived just in time to find Inuyasha covered in their blood," Sango muttered, eyes flashing around the mansion. "All of this was planned."

"He won't be reasoned with," Miroku said worriedly. "The sight of them has put him into a rage. He's going to fight to the death."

Kouga flung himself from the wall, a fist raised to slam into Inuyasha. The hayou jumped back but Kouga followed, pulling speed from the Jewel shards. He swung out wildly and Inuyasha blocked the blow in the air, but it reverberated through his arm. Kouga had gotten stronger. He could feel the pull from his youki swirling around them. He jumped back as Kouga's fist crashed into the ground, splintering the very earth and sending shattered rocks flying in all directions. A white glow surrounded his arm, his youki concentrating into a deadly blast. The energy followed after the hanyou, shooting along the ground. Inuyasha barely managed to leap out of the way, and the blast tore through part of the mansion, absolutely destroying it.

Inuyasha whipped around, eyeing Kouga. This was new. He'd never seen a blast that strong from a lowly wolf demon! But Kouga's energy was warped, flowing around a power in his right arm. That explained it.

"I see you got your strength back, Kouga," Inuyasha called out mockingly, intent on keeping the wolf's focus on him. "You found another Jewel shard for your arm, huh?"

Kouga snarled, but at least he stood rather than attacking again. "You stole my shard the last time we met, but I warn you – this one's even better!"

Miroku frowned and focused on the glow emanating from Kouga's right arm. Was that a Jewel shard? The energy was tainted and warped unlike anything he'd ever seen before. If that was from the Shikon Jewel, it was more corrupted than he'd thought possible – even more than the one that Naraku had placed inside Kikyo. It didn't even feel the same.

Kouga lunged forward again, catching the ground where Inuyasha had stood a heartbeat before. The ground split once more from the force of the blow. He didn't even break his stride as he threw himself at Inuyasha, catching the hanyou's right arm in a strike that shattered bone. Inuyasha stumbled and clutched the wound, but Kouga wasn't finished. He jumped into the air as Kouga struck the ground once more, a ball of light forming where his fist had struck.

"Stop, Kouga!" Miroku yelled, rushing forward despite Sango's hand trying to pull him back. "Listen to me, please! This is a trap. Inuyasha didn't kill your pack!"

"Shut up!" Kouga shouted. "I only believe what I see with my own eyes!"

"Kouga-"

"Forget it, Miroku," Inuyasha snapped. "He's got a block of wood for a brain. You'll never get through to him! There's no reasoning with that moron! All he understands in brute strength."

"Yash, don't kill him," Miroku pleaded quietly, coming to stand beside him and cutting off his incredulous retort. "He's in agony. He's just lost his pack." He caught the hanyou's gaze with piercing violet eyes. "Think of how you would be acting if you lost _your _pack."

Inuyasha swallowed hard and tore his eyes away. "He's too far gone, Miroku."

"Please."

Kouga crouched, ready to spring forward again. Inuyasha growled and attacked first – Miroku was too close to let Kouga make the first move. Kouga easily dodged his blow, but Miroku was smart enough to return to Sango and Kirara.

"What do we do?" Sango asked. "Inuyasha has to defend himself and Kouga won't stop!"

Inuyasha's ears flicked and he cast a pointed glance over at the mansion. Miroku nodded, following his train of thought. Naraku was trying to make Inuyasha fight Kouga, to pit them against each other as he had countless others. He was probably nearby, watching from somewhere inside the mansion. Inuyasha could probably smell him. Miroku could sense him in the familiar presence seeping from the mansion like an infection. Kouga was still attacking viciously, driven by pure rage and showing no signs of slowing.

"Naraku has to be here," Miroku said, eyes darting between the mansion and the battle.

"Do we go after him?" Sango asked, unsure.

"Charging into the enemy's trap is generally not a wise strategy, but…" Miroku shrugged helplessly.

"We don't have much of a choice," Sango finished for him. "You stay here, Miroku. Try to talk some sense into Kouga – you have the best chance of getting through to him."

She and Kirara ran towards the mansion, casting one final look back at Inuyasha. She hoped that, if she could just flush out Naraku, that Kouga would see that they had been telling the truth. She threw Hiraikotsu ahead of them, cutting through the walls of the mansion and opening up one of the inner chambers. She could sense youki coming from that room. Hiraikotsu struck the ground and stayed there, just in front of a shadowy figure. Sango and Kirara both growled as the slayer reached for her sword. Naraku. As she crept closer, the figure lifted a small burning stick before placing it into a nearby oil lamp, illuminating the room. Sango let out a startled cry. This was not Naraku.

Miroku started back towards Kouga, bracing himself as he prepared to jump between him and Inuyasha. He desperately hoped that Kouga still had a shred of rationality left, that he wouldn't kill the man he'd tried to claim as a mate. It was a dangerous gamble, but what else could he do? Sango's cry stopped him short. He glanced over at the mansion and back at Inuyasha, who gave him a sharp nod. He ground his teeth as he turned and ran after the path Hiraikotsu had cut.

Sango and Kirara stood in the middle of a room, their eyes fixed on a woman standing deeper in the mansion. She wore a red and blue kimono of fine silks and held a dainty fan, white with two red slashes painted in an arc. She looked human, other than the pointed ears and glowing red eyes. She surveyed them with a small, smug smile.

"Who are you?" Miroku asked, coming to a stop beside Sango. He could feel the youki flowing from the woman, the same presence he had felt several times before. Was this Naraku's new form? Had the demon changed his appearance once again?

"You want a formal introduction?" the woman smirked. "Good evening. My name's Kagura. You must be the famed Sango, and you're Miroku."

Miroku shared a startled look with Sango and raised his staff defensively. "Yes, and you are one of Naraku's minions. Tell us where he is!"

"He's not here," Kagura shrugged carelessly. "But he left something for you to keep you entertained. Naraku hopes you'll find his little gift amusing."

She lifted her arm and a small wooden carving fell from her sleeve. It bounced then rolled towards Miroku, Sango, and Kirara. They all recognized it instantly.

"Demon puppet!" Miroku warned, racing forward to break it before it activated. Too late. The puppet stood upright on its own and glowed brightly before lighting with white fire. The figure of Naraku emerged, clad in his white baboon pelt with multiple long root-like arms flowing from his body just as they had long before.

"Now then," Kagura's voice sounded from behind the puppet. "If you'll excuse me, I'll go see what's going on outside. Kouga and Inuyasha, huh? Neither of them take my fancy, so I don't care which one wins the duel."

They could hear her walking away. Sango drew her sword and Miroku lifted his staff, but they both knew this was bad. The puppet's many arms rose in the air, ready to strike. Outside, Kouga's increasingly frantic efforts to kill Inuyasha continued, and Kagura was on her way to watch them die. What were they going to do?

* * *

Inu-gang: We're getting ready to defeat Naraku! The final battle is near!

167-episodes, 4 movies, and a final act in unison: Are you sure about that?


	40. Chapter 40: s2e13

Warnings for this chapter: further emotional manipulation, attempted murder, poisoning, brief mentions of homophobia, and a good helping of angst

* * *

Miroku and Sango moved so their backs were pressed together, eyeing the roots writhing around them.

"He certainly has a love for these elaborate setups," Miroku grumbled, raising his staff and gesturing to where the limbs were encircling them from behind.

"He has the short-tempered ones fight outside and has both of us dealing with this demon puppet? What does he take us for?" Sango scoffed. She turned to Kirara. "You can't fly in such a small room. Go and try to keep Kouga from killing Inuyasha and warn him about Kagura. We'll be fine here."

Kirara shot them a worried glance before turning and bounding above the puppet's limbs, which were quickly rising to block her escape.

"We mustn't let our guard down," Miroku advised, making sure no limbs were trying to sneak towards them. "We're in Naraku's castle once more. Who knows what traps might be set."

Sango growled. "It's been one trap after another. I'm growing tired of all these deceptions!"

She leapt forward with her sword, aiming for the puppet's head. Instead, root-like arms tore through the ceiling, reaching for her. She sliced through a few of them in the air but was knocked back. Miroku darted to her side, blocking more spear-like appendages shooting at her. He sliced through them with his staff, concentrating spiritual power along the head. Sango caught his eye and nodded behind the puppet to where Hiraikotsu was on the ground. He nodded, pulling a handful of sutras from his robes.

xXx

Inuyasha ran along the wooden covering of the en, even as Kouga easily kept pace parallel to him along the ground. The damn wolf wasn't slowing down! He leapt onto the roof of the mansion, turning around just in time to see Kouga's blazing fist heading straight for him. He hurled himself to one side, barely avoiding the blow. The roof exploded around him. He tumbled to the ground and rolled to his feet, spinning around to see Kouga glaring down at him. Where the hell was the wolf getting this power? Was it just the Jewel shard? He could sense Kouga's youki, swirling around him and stronger than ever before. He'd heard of cases where demons who lost their mates or their pack were able to tap into previously-unknown power. Kouga must be giving everything he had to avenge his kin.

If only he knew! Inuyasha spared a glance at some of the bodies still littered around him. The scent of their blood still filled his nose. As much as he hated Kouga, he didn't want to fight the guy – not like this. He had to think of some way to stop him!

"Filthy mutt!" Kouga was calling down to him. "You won't live to regret this!"

He leapt from the roof and swung his fist for another blow. Inuyasha dodged and ran, but Kouga struck again and again and again. Every time he so much as touched the ground, Kouga was right on top of him, moving with unnatural speed. He was moving increasingly erratically, and it was getting harder for Inuyasha to predict where he should go next. An especially-close blow shattered the ground beneath his feet, sending a line of white fire shooting after him. Inuyasha braced himself, the blast quickly catching up to him.

Something tugged on the back of his robes and jerked him through the air, sending him flying out of harm's way. He twisted around to see Kirara, her jaws clamped around the fabric of his suikan. She set him down on the roof of another part of the mansion and turned to growl at Kouga.

"Thanks! I owe you," Inuyasha said, throwing an arm over her side while not taking his eyes off the frantic wolf.

Kouga snarled and threw himself at them. Kirara jumped out of the way, Inuyasha holding on to the scruff around her neck. Kouga's claws barely missed her haunch. Kirara dropped them both on yet another rooftop and Inuyasha stepped in front of her protectively.

"Leave her out of this," he snapped at Kouga.

"This is on you for trying to escape!" Kouga growled. "If she or anyone else is hurt, it's on your head!"

The wolf demon hurled forward once again, chasing him off the roof, and Inuyasha swore. He wouldn't be able to keep up this pace for much longer. Enough was enough. Naraku may have laid the trap, but Kouga forged his own fate. If the wolf wanted a fight to the death, then Inuyasha wasn't going to be the one to die. His right arm ached from where Kouga had hit it earlier, so he knew he wouldn't be able to hold a sword for long. He needed to end this quickly. He unsheathed Tessaiga, the blade already glowing gold.

"You've pushed me far enough," he warned. "I'm not holding back!"

"Prepare to die!" Kouga shouted back, running for him with energy blazing from his clenched fist. Inuyasha blocked the strike with Tessaiga, but the blow reverberated through the blade and tore it from his hand. The sword went flying, and Kouga was coming at him again. He raised his claws defensively, shouting "Iron Reaver-" but the wolf was too fast. Kouga's fist struck his arm, snapping it back, and Inuyasha instantly knew that damage had been done. He was knocked to the side, and what had been fractured before was shattered. He cried out, catching himself on his knees to avoid falling on his side while his left hand came up to brace his broken arm.

He spun around, feeling hot liquid spreading across his sleeve. Kouga's claws were red.

"I'm afraid I scratched you in passing," Kouga mocked, flicking specks of blood onto the ground.

xXx

Miroku spun around as he heard Inuyasha's cry, his concentration broken. The sutra he threw fell utterly flat, and several of the puppet's limbs shot at him. Suddenly Sango was in front of him, slicing through them with her sword, Hiraikotsu abandoned.

"Go," she ordered, stepping in front of him and fending off the next attack.

"But-" Miroku started, torn between the puppet and whatever was going on outside.

"Go!" she ordered. "I can keep this at bay for a while."

Miroku ground his teeth. It only took one wrong move for even an experienced warrior like Sango to be struck down, but Inuyasha was hurt. He spun around, running for the open wall of the room, shouting over his shoulder "I'll send Kirara back to help!"

He burst outside, his eyes instantly snapping to where Inuyasha stood, his right arm hanging limply with the sleeve torn and bloody. Kouga was across the courtyard, preparing for another attack. He quickly caught Kirara's eyes and gestured wildly behind him. She nodded and took off, just as Kouga pounced.

His fist struck Inuyasha's cheek, throwing him back. Inuyasha stumbled back, only to be kicked in the head. He hit the ground hard, rolling several times. He blinked furiously, his vision white.

Kouga's eyes were wild as he leapt, shouting "This is the end for you!"

Miroku flung himself forward, throwing himself in front of Inuyasha and slamming his staff into the ground. A barrier shot to life just as Kouga slammed into it. He gasped and stumbled back.

"What the hell-" the wolf snarled, but Miroku wasn't having it.

"Enough!" he shouted in a booming voice. "Kouga, you're about to kill an innocent man. You have been deceived by Naraku just as we have been before."

"Miroku, step aside," Kouga growled. "You can't protect him!"

"If you want him, you'll have to go through me!" Miroku snarled ferociously, holding up his staff defensively.

Kouga darted forward, almost experimentally, and Miroku knocked his hand aside. Kouga growled again. "Miroku, don't do this. I don't want to hurt you! I know you weren't involved. I _need _to kill Inuyasha. I must avenge my kin!"

"Listen to me!" Miroku pleaded. "Inuyasha didn't do this! There's a woman somewhere in the mansion, Kagura. She-"

"Stop these lies!" Kouga screamed. "Miroku, if you keep throwing yourself in with Inuyasha then I'll have to take you out as well!"

"Don't you dare," a soft hiss came from behind Miroku as Inuyasha clambered to his feet. "You stay away from him!"

"I told you," Kouga shouted, grabbing Miroku by the front of the robes. "It's on your head!"

He threw Miroku to the side, out of the way. Miroku rolled to his feet and spun around, just in time to see Kouga's fist punching a hole deep into Inuyasha's chest. The force of the impact had shattered the ground, creating a deep ravine. Kouga stood over the prone form, expression resigned.

"_No!_" Miroku cried out, stumbling forward. Kouga snarled and intercepted him, dragging him away.

"Give up, Miroku," he said, his voice gravelly and unnaturally quiet. "He's gone."

Miroku thrashed in his grip, about to throw some punches of his own when his eyes landed on the figure walking towards them. Kagura crossed the courtyard daintily, uncaring of the bodies scattered along her path. Kouga followed Miroku's gaze and sucked in a startled breath.

"Who are you?" the wolf growled, stepping in front of Miroku.

"Well done, wolf boy," Kagura said with a smile. "With the score set all to your liking, you'll be able to die without any regrets."

Miroku's heart pounded. This was _bad_.

Kouga's eyes narrowed. "What do you want from me?"

"My name is Kagura," she said easily. "And I will see that you have one final dance."

Her fan snapped open and the corpses around her began to rise into the air, their eyes glowing red. Kouga reeled back, almost colliding with Miroku. What-? How-? He looked around in frantic bewilderment. He recognized some as his pack, others from the northern clan, but they were all _dead._ How the hell did they come back to-

Realization slammed into him like an icy wave. Miroku hadn't been lying. Inuyasha hadn't killed them! And he'd- Kouga didn't have time for reflection. The dead bodies of dozens of wolf demons were floating towards him at Kagura's command.

"They may be dead, but they can still attend your final dance," Kagura smirked. "It would _kill _them to miss this."

"You sorceress!" Kouga snarled. "You slaughtered my kin!"

"It slipped my mind," she smiled, raising her fan.

The bodies all flew at him, and Kouga had to dodge out of the way. He spun around midair and found Miroku, safely crouched over Inuyasha, a spiritual barrier fixed over them both. With him safe for the moment, Kouga turned his attention back to Kagura. He punched through the next wave of bodies flung at him and raised his fist to tear through Kagura's heart.

"I'll kill you, sorceress!" he swore with everything he had.

But his arm flashed red along the scar that had yet to heal, and Kouga could take barely three more steps before he sunk to his knees, his body no longer responding. What the hell was happening? He couldn't move!

Kagura laughed from behind her fan. "The shard in your arm has finally released its poison. It really looked convincing, didn't it?" Her fan snapped shut and she raised it high above her head. "Now it's time for you to die."

There was nothing that Kouga could do but brace himself as she threw her arm forward, sending dozens of crescent blades made of white energy shooting at him. They tumbled along the ground, slicing through his shoulder, his leg, his chest, his face… Kouga fell forward, barely coordinated enough to brace himself with his hands.

"That shard in your arm is made from a crystalized poison and a paralyzing miasma," Kagura said casually. "All that leaping around made your blood pump faster, and sped up the spread of the poison."

"Damn!" Kouga swore, wincing in pain as his whole body screamed.

"But those shards in your legs are the real thing," she smiled. "I think I'll help myself."

She took two steps forward, and a sutra embedded itself in her chest. She shrieked and stumbled back, and Miroku darted in front of Kouga. Kagura glared at him as she pulled the paper from her skin and burned it to dust with a flash of white fire. He ran for her, swinging his staff, but a flick of her fan had several wolf demon bodies flying at him. Miroku batted away the first with his staff but was caught by the second and thrown to the ground. He sliced through it with the head of his staff, using concentrating spiritual power to disintegrate the corpse.

Kagura raised her fan and threw it forward, shouting "Dance of Blades!"

The crescent blades of power sprang from her fan once again. Miroku threw up a quick barrier but it was weak. The first few blades crashed to a halt but the barrier dissolved, a final crescent slicing through Miroku's side. He gasped and pressed his hand against the wound, staunching the flow of blood.

"Not impressive at all," Kagura purred, raising her fan once more. "But I won't let you get in my way."

A deep growl made her turn. Inuyasha struggled first to his knees then to his feet, leaning heavily on the Tessaiga with his left hand. "You won't lay a _finger _on him," he snarled firmly, even though he was trembling. "I'm the one you should be coming after, not him!"

"Still alive, are we?" Kagura sighed. "Wolf boy, it appears you didn't do the job."

Kouga stared at Inuyasha with wide eyes, disbelieving and almost relieved.

Inuyasha scoffed, cocky despite his pale face drenched in sweat. "You're kidding yourself if you think that puny wolf cub could do me in with his meager attack."

"Oh, please forgive me," Kagura drawled, turning to face him fully. "Then you _are _up to a duel with me?"

"I'll take you on," he grinned, and it was all teeth. "But I warn ya – you're not gonna die quick. Tainting me with the blood of those wolf demons and setting that fool on me was unforgivable, but even more infuriating is the scent of Naraku that reeks from you!"

He snatched Tessaiga into the air with his left hand, holding the blade out in front of himself. He could see Kouga's nose working, marking the scent for life.

"Just the thought of that beast is enough to give me the strength to move," he promised grimly, transforming Tessaiga as he leapt forward.

Kagura swept her fan across the air, leaving a glowing white arc in its wake. It spread outwards, pushing Tessaiga back and forcing Inuyasha to land back on the ground. Shit. If just that small amount of power was enough to push back his sword, what was he supposed to do? He couldn't wield Tessaiga properly with just his left hand. He couldn't even lift it above his head when it was transformed!

"When you dance with a wind sorceress, you dance with the wind," Kagura said, moving her fan in a slow arc. "Dance of the Dragon!"

A vortex of swirling wind spun from her fan, pulling him forward. He stuck Tessaiga into the ground, bracing himself. Despite everything, he almost laughed. This may be strong, but he'd seen the wind tunnel in action! This was nothing compared to- There were twisters flying through the air towards him. Their pointed bases, which raced along the ground in nature, reached for him like giant claws. He leapt back as they crashed into the ground, splitting rock. He jumped from side to side, but it was almost impossible to dodge them all. Another wave of Kagura's fan sent even more twisters striking through the air. Inuyasha could feel her youki within them. If they caught him, it would be as deadly as any blast from a weapon. But they gave him a chance.

Kagura, whoever she was, not only had the exact same scent as Naraku – she had the same demonic aura. If he could use the Wind Scar, it would not only save their lives now, but also tell him how to defeat Naraku in the future. He reached out with his mind, trying to find the point where their power collided so he could destroy her. There was nothing. The swirling vortex which usually formed in his mind was nowhere to be seen! He didn't understand. What was wrong? Was she blocking it somehow?

Another wave of twisters flew past him, and he crouched to the ground. A faint possibility reached his mind – if Kagura controlled the wind, and she could manipulate dead bodies, could she also control the flow of the Wind Scar? Both Kouga and Sesshomaru seemed to have been able to sense the Tessaiga's power before he even struck. It was possible that she was contorting the flow of her own energy so it wouldn't hit! Well, what the hell was he supposed to do with that?!

A dark-clad figure was suddenly dodging through the twisters and Inuyasha's heart sank. Miroku sliced through one of the twisters, dissipating it with a burst of spiritual power. He reached for Kagura but was thrown back by the force of another wind attack. That was it!

"Miroku!" he shouted over the howling winds. "Purify her wind!"

The monk cast a wide-eyed glance over his shoulder, looking unsure, but he nodded nevertheless. He leapt back from another of Kagura's twisters and slammed his staff into the ground, sending a wave of spiritual power sweeping through her wind. As though it had away the fog, the sizzling point of the Wind Scar slowly appeared in Inuyasha's mind. Kagura gasped, sensing what was happening. Inuyasha didn't give her the chance to cast another attack. He swung the Tessaiga wildly, sending six burning lines of golden energy at her. Kagura leapt up in the air, her fan snapped forward, and a cocoon of wind swirled around her. The Wind Scar ripped through her, and he could hear her scream. Kagura reached into her pinned-up hair, pulled out one of two white feathers sat there. She threw it on the ground and it grew to giant size. She leapt onto it and began flying up into the air.

Inuyasha swore. She was battered, her kimono torn to shreds, but she was still alive. As she rose far out of reach, he could just make out a twisting burn scar on the back, with eight jagged edges reaching out like the legs of a spider. Naraku's mark.

A rumbling sound from the mansion distracted him. Kirara burst through one of the walls, Sango on her back. Several long, root-like appendages followed them. Miroku swore and scrambled to his feet, slapping a sutra on the base of his staff and hurling it like a spear. It connected with the head of the demon puppet, knocking it back. Sango flung herself off Kirara, and before the spiritual power could dissipate, sliced her sword straight through the puppet's body. It crumbled to dust, the wooden puppet inside snapping in two.

As she landed, the castle began to dissolve. Miasma swirled around them, picking up the flying debris. Miroku and Inuyasha covered their faces with their sleeves as the force of the miasma swirled around them. Miroku ground his teeth. He should have known! This castle was just an illusion, as every other had been. Everything around Naraku was a trap. They were standing in the middle of a large earthy clearing, the purple tint gone from the sky and only the low light of dusk remaining.

"Inuyasha, are you hurt?" Sango asked sharply, walking over to him, her eyes darting between his arm and the dark red stain seeping from his chest. "Where's the sorceress?"

"I let her get away," he sighed, defeated and angry. "My right arm's practically useless, and I couldn't finish her off."

He sniffed the air as he looked over Sango and Kirara. There were a couple of nicks on both of them, but nothing serious. He looked over at Miroku, could smell the blood on him, but the darkness of his koromo hid most of the blood from his side. The monk was stumbling across the space where the courtyard had been, to where Kouga lay collapsed on the ground.

"Are you alright?" Miroku asked, sinking to his knees beside the wolf.

Kouga was shaking and sweating, a sinister purple stain spreading across his right arm. The poison. Miroku swore and beckoned Sango over. When she saw the state of the wound, she sucked in a sharp breath.

"That poison is powerful. How far has it spread?"

Miroku reached out to move Kouga's arm, but the wolf let out a low growl. Sango immediately pulled Miroku's hand back.

"Wait, don't touch it!"

"Stay back, Miroku," Kouga gasped. "The poison might spread to you, too."

Miroku cast a pleading glance at Sango. She shot him a grim look and used the sheath of her sword to push aside the small flap of deerskin covering the armour on Kouga's shoulder. The angry purple and red lines only made it partway up his upper arm.

"We need to act fast, or he'll die," she said, a deep frown slashed across her face.

"Let me be," Kouga gasped, his breathing becoming more laboured. "I tried to kill Inuyasha. I have dishonoured myself and the memory of my kin."

"We all make mistakes," Miroku grumbled, wracking his mind for some way to help him.

Kouga's eyes narrowed. "I tried to _murder _him in cold blood."

"Yeah, well, you're not the only one," Miroku snapped back.

As Kouga shot him an incredulous look, Sango shook her head. "It's a tradition amongst many demons, especially those who live in packs," she explained. "You don't fight unless your enemy wants to as well, or if it's for survival or vengeance."

"I've disgraced myself," Kouga muttered.

"Aw hell, will you give it a rest?" Inuyasha groaned, walking over to them. "It wasn't your fault. Naraku tricked you like he did all of us. Now stop whining and hold out your arm." He raised Tessaiga. "If you want to hang on to life, there's still a way to save you."

"Wait!" Miroku said, his eyes darting between them. "I thought we agreed that tearing off arms was a last resort!" Inuyasha opened his mouth for an angry retort, but Miroku pushed on. "Let me try to purify the miasma, and see if that works."

Inuyasha frowned, but lowered Tessaiga. Miroku turned back to Kouga's arm with grim determination painted across his face. He had already raised three barriers throughout the fight, and had used a huge amount of spiritual power to fight off Kagura's attacks. He didn't know how much he had left. Sango handed over his staff from where he had thrown it at the demon puppet, and he nodded gratefully. He wrapped another sutra around the head and carefully sliced a thin line into Kouga's arm. The wolf demon hissed, the spiritual energy clashing strongly with his youki. Miroku clenched his jaw and pushed forward. He poured every last drop of his power through the staff and into the wound.

The false shard within Kouga's arm began to tremble and vibrate, moving through the skin. Miroku dug in with the pointed head of his staff and dug it from Kouga's flesh. It shattered from the force of the spiritual power. Miroku sat back heavily on his heels, watching the purple slowly bleed from Kouga's arm. A pulse of energy shot from the two Jewel shards in Kouga's legs, fighting off the rest of the poison.

Miroku lowered his hands to his lap, trying to stop their shaking. He heard a shuffle and then Inuyasha was standing behind him, the steady pressure of a hand on his shoulder. Kouga groaned and pushed himself onto all fours before slowly climbing to his feet. He shot a wary look at each of them in turn, his mouth a thin line. He nodded at Miroku and, after some hesitation, at Inuyasha as well. Inuyasha snorted. Kogua bowed his head over at Sango and Kirara then turned and began stumbling away, still clutching his right arm. They watched him go.

Once Kouga was out of sight, Inuyasha sat heavily on the ground. Kirara let out a distressed whine and curled herself behind him, letting him lean on her flank.

"Thanks, girl," he sighed, reaching out weakly to pat her head. "I'm alright."

"You're exhausted," Miroku commented, shuffling around to kneel in front of them. "And you're still bleeding."

"So are you!" Sango snapped, beating Inuyasha to it as she walked over to the hanyou. She pulled open his suikan and hadagi, bearing his chest while carefully avoiding jostling his right arm. Deep gouges from Kouga's claws sat just under his ribcage, biting deep into the flesh.

"These are nothing," Inuyasha insisted.

"Uh-huh," Sango said, reaching out behind her for Miroku to place a roll of bandages in her hand. "I can see your organs."

She eased the robes off his left arm, loosening them enough that she didn't have to take them off his right, and began winding the cotton strips around his torso. Inuyasha sent a peeved look at Miroku, and was met with a steely gaze in return. Once Sango had finished, she carefully rolled up his sleeve on his right arm. There was a sharp intake of breath from both her and Miroku. Inuyasha didn't have to look to know that claw marks travelled down the length of his arm, which was unnaturally limp with the shattered bone.

"How do we even fix that?" Miroku asked faintly.

"It'll heal in a few days on its own," Inuyasha grumbled.

"Go and find two straight branches," Sango ordered the monk. "We're going to have to make a brace."

It took some maneuvering, but they did just that. They used an entire roll of bandages to fix them securely in place, then even more to make a sling. Once they were done, Miroku and Sango stepped back to admire their handiwork.

"Don't let him get off so easily, Sango," Inuyasha growled, eyeing Miroku. "His side's still bleeding."

Sango shot an accusatory glare at Miroku, while he sent a betrayed glance at Inuyasha. Sango had him strip as well, revealing a clean cut along his side, long but not too deep. Since they had no clean water or spirits handy to purify it, Sango simply bandaged it for the time being.

"I wonder if Kouga will be alright," she said as she tied off the cotton strips.

"You needn't worry about him," Miroku sighed. "He has a very strong will. He would probably prefer it if we let him be."

"He's never been deceived by Naraku before," she pointed out. "At least we've come to expect it."

"He has the rest of his pack to help him. Those killed here were only a small part of it."

They glanced around the clearing. The bodies had disappeared with the castle. None of them particularly wanted to think about what Naraku might be doing with them. They all gingerly climbed onto Kirara's back and she rose into the air, keeping an eye out for a safe place to spend the night.

xXx

Kagura crouched down on her feather, following the pull of Naraku back to his hiding place. She was furious. How dare he not tell her about the powerful blast that came from Inuyasha's sword! How _dare _he put her in danger like that! She knew that everything he did had a purpose, was meticulously thought through. Either he had deliberately put her in the path of that blast, or she was an oversight. Either way, she would kill him!

The castle soon came into view and she touched down, not waiting for the feather to shrink back to size before bursting through the doors. A figure sat on the floor and looked up at her with veiled disinterest.

"Naraku!" she growled, stalking forward.

"Kagura," he greeted coolly. "You survived the battle, did you?"

"Shut up!" she hissed. "You deceived me! You never told me about the power of Inuyasha's sword!"

"The sword that cuts through the Wind Scar," Naraku said almost wistfully, rising to his feet. "I wondered just how powerful it was, but seeing as you came back alive, it couldn't be that formidable."

"You admit to deceiving me, then?" she accused. "You audacious fool!"

She raised her fan, sending her Dance of Blades flying at him. They ripped through the floor, the wall, and Naraku's clothes, but to her horror, his body remained untouched. He looked down at her in mild disappointment. He reached out a hand and a glowing red orb appeared in his upturned palm. Kagura shrank back – she knew what that was. Naraku very pointedly closed his fist, squeezing the orb.

Hot, fiery pain shot through Kagura's chest. She gasped and clutched at the place where her heart should have been, if it wasn't currently in the grasp of a madman. Naraku squeezed again and she fell to her knees.

"Do not forget, Kagura," he warned softly. "Where your allegiances lie. Do not forget what I hold in my hand."

"Damn you!" she gasped.

"It's simple enough to turn you back into what you used to be. You are nothing more than my essence, Kagura, and to that you can return."

Kagura's eyes flicked over to a shelf on one of the walls, where a line of large blue and yellow ceramic jars stood. Two of them were filled with glowing red liquid, which cast twisting shadows across the room. If she listened carefully, she could hear the sounds of a heartbeat coming from those jars.

xXx

Kirara found an old, abandoned rest house where they could spend the night. It had rotted away to no more than an empty shell, but it was enough. Miroku built the fire while Sango dug through the few objects left behind in the house, eventually coming up with a small rounded pan. She and Kirara went to fetch water from a nearby stream. Inuyasha simply sat there, barely enough energy left to keep himself upright. He followed Sango and Kirara's movements carefully with his ears, knowing better than to assume they were ever out of danger.

"No fish in that river," she reported apologetically when they returned. "And Kirara didn't smell anything edible nearby."

"We'll live," Inuyasha grumbled, though he wasn't happy about it. It was his job to make sure his pack was well fed, and here he was, utterly useless. The fact that all three of his companions were used to going without didn't exactly make him feel better.

"So, Kagura," Miroku said faintly as they set the pan of water over the fire to boil. "She's new."

"She smelled exactly like Naraku," Inuyasha growled, staring into the flames. "And she had the same spider mark on her back."

"Kaede said that Naraku would always carry that mark," Miroku said slowly. "No matter what form he took. Is it at all possible that Kagura _is _Naraku?"

"But why bother with a disguise?" Sango asked. "If Naraku's scent remains the same, what difference would a new form make?"

"She didn't act like Naraku, either," Inuyasha sighed. "That monster would never have let himself get close to the Wind Scar. And where the hell would he have gotten those wind powers?"

"You also said that when Naraku was disguised as Kikyo, he smelled exactly like her," Miroku pointed out. "Otherwise you would have noticed right away. That makes me think that Naraku's scent changes based on the form he takes. If that's the case, then if Kagura was his new form, then shouldn't his scent have changed as well?"

"So what we're saying is," Inuyasha concluded. "There's a new demon who smells exactly like Naraku, has the same spider mark, and is obviously working with him, but is a whole new person for us to fight." He leaned back against the wall. "Fucking fantastic."

"We'll have to wait and see what kind of opponent she is," Sango said, taking the water from the fire to let it cool. "For now, we need to rest."

"I'll say," Inuyasha grumbled. "That wolf sure gave me the run around."

"The demon puppet wasn't much fun, either," Sango reminded him firmly.

Miroku said nothing, but they both saw the slight tremors running through his frame. None of them were going to be able to keep watch that night. By unspoken agreement, while Sango flushed out Inuyasha's chest wound with the hot water, Miroku placed the last of his sutras around the rest house, sealing them inside and keeping any demons out. Once Sango finished fixing Inuyasha's bandages back in place, she cleaned and stitched Miroku's wound as well. Finally done, she lay back heavily against the wall.

"We never made it back to collect those poison powders from the apothecary," she said quietly.

"We can figure that out later," Miroku murmured. "I think it's best to lay low for a few days, at least until Inuyasha's arm has healed."

"Mm," was her witty reply, her eyes already slipping shut. Kirara curled up in her lap and began purring loudly.

Miroku poked the fire absently with a loose stick. He was utterly exhausted as well, but Inuyasha had that look in his eyes that said he needed to talk. Sure enough, as Sango's breathing deepened, the hanyou looked up at him with nervous eyes. Miroku scooted over to sit beside him.

"Look," Inuyasha said softly. "There's something I want to say, but I don't want the others to overhear."

Miroku nodded, but no more words appeared to be immediately forthcoming. Inuyasha had one ear fixed on Sango and Kirara, making sure they were both well and truly asleep. He his fingers were playing idly with a small twig on the floor, and he was staring hard at the ground. "You told me to imagine how I would be acting if my pack was killed. I… I can't even imagine. I don't know what I might do. But…" He lifted his gaze, and his eyes were shining. "I think that losing you would destroy me."

Miroku frowned. "You're not going to lose-"

"You don't get it!" Inuyasha snapped, running a hand down his face. "You're…you're not like the others, Miroku. You're special. You- _Fuck, _why is this so hard?" He took a deep breath and held the monk's eyes. "I have feelings for you, Miroku – feelings that go way beyond friendship."

Miroku was staring at him in stunned silence, his heart hammering in his chest. Inuyasha shuffled nervously, glancing away.

"I don't want you to think that just because you like men, I expect you to like me, or anything. I just… I dunno. I just wanted you to know. 'Cause, I know I've been pretty protective lately, and then this whole thing with Kouga, and… What are you looking at?"

Because Miroku hadn't stopped staring, and he was alarmingly pale.

"I-" his voice cut out and he swallowed hard. "You have feelings for me? Romantic feelings?"

Inuyasha fought the urge to roll his eyes even as he felt his ears flatten nervously. "Well, yeah. And it's not a big deal, because I know you don't-"

"I do," Miroku muttered quietly, breathily. "Inuyasha, I really, really do. I've been pining after you for _months._"

Inuyasha blinked. "Say what, now?"

"Kami, Yash," Miroku sat back on his heels, laughing a little hysterically. "How could I not? It's been driving me mad, having you right in front of me. I never thought- Well, I guess we were in similar situations."

"Really?" Inuyasha asked, delicate hope in his voice.

"Really," Miroku said firmly, a sad smile on his face.

"What…" Inuyasha swallowed. "What now?"

Something dark passed over Miroku's face, and he frowned. "What now?" he echoed softly. "I… Do you think that a relationship between the two of us is a good idea?"

"Why wouldn't it be?" Inuyasha asked carefully.

"We're hunting down Naraku, for one thing. A relationship complicates thing. It could be used against us. And…" He trailed off, his eyes falling to his right hand. "There may be no future in it."

Inuyasha frowned. "What do you mean?"

"I'm not so naïve as to think there is any certainty in my surviving the curse," Miroku murmured. "I wouldn't want to start something between us just to die on you."

Inuyasha growled. "That's not going to happen. We're going to defeat Naraku. Miroku, this thing isn't going to kill you."

"And then what?" Miroku asked gently. "It won't be easy, the two of us together. Two men aren't supposed to fall in love in society's eyes."

"To hell with that!" Inuyasha snapped. "Neither of our lives have been easy." He looked away sharply. "But after Naraku's gone, yours doesn't have to be this hard. You can marry some woman and settle down with your herd of children."

Miroku's fingers reached out and curled around Inuyasha's hand. "I'm not saying that I'm not interested. I don't care what other people say, and happiness together is worth a little hardship. I just want you to consider the reality of our situation. It's not just our own lives that we have to consider."

"I don't want to make things worse for you."

"You could never," Miroku assured. "I want to be with you, Yash. I just don't know if it's the right thing to do."

"What if we tried?" Inuyasha whispered. "What if we just try and see how it goes? If it puts either of us in danger or it doesn't feel right, we stop."

Miroku hesitated. Most of his mind and all of his heart was screaming at him to say yes! He wanted it so badly that it hurt. He could see the desire in Inuyasha's eyes, mixing with fear and hope and something else that Miroku didn't want to name. But he knew how dangerous it would be. He knew that if he got just a taste of Inuyasha, he wouldn't be able to stop. It had been hard enough travelling with the hanyou as his constant companion. How much worse would it be once he'd had his chance and squandered it?

Sango's angry words from before floated through his mind. They all deserved happiness. Would that be enough?

"I'm willing to try," Miroku heard himself saying, a broken smile sliding onto his lips.

Inuyasha beamed and his eyes softened, shining. He pulled Miroku into a strong one-armed embrace, careless of his own injuries. They held each other for a long time before Inuyasha drew back, his ears flicking nervously.

"I should warn you that I don't, uh… I'm not as experienced as…" He huffed. "I have no idea what I'm doing."

"We'll figure it out as we go," Miroku shrugged. "There's no rush. Besides, I may know about kissing and, uh, _other_ activities, but you're the only one who's been in a relationship before."

Inuyasha's brows furrowed. "Kikyo and I were…" He trailed off, struggling to find the words and failing.

"It's still experience," Miroku said. "And it only really matters what works for us."

Inuyasha smiled, fragile but warm. "I can't believe this is really happening."

Miroku chuckled and tackled him into a hug. "Me neither. You have no idea how many inappropriate thoughts I've had to suppress."

Inuyasha snorted. "You forget that I _know_ you. I can guess."

They lay together on the floor, Miroku's head resting carefully on Inuyasha's chest, their legs tangled together as they both stared up at the ceiling. They were both too exhausted to do anything else, but they couldn't wipe the smiles from their faces. Neither of them knew what to expect, or where this would lead, but for the moment, they were happy. And that's what mattered.


	41. Chapter 41: s2e14

Serious warning for references to attempted sexual assault, vague and brief discussions but no occurrences of pedophilia, and one reference to the potential sexual assault of a child that does NOT happen. Chapter also contains mind control, emotional manipulation, and a dash of tooth-rotting fluff

* * *

Miroku knew that Inuyasha was not a subtle person, but he was surprised by his own apparent inability to do anything other than smile stupidly the entire day. They had slept almost until noon, utterly exhausted from the battle with Kouga and Kagura. Miroku woke to Sango stoking the fire, Kirara grooming herself by the door, and Inuyasha's arm wrapped around his waist. It wasn't the first time that Inuyasha had held him as he slept, but that usually occurred after excessive injuries to one or both of them. Miroku felt his face flush and he quickly hid behind his sleeve. He needed to pull himself together! But then Inuyasha grumbled in his sleep, stretching out before tugging Miroku closer to him. This drew Sango's attention, and she sent Miroku an amused glance.

"Comfortable?" she mouthed silently.

Miroku glared at her. Slowly, he wormed his way out of Inuyasha's grasp and climbed stiffly to his knees. He shuffled over to the fire, letting it chase away the chill of the autumn air and disguise the redness of his face.

"Now what?" Sango asked quietly. "We need a safe place until we're in fighting condition again. Do we stay here?"

"There's no rush," Miroku pointed out. "We can stay here for another day until Inuyasha's fit to travel and then find someplace more suitable."

Sango nodded. "In that case, we had better find some food. There was nothing in the river nearby, and there are no villages close enough for us to buy anything."

"We can forage a while," Miroku shrugged. "Find some mushrooms or root vegetables, maybe track down a river or lake with some fish."

"You'd better take Kirara with you," Inuyasha cut into their conversation, pushing himself upright with his left arm. "You two are utterly useless at catching fish, and she'll be able to sniff out anything else to eat."

"She and I can go," Sango said decisively. "Miroku, you can put the sutras back up after we leave. I don't want any demons tracking us down, and besides, you two need to rest. You look awful."

"I thought we looked gorgeous," Miroku said, ostensibly offended. "Aren't we gorgeous, Yash? Or at least ruggedly handsome."

"I am not answering that," Inuyasha said flatly, a faint blush colouring his cheeks.

"I can answer, if you like," Sango suggested with a wicked smile.

Miroku waved her off playfully. He got up with only a little groaning and pulled the sutras from around the doorway of the old rest house, letting Kirara outside. "Be careful," he told the two of them as they left.

Inuyasha was staring at him when he turned back around.

"What?" he asked innocently.

"The hell was that?" Inuyasha asked, with none of the usual bite to his words.

"Sango needs to know how attractive we are," Miroku informed him, kneeling down beside him.

"Miroku," Inuyasha said in a low voice, his ears flicking nervously. "I don't think I'm ready for anyone else to know about this yet. Hell, I don't even know what _this_ is!"

"We don't have to tell anyone until we're ready," Miroku promised. "We can just see how it feels. Besides, I want you to myself for a while first."

Inuyasha's expression softened remarkably and his eyes shone. Miroku scooted over to his side, wrapping his arms carefully around the hanyou's chest, mindful of his wound. He rested his head on Inuyasha's shoulder, feeling his arm come to slide comfortably around his waist. Happiness thrummed through him with every beat of his heart. It still felt unreal. He couldn't believe that he and Inuyasha got to be like this together, even if it was only when the others were gone.

Miroku knew that he was a viscerally tactile person. He enjoyed to touch and be touched, and not only in a sexual way. In his many years wandering alone, physical contact had been rare and fleeting. His shoulder bumps and occasional hugs with Inuyasha had been desperately-needed sustenance for his touch-starved soul. And now, there was nowhere he would rather be, nothing he would rather be doing that cuddling up with this hanyou in an old abandoned house.

Hence why he couldn't stop smiling.

He managed to maintain some semblance of poise when Sango and Kirara returned. He desperately tried to school his features into a pleasantly neutral smile as Sango cleaned the fish they'd caught and he cooked the mushrooms and few edible roots into something resembling a meal. They spoke as they ate, discussing where to go next.

"You mentioned the apothecary last night," Miroku said to Sango. "Is it worth the risk to go back in the next few days?"

"We know that Naraku is watching us," Sango said slowly. "It's the only way he could have known about Kouga. It's possible that he already knows about the town. It's safer for everyone if we wait for the two weeks to be up and get everything in one trip. We already risk a lot by going back there."

"Isn't that old lady likely to sell off the poisons she made?" Inuyasha asked.

"If she does, then we will commission another batch and pay her extra for her troubles," Miroku shrugged. "Sango's right – we need to be more cautious than ever. We can't risk establishing a pattern that Naraku might detect."

"So we go back to when we first set out," Inuyasha said. "We walk around waiting for a Jewel shard to pop up, or for another sign of Naraku."

"What else can we do?" Sango sighed. "It's impossible to make a plan of attack if we don't even know where he is."

They all knew the truth of her statement. As frustrating as it was, they needed to wait for their next opportunity to come to them. Normally, Inuyasha would be climbing the walls after the first day being stuck indoors, but for some reason – he knew the reason – he didn't mind terribly this time. Sango and Miroku took turns going outside to wash the cookware from the old house, to fetch water or firewood, or tend to their weapons, always with Kirara standing guard. When Miroku left, Inuyasha followed his every sound with keen interest. When Sango went, Miroku lay down next to Inuyasha and they held each other close. When they were all in the house together, Inuyasha slept in a pain-filled blur. His chest and arm ached. It didn't take long for Miroku to notice.

"Kirara, would you be up for another trip?" Miroku asked that evening. "I want to see if there's a willow tree nearby. The bark can be used to make a tea to treat pain."

"If that's for me, don't bother," Inuyasha said firmly, nervous about them straying too far at night. "I can deal with it."

"You can, but you don't have to," Miroku told him gently. "We're already stuck in this drafty old house. We may as well be as comfortable as possible."

Inuyasha didn't like it, but they left regardless. He was so intent on tracking them through sound that he didn't notice Sango staring at him until it was too late.

"Do you think it's likely they'll be attacked?" she asked, one hand instinctively reaching for Hiraikotsu.

"Just about as likely as any other time," Inuyasha grumbled. "They can handle themselves."

Still, he didn't breathe properly until he herd them touch down again after dark, Miroku waving a long strip of bark triumphantly. The tea didn't taste as awful as Inuyasha expected, and it took effect almost immediately. He sighed contentedly and lay back on the ground. He usually preferred to sleep sitting up with his back to the wall, but the position bothered his injuries. Besides… Miroku lay down next to him, just barely touching, far enough away that it looked like it was unintentional. Inuyasha closed his eyes as his lips spread into a soft smile.

xXx

The next day was much like the last. By the afternoon, while Sango was mending Inuyasha's torn robes, Miroku sat just outside the house, meditating. He claimed it was to ponder what to do next. Inuyasha knew he just needed to clear his head. The smell of arousal had been steadily rolling from the monk since morning, and it was getting cloying. Inuyasha was internally grateful that the renowned lecher hadn't tried anything yet. There had been a few times, when Sango and Kirara were away, that Miroku's eyes had darted to his lips and lingered. Inuyasha had always turned away.

Most of him wanted to hold the monk close and never let go, but at the suggestion of anything more intimate, he found himself shrinking back. The ghost of other lips still haunted him, the only other person he'd ever let so close to himself. He had truly loved Kikyo, and the kisses they had shared were seared into his memory forever. He wanted to experience that with Miroku as well, to touch him and feel him and _taste_ him, but a deep, primal fear still held him back. One day, he promised himself. He wouldn't let this hold him back.

For now, simply holding the monk in his arms – or arm, rather – was enough to make him _ache_ with happiness. He could feel it in his cheeks and his chest and his bones and his soul. He hadn't known that was even possible before. He knew that if they carried on this way, Sango or at least Kirara would pick up on what was going on between them, and he tried to rein himself in. But his youki was humming just beneath his skin, begging and whining for more.

xXx

They were all happy to say goodbye to the old rest house when they were finally back on the road. After much discussion, they agreed that moving out in the open before Inuyasha was healed was just too risky, so they stayed inside for five more days. It had rained one night, and the holes in the roof left them all drenched and miserable for the next two days. At least Kirara had gone out hunting on her own one night, once everything vaguely edible in the area had already been foraged. She brought home a wild boar, and they had feasted.

But now they were free, enjoying the fresh air and the feeling of truly stretching their legs. Inuyasha's arm was still tender and fragile, but it had healed to the point where he could move it without problem and fight if need be. Miroku had wanted to give it another couple days, but Inuyasha had sternly informed him that if he was shoved in that box for even another night, he would rip them all to shreds. As it was, Miroku had dug an old suitou bamboo canteen from the rest house and filled it with another strong draught of willow bark tea. Inuyasha told him that he was being ridiculous – his arm was almost better! He also refused to wear the brace or sling outside, since if Naraku was watching them, he would take it as a sign of weakness.

However, by later afternoon when the rains started once more, and Inuyasha kept on forgetting himself and moving his arm as he normally would, he appreciated the monk's foresight. Kirara found them a cave to hunker down in for the night. The wood that the humans gathered was so damp that even when Kirara transformed right over the fire, it refused to light. They were left with wet clothes and gloomy dispositions as they huddled together at the back of the cave, gratefully leaning on Kirara's flank for warmth.

"Who would have thought this would be so glamorous?" Miroku grinned at his companions, who met him with glares of various intensities. "There should be a village nearby. We might make it there tomorrow if the rain clears up."

"I'm not opposed to staying here until it does," Sango grumbled. "I would like to be dry again at some point. Besides, we have no destination in mind. There are no Jewel shards around, and I can't sense any demons in the area."

"I gotta wonder about that," Inuyasha said, absently playing with one of Kirara's tails. "How has Naraku been spying on us and none of us noticed? He had to have been sending someone to do it, so why didn't we sense 'em?"

"He could be using a human," Miroku theorized. "Perhaps he's found another person like Kohaku, who can get nearby without us noticing them?"

Sango's jaw clenched but she nodded. "It would explain how anything could get so close without any of use sensing youki or a strange scent."

"It makes me wonder about Kagura," Miroku said slowly. "Naraku was able to manipulate weak demons, Sango, Kohaku, Royakan, and even Sesshomaru into doing his bidding, yet Kagura seemed different. The same scent and spider mark, and yet she isn't Naraku. Are they related?"

"What, you mean like his sister or something?" Inuyasha snorted. "Naraku ain't even youkai – he's just a bunch of weak demons clumped together onto Onigumo."

"Yes," Miroku nodded. "Yes, exactly. He is made from many different parts, all bound together. What if he could remove one of those parts to create something new?"

The others stared at him, but he had a point. "Kagura was strong," Inuyasha said warily. "If Naraku can create someone like her, we're fucked. But I don't get it – why now?"

"Right," Sango said. "Why wouldn't he have done so much earlier?"

"I don't believe he was simply waiting," Miroku sighed.

"You think he couldn't before," Sango finished for him. "He's gotten stronger. Do you think it was from the Fuko spell? Absorbing the Kodoku?"

"It's possible," Miroku shrugged. "That was more than a month ago, but I suppose we have no way of knowing when Kagura was created, if she even _was _created. And we still don't have a full grasp of Naraku's abilities. Something feels strange, is all."

"I'd feel better about all this if we knew what we were up against," Inuyasha grumbled. "Give me a plain ol' demon who wants to eat me, and I'm good to go. I don't like all this trickery and deception."

"At least it keeps things interesting," Miroku offered, and they all sighed.

xXx

Kagura stood in front of Naraku, waiting for her orders. Storms of miasma clouds swirled outside. Something big was coming.

"With the blows that you received from Tessaiga, I was able to comprehend the power of Inuyasha's sword," Naraku said from his seat on the floor. "Go forth now, Kagura. Kanna has already been dispatched."

Kagura's eyes were drawn to the row of clay jars on the far side of the room. Naraku had said that Kanna was her sister. She didn't know what to think. She felt no kinship to the strange girl that Naraku had spat out before Kagura, but then again, there was little love to be had in Naraku's den. From what she could tell, Kanna had never left the castle before. She was always by Naraku's side, possibly even privy to his plans. Kagura had no such luxury. Her wounds from the Wind Scar had barely healed, and she knew better than to expect this plot to be any safer. She turned and walked from the room. Naraku may be displeased with her attitude, but they both knew that she had no choice but to obey.

For now.

xXx

Sango knelt by the lake, filling up their suitou canteens. Inuyasha was scouting the area for fish, while Miroku and Kirara were looking for edible plants growing along the water's edge. They were fairly close to a village, but it would be better if they didn't have to pay for more supplies than they had to. They still had to pay for their weapons, masks, and poison powders from the other town, and there was no guarantee of finding paying work between now and then.

Splashing coming from her left drew Sango's attention, just as the man rushed at her from the fog-covered reeds further along the shore. She struck him with the canteen she was holding and knocked him back into the water. Dark shapes emerged from the fog behind him, three more men, one of whom was on a horse and sported several bandaged wounds. The men on the ground bore bamboo pike staffs and were glaring at her menacingly.

"Who are you, wench?" the man on the horse asked haughtily, though there was fear in his voice.

Sango knelt to pick up Hiraikotsu, not taking her eyes from the men. "That's what I would like to know. You seem no more than ordinary humans."

"She's not Koharu, my lord," the man in the water spluttered, scrambling to his feet.

"And yet she is a beauty," the man on the horse, the lord, leered. "Bring her with us."

The men started forward obediently. "Come with us," one of them told her sternly, reaching for her. "Resist, and you shall be forced."

Sango kicked him soundly in the chest and sprang back, weighing her options. Apparently, Inuyasha had no such qualms. He jumped up from somewhere far behind her with a shout of "No you don't!" His fist connected with the face of one of the men, before swivelling around and kicking the other two. He spun and leapt at the lord, punching him solidly in the nose with a cracking sound. The lord fell from his horse, which spooked and ran off. The men rushed to the lord, picking him up out of the water and exclaiming over his broken face.

"Forgive us, sire," one of the men called over his shoulder as he ran past. Inuyasha snorted.

He waited for them to leave before gingerly clinging to his right arm. Shit. In the rush of things, he'd forgotten himself and swung with the wrong hand. Pain laced up his arm, though he didn't think he'd caused any real harm. Still, he needed to be more careful. He'd been so taken off guard that he'd forgotten to even think. He'd been wound halfway around Miroku when he heard the scuffle.

"What was their problem?" he asked, watching the men retreat.

"Thank you!" an unexpected voice replied from behind him, and he whirled around.

A young woman stood beside Sango, maybe a few years younger than her. She was dressed in similar clothes, and her long hair was tied back with a light pink cloth.

"Was it you they were after?" Sango asked, seeing how she could be mistaken for this girl.

"I'm afraid so," she said with a wry smile.

A slight jingling sound drew their attention to where Miroku and Kirara were approaching, looking concerned. "Everything alright over there?" Miroku called out to them.

The girl gasped, her face lighting up. "Miroku!"

Miroku stopped, making a slight noise of surprise. Inuyasha and Sango both glanced between the two of them, suspicions raised.

"It _is _you, Master Miroku!" the girl proclaimed joyfully, running at the monk with her arms outstretched. "You've returned! Miroku, how I've missed you."

She pressed herself against his chest, clutching at his shoulders. Miroku had a faint smile plastered across his face, but he looked rather lost. Inuyasha and Sango exchanged a look.

"I take it we've met?" Miroku said as the girl detached from him.

"I'm Koharu!" the girl announced, as though that explained everything. "Oh, Miroku, it's been so long."

"Koharu!" Miroku smiled warmly, gently touching her arm, though his voice betrayed a slight waver. "You don't say! I almost didn't recognize you. How very…providential meeting you like this."

Miroku glanced nervously over at his companions. Sango was glaring at him with open suspicion, while Inuyasha… Well, Inuyasha looked struck. Hurt and anger and betrayal all swirled around on his face. Miroku gently pulled away from Koharu, but she didn't seem to mind. She was staring up at him with shining eyes.

"You two know each other?" Sango prompted flatly.

"Master Miroku and I met three long years ago," Koharu said wistfully. "You see, I had lost my parents and siblings in the war. The Keeper of the Oil took me under his care, but worked me day and night. It was hard work, and I was tired and hungry and cried myself to sleep every night. But one day, a wondrous day, Miroku came to our village."

She glanced up at Miroku as though he had gifted her the moon. Miroku carefully kept his face smiling but blank. He was beginning to remember this story, and he didn't like where it led.

"He was here to perform an exorcism. He was so kind to me! I had tried to run away, but I had no idea where to go. He gave me his food and told me not to fear. He told me that I had my whole life ahead of me – I was only eleven then, after all – and that there were so many wonderful things I could experience. We spoke until evening, and he said that one day, we could settle down together. I would be his wife and bear his children."

Sango reeled back, her eyes snapping to Miroku in horror. Inuyasha was rooted to the spot.

"I was so happy!" Koharu sighed dreamily. "Three years have passed since that day, and I have waited every moment for his return. I knew that he would come back for me – I believed it with all my heart."

"You," Sango growled, snagging Miroku's wrist and dragging him away. "We need to talk." Once they were out of earshot of Koharu, she turned to him with blazing eyes. "Explain, now."

"It's not like it sounds," Miroku assured earnestly. "She was an orphaned child in a bad situation who was losing hope. I only wanted to comfort her. I swear, I didn't lay a finger on her."

"I should hope not!" Sango hissed. "How could you lead her on like that? Did you have any plans of actually returning for her? Any at all?"

"No," Miroku admitted quietly. "I only wanted to make her happy. I thought that with something to keep her going, she would be able to make it through the hard times. I was fifteen, Sango. I didn't know how to solve any of her problems, so I offered her the same thing that was keeping me going – the thought of a quiet life with a loving family."

Sango's eyes softened but she didn't relent. "Instead you made her fixate on you for three years. You need to go out there right now and explain to her that you made a mistake, that you're not going to marry her, and that she deserves better."

"I will," he promised softly.

Koharu and Inuyasha were still standing in silence right where they left them. Koharu looked nervous. "Is everything alright?" she asked, glancing between Miroku and Sango. "I don't want to cause any problems."

"You aren't," Sango said firmly, shooting one final glare at Miroku and shoving him forward with a firm hand on his back. "Miroku wants to speak with you, that's all."

"Oh, Miroku," Koharu wailed. "I promise I've been good! I didn't mean to cause trouble with those men."

"What happened with them?" Miroku asked, concern colouring his voice.

Koharu stared at the ground, her expression closing off. "My master's son has leering at me for a while. My fears were realized last night when he tried to force himself on me."

"So you ran," Sango said, everything sliding into place.

"Yes. I struck him with some firewood until he lay motionless." She turned and threw herself at Miroku. "Please, Miroku, won't you take me with you?"

"Koharu-" he started, but she cut him off.

"I have nowhere else to go!" she pleaded. "Please! I'm an adult now. I'm able to bear your children!"

Miroku shrank back slightly under the force of the combined glare of Inuyasha, Sango, and Kirara. "Why don't we get somewhere safe before those men come back?" he suggested calmly. "Then, Koharu, you and I can speak in private."

She led them away from the nearby village, to an old storehouse by the forest. As she went inside, Sango grabbed Miroku's arm once again.

"You realize we can't take her with us," she said quietly.

"I know."

"But we can't just abandon her. She's still an orphan child."

"Perhaps she can accompany us until we find a suitable family that can take her in," Miroku suggested uncertainly, casting a careful look at Inuyasha. The hanyou refused to meet his eyes.

"At the very least," Sango sighed. "She's spent three years of her life expecting you to come back and have children together!"

"I ask every woman to bear my child," Miroku shrugged.

"You never asked me," Sango pointed out, pulling him up short.

"It's not that I'm not interested," he explained warily. "But I thought you might kill me if I asked."

"You were right." She sighed and ran a hand down her face. "Alright, I'm going to try to talk some sense into her. You go on to the village and see if anyone there would be willing to take her in."

Miroku nodded, and Sango disappeared into the storehouse after Koharu with Kirara following them. Miroku turned to Inuyasha. The hanyou stalked past him without a word.

"Inuyasha?" Miroku called out after him, but got no response. Silently, he followed him into the village. He only hoped that he could repair the damage he had done.

xXx

"I'm so glad to finally see him again," Koharu sighed as she and Sango sat by the water just outside the village. "I was almost starting to forget what he looked like. But he's exactly as I remembered!"

"You really love him, don't you?" Sango asked sadly.

"I know I can be a good wife to him," she smiled, before worry clouded her expression. "You and he…"

"We're friends," Sango assured her quickly. "We hunt demons together."

"I've never met a woman as strong as you," Koharu said with admiration. "I bet you could have taken on all of those men alone!" She glanced out over the water. "I wonder what it will be like, to be married to a monk who slays demons."

Sango followed her gaze. Suddenly, she could see why Miroku looked so frightened. This was an uncomfortable task. She didn't want to crush Koharu's hopes, but she didn't want to encourage them, either. She only hoped that Miroku would find her a place to stay.

xXx

"Such a pity!" the Headman sighed forlornly. "Poor young child. You know, I lost my own daughter in the same war. Such tragedy."

"So, would you be willing to take her into your village, sama?" Miroku pressed.

"I would be honoured!" the old man smiled. "We must look out for each other in these hard times."

Miroku bowed deeply to the man, promising to bring Koharu to him as soon as possible. He seemed kindly enough, and he would be able to protect Koharu from any vengeance sought by the Master of the Oils and his son. Behind him, Inuyasha turned and walked silently away, following Sango's scent to where she and Kirara were with the girl. Miroku obediently went after him.

Koharu sprang to her feet when she saw Miroku, running up to him. "I was worried!" she said, holding on to his sleeve. "Your friend said that you had to attend to business."

"Yes," Miroku said grimly. "I was speaking to the Headman of the village. He has agreed to take you into his home, under his protection."

Koharu stumbled back as though struck. "What? You mean, I can't come with you?"

"It's for the best," Sango said, coming up behind her. "This will be a safe place for you to stay."

"Please, no!" Koharu begged, pawing at Miroku's robes. "I promise not to be a burden! Let me come!"

"It would be dangerous for you to come with us," Sango tried, but Koharu wasn't listening to her.

Miroku pressed his lips together firmly. "Koharu, come with me," he said quietly, holding out a hand. She took it. He led them a ways away, under the shelter of a grassy hill, giving them at least some semblance of privacy.

"Miroku, I cannot bear it!" Koharu cried, clutching at his robes. "We only just met again. I cannot bear parting again so soon!"

Miroku swallowed hard, guiding them both to kneel down on the grass. She pressed against his chest, and he held her close.

"Please try to understand, Koharu," he murmured, fighting to keep his voice level. "If you were to come with us, I can't guarantee that you would be safe. I'm not sure whether I would be able to protect you."

"I can be brave!" Koharu insisted. "I can learn to fight, like that other woman you travel with!"

"I am sure you could," he said with a small smile, which quickly fell from his lips. "But the demon I pursue is more devious and formidable than any other." He hugged her close. "It's hard for me to say goodbye as well."

At the crest of the hill, Inuyasha watched as Koharu buried herself in Miroku's chest.

"What are they saying?" Sango asked, watching beside him. "Is he trying to convince her?"

Inuyasha growled half-heartedly, his ear flicking. Miroku continued to hold the girl close, and Sango scoffed. "He's all over her! He's only making her fall deeper in love."

Inuyasha didn't respond. He hated absolutely everything about this. He didn't know whether to rip Miroku away from her and shout at him, to chase the girl away from him, or to simply leave and never come back. As it was, he watched as the two of them parted, still sitting side-by-side.

"But you are not leaving forever," Koharu's voice rose with uncertainty. "We are only parting for now, like last time, right?"

"Koharu, listen," Miroku was saying in a firm but gentle voice. "You are about to start a new life in a new village. I know you must be afraid – life itself is a frightening specter for us all."

Inuyasha frowned. Miroku was staring straight ahead, not looking at Koharu, and his heart was pounding. What was the monk doing?

"You're not safe with me, Koharu," Miroku murmured. "In my right hand is a hole capable of drawing everything in its path into the void. A wind tunnel, if you will. A curse was placed on my family in my grandfather's time. Both he and my father were drawn into their own wind tunnels. In time, I will eventually meet my own fate in the terrible nothingness of my own hand."

Miroku knew that he was trembling, but he couldn't stop it. He couldn't bear to meet Koharu's eyes as he crushed her hopes. As he tried to convince her that he was dangerous – that he was a curse that she should not have to bear.

"I made the decision to use this terrible curse to help others," he continued. "The wind tunnel allows a mere human like myself to take on demons, so I have come to think that my curse is also my greatest weapon, my greatest strength against evil."

He could feel eyes on him, not just Koharu's. The person he had been when he met her was gone. Back then he had been naïve, convinced of his family duty, and so sure that he would be the one to defeat Naraku and break the curse. He had meant what he said to her – he fully expected to settle down, with someone like her if not her, to marry and have children and live a normal life.

"Being strong in life," he said softly. "It's not easy. Overcoming uncertainty is difficult. My life is not a pretty one, Koharu. In it, there is ugliness and fear and pain. I would not wish that on you."

"I can be strong," she whispered.

"You shouldn't face more than you need to," Miroku said. "My companions and I are strong because we need to be to face down this demon. You are strong because you had to survive on your own. This does not mean that you should seek out more hardship. You deserve a husband who can provide safety and security. You deserve a real home. I can give you neither. I know that you have waited all this time and I am so sorry for that. I cannot give back all the years you spent on me, but I can spare you any more in the future."

"But I love you," she said, looking up at him. "I will never meet another man like you."

"That's the point," he told her. "You will meet someone who can give you everything you deserve. Please. You can have so much better than this."

Koharu nodded tearfully, rising to her feet. Miroku resisted the urge to embrace her, knowing that it would only make it worse. She walked back up to the others and he followed, avoiding Sango's sympathetic gaze and Inuyasha's accusatory glare. They guided her to the Headman's house, where she was met by him and his wife. They greeted her warmly and assured Miroku that she would fit right in. When they tried to leave, though, Koharu wasn't having it.

"Miroku, I'm begging you," she said. "Won't you stay with me one last night?"

"You heard Koharu," the Headman smiled. "Won't you stay the night?"

"No," Miroku said regretfully. It would mean sleeping outside, as it was already getting dark, but Inuyasha had yet to look him in the eyes since they came to this place. Besides… "I fear that postponing our departure will only make it that much harder for her."

Tears burst from Koharu's eyes and she stumbled into the house.

"Stay for her sake," Inuyasha grumbled, glaring at the ground.

"One more night won't make that much difference," Sango added. "And besides, we're the only people here she knows."

"Are you sure that's the best idea?" Miroku said, aiming the question at Sango but really asking Inuyasha.

The hanyou growled softly, his ears twitching. He stalked past Miroku into the house, muttering "She's still fucking crying."

He followed the sounds through the house, coming to a stop in front of where she sat, curled into herself on the ground. He hated everything about this. He should be furious with Miroku – and he was, no doubt about it – but the misery leaking into his scent was messing with Inuyasha's head. And he should hate this girl, this threat to the fragile thing that was his relationship with Miroku, but he didn't. It wasn't her fault. It wasn't entirely Miroku's fault, either.

"We'll stay here the night and set out in the morning," Inuyasha told Koharu firmly. "But no tears then, alright?"

She looked up at him, a glimmer of hope in her eyes. "Yes."

She ushered everyone inside and began asking the Headman where everything was in their house. He responded with good humour, and Koharu was delighted to find out about their bath.

"Can I prepare a bath for you, Miroku?" she asked eagerly.

"I appreciate the offer, but I couldn't impose," he replied.

"It's no trouble!" she insisted. "For you or any of your friends!"

Sango sighed. "I'll take the bath if he won't, Koharu. Maybe you could bring him some hot water, though? He has a wound that needs to be cleaned."

She scrambled to oblige, and Sango and Kirara followed her through the house. Koharu was talking rapidly about her plan to make them all a grand feast for supper, to thank her new guardians for taking her in. The Headman and his wife, who were watching the whole affair, laughed quietly together and informed Miroku that they were going to go take stock of their food supplies in case Koharu got a little overzealous. Miroku was left alone with Inuyasha.

"Yash?" he asked quietly, still not getting a response. "Please, talk to me."

"There's nothing to say," the hanyou snapped under his breath. "You've set her straight and we'll be gone tomorrow."

Miroku sat back on his heels, but he didn't know what to say. "I'm sorry," was all he could offer.

Inuyasha stood up and walked out of the house, muttering that he was going to go catch some fish, since the Headman was being nice enough to let them raid his pantry. Miroku sat by the fire and wondered what on earth he could do.

Dinner was, indeed, a feast. It wasn't as grand as some of the absolute banquets Miroku had been given from some of his wealthier cons, but the food was delicious. The looks Sango was shooting him had turned from irritated to gently amused as it became increasingly obvious that Koharu was trying to impress him. She was attentive on all of them, if oddly quiet, and made sure that Kirara got an entire roasted fish to herself. The only one not enjoying the meal was Inuyasha, who was staring moodily into the fire. Miroku lowered his bowl to ask what was wrong. Instead, he felt it, too.

"We're surrounded," he warned the others.

Inuyasha grasped the handle of Tessaiga. "It's strange. I don't smell any demons."

"You guard the house," Miroku said to Sango as he followed Inuyasha to the door, and she nodded.

Countless villagers were approaching the house, wielding weapons, tools, and torches. Calls of "Kill them!" and "Beat them to death!" rose from the crowd, but their movements were slow and sloppy. They were coming from all directions, the clanking of metal and the villagers' groans joining together in a cacophony of sound.

"What's with these guys?" Inuyasha asked, looking around at them.

"They seem to be under some kind of spell," Miroku warned.

Kirara darted out between them and growled at the approaching humans. Sango was behind them, Hiraikotsu in her hand. One of the village men raised his sickle and the mob rushed forward in an uncoordinated mess. Inuyasha leapt forward to meet them, knocking a row of them down, catching another as he rushed and him and flinging him aside. He threw another man at a cluster of villagers, but there were so many!

"Inuyasha, they're only mortals," Miroku warned as he pushed several back with his staff. He caught one on the back with the flat of his staff.

"Yeah, I figured that out," Inuyasha growled. He struck or kicked at the villagers, trying to knock them down just enough to keep them from getting up again. Miroku and Sango were on either side of him, while Kirara circled the Headman's hut, keeping any of them from finding their way inside. They were able to hold them back, but they wouldn't be able to keep up this pace forever. The humans had to be under someone's control, but that someone was nowhere to be seen.

"Help!" a shout came from inside the house. Koharu appeared at the door, looking out at them frantically. "Something dreadful has happened!"

Sango nodded at Miroku and followed Koharu back into the house. She kept the girl behind her while Koharu told her which way to go, leading her deep into the house's interior. When Koharu nodded at one of the doors, Sango motioned for her to stay back and burst into the room. The Headman and his wife lay motionless on the floor.

"What did this?" Sango asked, looking around but there was nothing else in the room.

"A demon!"

"What kind?" she asked. "What did it look like?"

"I don't know," Koharu shook her head. "I only caught a glimpse of it."

Sango's frown deepened. Inuyasha hadn't smelled a demon, and neither she nor Miroku had sensed one. Even now, there was no trace of youki around except for Inuyasha and Kirara. Sango stepped forward to check on the old couple lying on the floor when a faint shadow appeared on the other side of the screen wall. Sango quickly slid the door open, revealing the figure of a young girl, maybe ten years old, with pure white hair and startlingly black eyes, dressed in a white kimono and holding a round, silver-framed mirror. Sango lifted Hiraikotsu, but the girl vanished.

"Stay back!" Sango ordered Koharu.

The girl appeared again behind them before disappearing once more. Sango whipped around, uneasy. She'd never encountered a demon like this before – was she even a demon? There was still no demonic aura around this strange phantom child. The moment the girl appeared again on the other side of the room, Sango threw Hiraikotsu at her. The girl held her mirror out in front of her, and the Hiraikotsu struck the invisible barrier which stood around the child. The weapon caused sizzling bolts of energy to leap from the barrier before Hiraikotsu was hurled back at Sango with alarming speed. Sango ducked, but it was too late. She felt Hiraikotsu clip the side of her head, throwing her back. She gasped, her vision going black before slowly returning, faded and blurred.

Sango pushed herself onto her forearms, focusing her eyes on the white blur moving towards her. She had to get Koharu out of there! She had to warn the others! Sango tried to move, but her body was unresponsive and her head _pounded_. The demon girl came to a stop in front of her, and her mirror began to glow. Sango caught her own wide-eyed reflection in the glass, saw the blood dripping down her face, and saw the white light begin to emerge from her body. As what she assumed was her soul began to flow into the mirror, Sango struggled to keep conscious, but it was a quickly losing battle. She could only gasp as her essence left her body and darkness claimed her.

xXx

"We need to lead them away," Miroku said as the villagers continued to rush at them. "If they're after us, then we can at least keep the others safe."

"Kirara, guard the house," Inuyasha ordered as he leapt to Miroku's side. Together, they cleared a path through the sea of bodies, pushing through to the fields beyond. The villagers turned and stumbled after them, still calling for their death and waving their weapons. Satisfied, Inuyasha and Miroku ran down the steep hill between the Headman's house and the rest of the village, hoping that the incline would make it more difficult for the villagers to climb back up to the house. The villagers tumbled down after them, with apparently no concern for self-preservation.

As they spun back around to face the oncoming hoard, they saw Kirara chasing the stragglers over to them and taking up a protective position at the crest of the hill. They kept close to one another, focusing on taking the weapons from the villagers' hands and throwing them as far away as possible. Inuyasha struck more and more with his left hand, his right arm already aching from the little he'd used it. He also relied more on his feet, kicking the villagers in the head or chest.

"Use restraint," Miroku warned, striking out with his staff to bat the people away. "We mustn't harm them."

"I know that!" Inuyasha snapped, but Miroku had to know that if it came down to them or the villagers, Inuyasha wouldn't hesitate to knock any of them out cold to keep Miroku safe. He punched a few more into oblivion, but they kept on rising. "We aren't getting anywhere!"

"You fools are pathetic," a familiar voice called out to them, and they spun around to see Kagura standing on a boulder nearby. "You should have killed them all, so they wouldn't keep coming after you."

Inuyasha growled, stepping in front of Miroku. "Not you again!"

"Then again," Kagura said disinterestedly, examining her fan. "I suppose that if you were capable of slaying them, you would have already done so."

"So you're the one who possessed these people?" Inuyasha accused, eyeing the villagers who had suddenly frozen in place.

"I am," Kagura said easily. "A mortal with no soul is no different than a corpse."

"No soul?" Inuyasha asked warily, his hand snaking towards Tessaiga's hilt.

"Your friend is having the soul sucked out of her even as we speak."

Inuyasha and Miroku exchanged a wild look. Sango must be facing a second demon.

Kagura's fan snapped open. "Inuyasha, unsheathe your Tessaiga," she ordered. "This time, victory shall be mine!"

"Miroku, go help Sango," Inuyasha said quietly.

"What about you?" Miroku asked, eyeing Kagura's fan. Inuyasha couldn't dispel Kagura's wind on his own, and without it being purified with spiritual power, he couldn't use the Wind Scar.

"I'll be fine," Inuyasha growled, pulling out Tessaiga. "Go!"

Kagura smirked and sliced her fan through the air, shouting "Dance of Blades!"

Inuyasha blocked the incoming crescent blades with Tessaiga, covering Miroku's retreat. He was forced back by the powerful attack, but he didn't care if he lost ground. Miroku was running through the villagers, who were beginning to come after him again. Inuyasha swore, unable to move as Kagura's blades continued raining down on him.

Miroku got to the base of the hill and was met with a wall of villagers. He could face them, but it would cost him valuable time. A growl came from above and Kirara threw herself at the possessed bunch, tossing them bodily aside. Miroku ran through the path she had cleared, calling "Thank you!" over his shoulder. He cast a look back to see her clearing the villagers from around Inuyasha, allowing him to focus all his energy on Kagura.

Miroku burst into the house, calling Sango's name as he ran from room to room. Instead, he found Koharu lying face down on the ground. He fell to his knees beside her and lifted her into his arms. "Koharu?"

"Miroku!" she gasped, her eyes snapping open. "I was so scared!"

"You're safe now," he promised, looking around the room. "Have you seen Sango? Come on, we need to find her." He tried to get up but Koharu was clutching at his robes, keeping him down. "Koharu, let me up," he ordered gently. She refused.

Miroku pulled away from her, trying to calm her fear so they could find Sango and the second demon. Instead, he saw Koharu's eyes blazing with anger as she raised the large knife above her head, poised to plunge it into his chest.

* * *

You get this chapter a little early today because I'm really sick and might be going into hospital soon. I'll try to get the next chapter out on Friday, but no guarantees.

Oooh, this episode. While I appreciate that the show confirmed that Miroku did not, in fact, sexually assault an eleven-year-old, the fact that they had to clarify that makes me nervous.

What I do find interesting is Miroku's line about not being able to stay the night with Koharu because he doesn't want to get her pregnant. Skipping past his alarming lack of self-control, it's one of many signs throughout the series that he doesn't actually want to have a kid until after the wind tunnel's gone. I think that's a very understated aspect of the show that isn't adequately explored.

Also, Kirara is such an MVP and she deserves the world


	42. Chapter 42: s2e15

Warnings for this chapter: mind control, emotional manipulation, reflections on a toxic relationship, injury, references to canonical character death

* * *

Miroku shoved Koharu away from himself just as her knife fell. It cut through his robes and grazed a thin line down his chest before he caught her wrist in his hand. He forced the knife away, knocking it from her grip, and struck her hard at the base of her ribcage, knocking her unconscious. He spared a bare moment to make sure she was breathing alright before returning to his search for Sango.

He could sense someone in the next room over, so he grabbed his staff and scrambled to his feet. The instant he opened the door, another knife came flying at his head. He ducked just in time, the blade embedding itself into the wood of the doorframe. Sango lay sprawled in the middle of the room, her arm still outstretched from throwing the weapon. She reached for her sword next, her movements sloppy and uncoordinated. Behind her, what appeared to be a young girl stood and watched them with hollow eyes. Was she the other demon? Miroku leapt back from Sango's next strike, blocking her sword with his staff.

This was bad. Koharu, he could deal with. But Sango? He desperately held her back, the wound at his side sending a jolt of pain lacing up his flank. Sango's eyes showed no spark of recognition, and the entire right side of her face was covered in blood from a deep head wound. But she was strong, and even as she pressed unrelentingly forward with her sword, her right forearm snapped forward, a hidden blade breaking through the fabric of her sleeve. As it swung out on a spring, the blade barely missed his throat.

"Kirara!" Miroku shouted as loudly as he dared. "I need some help!"

He dropped to his knees and swung out with his arm, catching Sango's legs and knocking them out from under her. She rolled away, reaching for Hiraikotsu. Miroku held his staff up defensively and raised a spiritual barrier. Sango swung Hiraikotsu into the barrier, but it was deflected and she stumbled back. The demon girl was still watching them with an expressionless face, and she hadn't yet moved.

A crashing sound came from behind him and then Kirara burst through the wall, growling. She pulled up short when she saw Sango.

"She's possessed!" he told her, and she leapt forward, knocking Sango to the ground and pinning her there. Miroku darted forward and knocked Sango out with a quick punch to the jaw. He hated having to do so, since she already had a head wound, but there was no other way to get at her from her angle on the floor.

Miroku spun around and stared at the demon. He could sense no trace of youki from her, but strange enough, there was also no sign of a soul. Miroku frowned. Even with the possessed villagers, he could still sense their spirit, their life. This girl had nothing. Was she dead? Was Kagura manipulating her corpse as she had with the wolf demons?

The girl raised her mirror, which began to glow. Miroku didn't know what that entailed, but he could guess that it was nothing good. He slapped a sutra on the head of his staff and hurled it at the girl. She didn't move other than to raise her mirror slightly. As Miroku's staff reached her, it struck deep into an incredibly strong barrier, sending sparks flying as spiritual power interacted with whatever kind of energy she was using to hold up the shield. A heartbeat later, and Miroku's staff was being flung back at him. It was only thanks to Kirara ramming into him bodily and throwing them both to the ground that Miroku's head wasn't taken off by the flying point of his staff. He rolled back to his feet. The girl surveyed him coolly, but as Kirara growled at her menacingly, she turned and faded from the air. Judging by Kirara's startled expression, Miroku assumed that she had also lost track of the girl. Was she a phantom? Was she just an illusion?

Miroku returned his attention to Sango, realizing what must have happened. A faint red smudge lay on the outer edge of part of Hiraikotsu, where it must have struck Sango's head after being thrown back at her. Then she must have had her soul stolen, if she was now being possessed by Kagura. Was that what the second demon had done?

Miroku lifted Sango into his arms and carefully draped her over Kirara's back. "We need to get back to Inuyasha," he told her as he fixed the straps of Hiraikotsu around her middle. "Kagura must be planning something. Come on, Koharu's in the next room."

xXx

Inuyasha struck the villagers to the ground one by one, no longer holding back. Kirara had rushed off after Miroku's cry for help, leaving him to face both them and Kagura alone. He needed them out of the fight, and he needed to keep them on the ground to give them at least a chance of avoiding Kagura's attacks. He needed this to be over. He needed Miroku to be back by his side, not facing down the second demon. He needed to know if Sango was alright. He needed Kagura to be gone.

"Dance of Blades!"

Inuyasha swore and leapt out of the way of the white crescent blades flying through the air. They dug deep gouges into the ground as they spun through the air, catching the few villagers who remained upright. Another wave shot after Inuyasha and he flung himself forward, landing on his left hand and pivoting through the air until he was back on his feet and facing Kagura. She smirked at him, amused.

"What's wrong, Inuyasha?" she asked in mock concern. "You do nothing but flee from me! Is it possible that your wounds are bothering you?"

Inuyasha growled, avoiding the temptation to grab his right arm. It had been throbbing constantly since the battle began. He knew that it wouldn't stand up to a serious fight, but maybe he wouldn't need it to. If he could just get in one good swing with Tessaiga, one solid attack against Kagura, then his arm could handle it. But would that happen? He knew that he could summon the Wind Scar and cut through it with ease, but not against Kagura. Last time, he had needed Miroku to purify her power in order to have a shot. This time, he was on his own.

Kagura's fan moved in slow, sweeping arcs through the air, sending twisters full of demonic power springing at him. Inuyasha dodged as best he could, but they reached for him with a dozen blade-like points, crashing into the ground and sending debris flying. He could avoid them, but he had to be careful which way he jumped, or else a stray villager might be swept up into the twisters and ripped apart.

Kagura couldn't help but smile. This hanyou was more intelligent than she'd given him credit for. In their first meeting, she had just assumed that he was a young, hot-headed upstart who tried to solve every problem with his fists. She hadn't been wrong, but there was more to him than that. She had never expected him to try anything as elaborate as the Wind Scar, or to get that conniving monk to find a way to make it work. She had sensed Inuyasha's youki reaching for her, channelled through his sword until the essence of their power had crashed together. It was a strange feeling – an unpleasant feeling – but was easy enough to dispel. If that meddling human hadn't interfered, the Wind Scar would never have formed.

So it was this time. Kagura raised her fan, the wind swirling around her, and Inuyasha drew his sword. She could feel his youki reaching for her, trying to collide so he could strike. She easily twisted it out of the way, blowing the tendrils of their power safely off to the side. Inuyasha's face flashed with pale fury and she laughed.

It wasn't working! Inuyasha ground his teeth. He couldn't get the Wind Scar to form. Kagura had to be manipulating it somehow. She was in full control of the power flowing from herself, and she wasn't letting it anywhere near his. But as he watched, Kagura's lips quirked into a smile and her fan closed, just a little. The swirling mass of her youki condensed and sharpened into a single point. Sparks formed around her in Inuyasha's mind. The Wind Scar! How-? It didn't matter. He didn't know if Kagura was mocking him, or if her control over the wind was somehow weakening, or if she was preparing for another attack, but now was his only chance.

He swung Tessaiga above his head with both hands, lining up the blade to cut straight down the crackling wall of energy. He couldn't afford to miss. There would be no second chance.

Miroku reached the crest of the hill and froze. Inuyasha looked poised to attack, his sword in his hands, facing down Kagura. Was his arm even recovered enough to fight with Tessaiga? He'd been favouring his right side all day. He must be confident of his ability to destroy Kagura if- The Wind Scar! But how-? Kagura wouldn't let him just- Miroku's eyes snapped to Kagura's face, saw the smug look which rested there.

That was exactly what Kagura was doing. She was letting Inuyasha form the Wind Scar for some reason. Why? What could she possibly gain? Last time, she had been blown over by the Tessaiga's attack. But that was last time. Everything fell into place with a sickening thud which hit Miroku like a punch to the gut. The other demon. Inuyasha didn't know about the little girl. He didn't know about the barrier from her mirror! The demon had disappeared – she could be _anywhere! _But Miroku was willing to bet his life that if Inuyasha used the Wind Scar now, it would be flung back at him.

He ran, leaving Kirara behind him with Sango and Koharu.

Inuyasha felt his lips curl into a predatory grin. He could see it!

Kagura smirked. He was falling for it.

Tessaiga swung forward and six lines of golden energy ran along the ground, racing towards Kaura. She spun around with a wave of her fan, twisting so that Kanna could take her place. The girl held up her mirror, casting her barrier around both of them.

Inuyasha could only gasp as he saw the wave of power flying back at him.

Miroku watched with sharp-edged horror as the Wind Scar crashed into Inuyasha, flinging him through the air, slicing through his body as he let out a scream of agony. Miroku forced himself to cover his eyes with his sleeve, avoiding the blinding glare of power even as every piece of him was shouting to get to Inuyasha's side. When the light faded, he saw the hanyou sprawled across the ground, Tessaiga still clasped loosely in his hand, eyes open wide.

Miroku ran for him and draped himself over Inuyasha. Long, deep ravines had been cut into the earth from the lines of the Wind Scar. One of them travelled over Inuyasha's body. Miroku's hands were frantic on his robes, desperate to see how bad it was, if the robes of the Fire Rat had deflected the worst of the blow.

It didn't look like it.

A deep burning line travelled up Inuyasha's right leg, diagonally across his torso and over his left shoulder, still burning in placed with residual power. The fabric was deeply torn and barely clinging together in some places, while deep red stains were already seeping from the flesh underneath. And Inuyasha wasn't moving. Miroku desperately wished for a hanyou's superior hearing as he crouched over him, searching for a heartbeat or a breath, any sign of life. He couldn't find any. His hands were shaking too badly to search out a pulse, and if he was breathing, it was too shallowly for Miroku to detect.

Swirling dark clouds from high in the sky tore his attention away. A purple-black tinge had filled the air, and that could only mean one thing. A twister of miasma slowly reached down from the sheet of poison clouds above them. Miroku clung to Inuyasha as winds buffeted them from side to side. He kept his eyes fixed on the swirling pillar of noxious gas, utterly unsurprised when it touched down behind Kagura and the demon girl and out stepped Naraku. The only part that shocked him was that it appeared to be the demon himself. He could sense Naraku's youki, much stronger than Kagura's even if it felt the same, and he could feel the pull of Jewel shards coming from his body. This was no puppet. That did not bode well for any of them.

Miroku felt his face twist with hatred as he climbed to his feet, placing himself between the three demons and Inuyasha. The winds died down and Naraku's laugh filled the air.

"I cannot believe how simple it was," the demon smirked. "I came so I could ask Inuyasha in person how it felt to have his own power turned against him, but it appears as though I won't get much of a response from him." His eyes narrowed predatorily. "I suppose you will have to do, monk. How does it feel?"

"I am indeed honoured by your presence, Naraku," Miroku fought to keep his voice even. "I rather expected a demon puppet. You must have been quite confident about your plot this time, if you're daring to show your face, you coward."

His hand crept to his mala beads. He didn't care about the miasma or even the Jewel shards at that point. He didn't care that the demon girl's mirror might be able to throw the wind tunnel back at him. If he was to die, then so be it, but he was taking Naraku out with him.

Naraku was smiling. "You are free to draw anything into your void of course," he drawled, glancing meaningfully at the demon girl. "But monk, surely even you could not be that foolish."

At first, Miroku thought he was talking about the barrier. Then he noticed the slight glow coming from the demon girl's mirror. When he cast out his mind, he found the dazzling light of spirits grazing along the edge of his consciousness. The souls! The demon had indeed stolen the souls of Sango, Koharu, and the other villagers, and was keeping them all trapped inside the mirror. If he sucked it into his wind tunnel, then he would be killing them – or worse, condemning them to live as soulless husks forever.

He growled as he wrapped the beads back around his hand.

"You never answered my question, young monk," Naraku smiled. "How does it feel to face your own power?"

Miroku frowned, instinctively taking a step back. What did he mean? Surely he couldn't just be talking about the demon girl's barrier deflecting his staff. What was Naraku playing at?

"And here I thought you were the smart one," Naraku drawled. "Oh, well. When amongst fools…"

"What are you talking about?" Miroku demanded, utterly not in the mood for games.

"My simple plan, of course," Naraku said as though it was obvious. "All I did was create Wind and Void as incarnations of myself, and look at the damage I was able to inflict. How pathetic."

Incarnations? So his suspicions had been true. Kagura and this strange demon girl were created from Naraku. His power must have increased drastically if he was capable of this level of sorcery. Kagura the Wind Sorceress, so that explained her powers, and other one, she was Void? That must be why he couldn't sense anything from her. She had no presence whatsoever! No wonder she could move around undetected. They were powerful adversaries, and to face an opponent that he couldn't sense at all, that strange nothingness-

Oh.

Miroku stumbled back as cold fear strangled his heart. Wind and Void. Naraku wanted to know how it felt to face his own power. Well, it didn't feel good. He could hear Naraku laughing in the distance but it rang hollow in his hears. He had often wondered why Naraku had given his family a weapon that could be used against him. Had it all been leading to this moment? Was he an _experiment?_

Miroku slammed his staff onto the ground, casting the thoughts from his mind. It didn't matter what Naraku had created or what he was trying to taunt him with. He needed to focus on the fight at hand. He and Kirara were the only ones left standing, and she had to protect Sango and Koharu. He had to find some way to free the trapped souls from the demon girl's mirror so that he could suck them all into the wind tunnel – give Naraku a taste of his own power.

"Have we not spoken long enough?" Kagura asked in a bored tone. "Shall we take Inuyasha's head along with us as a trophy?"

Miroku growled and held his staff out defensively. Naraku shot Kagura a quelling look.

"No?" she asked mildly. "Did you not want to tell that woman that Inuyasha had been slain? I was under the impression that this was what you desired."

"True enough," Naraku smirked, and his eyes snapped back to meet Miroku's. "It was only through her cooperation that I was able to create you and Kanna." He reached into his robes, pulling out something clenched in his closed fist. "I'd like to see the look on her face when I show her Inuyasha's head."

He opened his hand to reveal a glowing pink orb resting on his upturned palm. The undeniable pull of power left no doubts in Miroku's mind as to what it could be, but he still couldn't believe his eyes. The Jewel was almost whole, with only a tiny sliver missing. How could that be? Surely Naraku couldn't have collected so much of the Jewel. He still had two shards, there were two more in Kouga's legs, and Kikyo's-

No. The shard that Kikyo took from him had been much bigger than the amount missing from this Jewel. But that couldn't mean-

"You seem to think me impossible of dirtying my own hands," Naraku was saying. "But even the mightiest are inferior to someone. There is a woman who attempted to use me to murder Inuyasha for her."

Miroku shook his head. I couldn't be.

"She is some piece of work, that Kikyo," Naraku said almost wistfully.

Inuyasha's eyes opened slowly, the words piercing the stick pain-filled fog swirling in his mind. Kikyo? Naraku was talking about Kikyo? Naraku was here?

Naraku's smug expression grew more pronounced. "Kikyo personally handed me a substantial portion of the Shikon Jewel. Of her own free will, I might add."

Inuyasha tried to lift his head and clenched his eyes shut as pain shot through him. Kikyo! He managed to roll his head forward enough to see Naraku, to see Miroku's pale face glancing over his shoulder at him, his mouth pressed into a thin line.

Kagura raised her fan. "She wishes to gaze upon your face, after you're good and dead!"

She sliced her fan through the air, sending a wave of her Blades flying at them. Miroku swore and stepped closer to Inuyasha – he couldn't let any of them hit him! He struck several of the blades from the air with his staff, dispelling them with spiritual power or simply deflecting them, but there were so many! He was forced to scramble back, but it wasn't enough. A blade struck his staff with enough force to knock it from his hand, and another caught him straight in the stomach, throwing him through the air. He gasped in pain but no air entered his lungs. His body was instinctively curling in on itself, but it wasn't over yet. Kagura raised her fan again, preparing for a second attack.

Miroku grabbed his staff, rolled gracelessly onto his hands and knees and leaned hard against it, pulling a barrier from somewhere deep within himself. It sprang to life between him and Kagura just as the next wave of Blades reached him. He curled into a ball, presenting a smaller target, Inuyasha safely behind him. He desperately tried to mentally hold up the walls of the barrier, but black dots were dancing in front of his vision and he still couldn't breathe. The blades were slamming against his mind, tearing through his spiritual power.

"Give me your head," Kagura snarled, snapping forward a third wave. Miroku shut his eyes tightly and braced himself. He knew that the barrier wouldn't last much longer, and with Inuyasha still in the line of attack, he couldn't move. Patches were already breaking open along the barrier.

A loud growl came from behind him and then Kirara was darting past, knocking the blades from the air with her paws. Blood sprayed out from where she hit them, but she kept on regardless.

"And now we have to deal with this one," Kagura drawled. "This is becoming tiresome."

As his barrier dissolved completely, Miroku realized that the demon girl – Kanna, Naraku had said – was watching him. As Kagura's final attack faded away, Kanna stepped forward, holding her mirror out in front of herself.

"Kirara, get out of here!" Miroku shouted, and she instantly took off, unquestioningly.

"Oh, this isn't for her," Naraku smiled.

"I desire your Sacred Jewel shards," Kanna said in a soft, emotionless voice as her mirror began to glow.

Miroku gasped as pain flared along his body, a white light emanating from his body. Not again! In an almost familiar feeling, he clamped down hard on his soul, refusing to let it be taken from him. His vision was slowly turning grey, blurred and darkening. Everything seemed to be slipping from his grasp – consciousness, his soul, the blood leaking steadily from the wound on his abdomen.

"How is he able to resist?" Kanna wondered aloud.

Kirara landed next to him, her eyes asking what to do. Miroku threw his hand out to the side, gesturing vaguely to where his staff was lying. She darted over to it and picked it up in her mouth before jumping back to his side. Without the energy or breath to spare on muttering thanks, he wrapped another sutra around the head of his staff and reached deep into himself for spiritual power. It would be an exaggeration to call it a barrier, what shimmered in the air, but it was enough to briefly cut off the pull from Kanna's mirror. It wasn't even a temporary solution – it dissipated as soon as it emerged.

A growl sounded from behind him once again, but this time it wasn't Kirara. Inuyasha was slowly pushing himself upright, first onto his elbows, then onto his hands and knees. He snarled ferociously at Naraku, dragging Tessaiga up off the ground.

"Inuyasha," Naraku greeted coldly. "You have excellent timing. I wanted to give you a message – if you must hate, then hate Kikyo. I may wish you dead, but for her, it is the only thing she desires."

Inuyasha snarled again, pushing to his feet, leaning heavily on Tessaiga as though it were a cane. He only managed to stay upright for a moment before sinking to his knees. Miroku closed his eyes for a brief moment. Inuyasha could barely move. Sango was unconscious. Kirara was standing in front of him protectively, but she couldn't stand alone against Naraku for long. There was only one thing he could do.

"Kirara," he gasped out. "Distract them."

She leapt forward, right at Naraku. He let out a startled cry and stepped back, obviously not having foreseen such a direct and hopeless attack. Kirara was smart – she didn't bother biting him, knowing that miasma would burst from his body, but simply knocked him to the ground. When Kagura raised her fan, she gave her the same treatment. They were only down for a moment, but then Miroku was running, swinging his staff. The sutra on the head was glowing brightly, where he directed every last drop of his spiritual power, his energy, and most of his soul. The staff cut cleanly through the barrier surrounding Kanna and smashed into her mirror.

Kanna stumbled back. Miroku almost fell, utterly spent, but then Kirara was diving at him, barrelling under his body so all he had to do was grab a handful of fur and hang on. She landed back in front of Inuyasha and they turned to see what was happening. Naraku and Kagura were back on their feet, and Kanna was watching her mirror with a bare flicker of interest on her face. The glass was vibrating at a high frequency and the whole thing was glowing brightly. As they watched, a tiny, almost imperceptible crack formed at the edge of the mirror. The glass turned stark white, Kanna held it out, and souls began shooting into the air.

Miroku tapped Kirara's shoulder to let her know that he needed help to stand up. Once up on his feet, he made his way in front of her, watching the last of the souls jump from the mirror into the villagers and absorb back into their bodies. He pulled the mala beads from his hand and braced himself against Kirara at his back. He could barely keep his feet, but he only needed to hold out long enough to pull them in. Instead, Kagura sliced her fan through the air, sending a pulse of energy into the earth and shattering the ground. Huge chunks of rocks and dirt rose into the air and were sucked into the void. Miroku could only watch as Naraku, Kagura, and Kanna turned and walked away, disappearing in a puff of miasma.

He fell to his knees as soon as he closed the wind tunnel. He curled into himself, the pain in his arm joining that of the rest of his body. He glanced warily to the left, where he could feel eyes on him. Sango and Koharu were lying where Kirara had dumped them. Sango was still unconscious. Koharu was staring at him with horror in her eyes.

He could feel Kirara at his side, nudging him gently with her nose. He placed a reassuring hand on the side of her head and tried to remember how to breathe. With her help, he made it over to where Inuyasha was lying. The hanyou was utterly still, the ground around him stained red. Miroku sank to his knees next to him. Amber eyes flickered open.

"Hey," Miroku said softly, his hands hovering over the deep wounds down his body before settling on his uninjured shoulder. "Just hold on a while longer. We're going to get you to a safe place."

Inuyasha's eyes slipped shut, but the hand closest to Miroku weakly grasped his robes. Miroku carefully helped to lift him onto Kirara's back. Around them, villagers were slowly rising to their feet, rubbing their heads and looking confused. None of them seemed to remember anything. Koharu was also standing, helping Sango to get up, but the slayer looked bad. Half her face was still covered in blood, there was a faint bruise forming along her jaw where Miroku struck her, and she was having immense difficulty keeping her balance. Kirara quickly walked over to her, Miroku trailing not far behind.

"What happen'?" she mumbled, leaning heavily against Kirara and winding her fingers into the fur at the scruff of her neck.

"You were possessed by another of Naraku's incarnations," Miroku explained quietly. "That demon you saw took your soul so Kagura could control you."

"Kagura's here?" she slurred, her eyes closed as she breathed carefully through her mouth.

"Gone – escaped. Inuyasha's seriously injured. We need to get back to the Headman's house. You're going to ride on Kirara, alright?"

Sango eyed him dubiously through her wince. "You?"

"I'm fine," he assured her, even though he felt anything but. "Come on."

Kirara looked just as unconvinced as they started making their way back up the hill, but with both Inuyasha and Sango completely draped over her, there was simply no more room. He braced himself against her flank, progress painfully slow, until Koharu came up on his other side and hoisted his arm over her shoulders.

"Koharu…" he started, but she firmly shook her head.

"You and your friends are badly hurt. You need to get to the Headman's house as soon as possible."

Her expression was closed off, nothing like the bright enthusiasm of before, but he supposed that was to be expected. With her help, they made it back up the hill, to where the Headman and his wife were emerging. They both rushed to the group as soon as they saw them, eager to help.

"There was a demon attack," Koharu answered their worried questions. "We were all possessed. These people saved us."

The Headman immediately waved over some of the nearby villagers, telling them sternly that Miroku and the others had just saved all of their lives. Some of them stayed to help bring them into the house, while others were sent off for water, food, and clean bandages.

"Do you have a physician?" Miroku asked as the Headman personally helped him inside.

"Something close to one," the Headman promised.

They were all set gently on the floor and Miroku glanced between his companions, trying to discern where to start. Other than a few slices to her paws, Kirara was fine. Sango's head wound had almost stopped bleeding, and there was not much else he could do for her other than pass her a blanket. Inuyasha was curled up on his side, so Miroku knelt next to him and slowly encouraged him to open up and lay on his back. His eyes didn't open but one ear flicked and he took in a deep, shuddering breath. Miroku slowly peeled his robes away from the wound, the fabric almost torn open anyway. It was heavy with blood.

A bowl of water and a cotton cloth had appeared beside him, so Miroku began gently sponging away the blood from around the wounds, trying to discern how bad it was – because right now, it looked _really _bad. A long line travelled from Inuyasha's right thigh to left shoulder, incredibly deep in some places. The mark from Kouga's attack was still obvious under his ribcage, a shiny pink and puckered scar. Oddly, Miroku found it reassuring. That wound would have been more than enough to kill a human, and yet here Inuyasha was barely nine days later, already almost completely healed.

Someone handed him a jug of sake, and Miroku carefully cleansed the wound. Then there was a man by his side, holding a basket full of bandages, herbs, and a small bag with needles and silk thread. It took a moment for Miroku to register that this must be the physician. The man was saying something, he thought, but the words were strangely distorted. He blinked, trying to focus.

"Are you alright, son?" the man asked, placing a heavy hand on his shoulder as the world snapped back into place.

"Mm," Miroku mumbled intelligently. "Can you help him?"

The man followed his gaze to Inuyasha. "He's a demon, isn't he? Don't they heal on their own?"

"Not without help."

The physician nodded and readied a needle. However, the moment he knelt beside Inuyasha, the hanyou's eyes snapped open and he growled ferociously. Miroku leaned over him, running a hand through his hair reassuringly.

"He's just trying to help," he promised. "I'm here. You're safe."

Inuyasha blinked at him slowly before his eyes drifted shut once more, his head falling heavily against Miroku's hand. He stayed there while the physician stitched the wound. When they had to bandage him, Miroku knelt at Inuyasha's back, cradling the hanyou's head against his shoulder while a couple villagers helped to hold his limp form in a seated position. When that was done, and the physician turned his attention onto Sango, Miroku settled Inuyasha's head in his lap and wove his fingers through his hair.

"This is a serious head wound," the physician was saying to her. "You mustn't sleep for the next little while, else you may never awaken. Keep lying down and try to drink plenty of water."

He stitched and wrapped Sango's head and gave her a medicinal tea to take away the pain. As she lay down, Kirara curled up around her, the physician turned back to Miroku. Miroku met him with a look of surprise – he thought Inuyasha was done.

"Your turn," the physician told him gently, and Miroku blinked in confusion. He followed the man's gaze to the front of his robes, which were stained dark red. Ah, right. But Inuyasha… His fingers tightened in the hanyou's hair. He didn't want to let go. The man was kneeling in front of him, insistently pulling him forward, and a small whimper escaped from his throat.

"I promise you can stay right here," the physician said. "But you need to be treated as well, right?"

That did make sense, in the confused jumble that was Miroku's mind. He nodded weakly and gently set Inuyasha's head on a folded up blanket. He opened his robes, surprised to see the damage done. The wound in his belly was deep, slicing past flesh and into what lay beneath. He supposed he didn't have the robes of the Fire Rat, and his fragile human skin had been no match for Kagura's blades. The physician carefully stitched him up, put an herbal poultice overtop, and wound bandages tightly around his abdomen, intent on keeping his insides in. He deemed the thin line down his chest from Koharu's knife to be shallow enough to only need bandages, not stitches.

"There seems to be something else going on," the man said, eyeing him thoughtfully. "Have you used an excess of spiritual power?"

Miroku nodded faintly. "S'not a problem. I've done it before."

"From what I understand, it can be incredibly draining," warned the physician. "Be sure to be careful with yourself for the next few weeks, at least."

Miroku would have pointed out what he did for a living, but it seemed like too much effort. He simply nodded and shrugged his bloodied robes back on. He blinked heavily, whatever the physician was saying next blurring into one long, low sound. Hands were on his shoulder, guiding him down. He was lying on a futon, which was surprising, since there hadn't been one there before. He cracked his eyes open and saw Koharu draping a blanket over his shoulders. He blinked again and Kirara was staring at him, dipping her head meaningfully at him, telling him that she would keep watch. Finally able to let go, Miroku drifted off into sleep.

xXx

The pain woke Inuyasha. It wasn't a new pain – he could vaguely remember feeling it before – but it was fuzzy and hard to pinpoint. It seemed to be everywhere. He cracked his eyes open and immediately wished he hadn't. White hot agony shot through his head and he immediately shut his eyes, curling tighter into himself. He took a deep breath, taking stock of his body. It was easier to pinpoint the absence of pain, so he was pretty sure that his left leg was okay. Everything else was questionable. He felt as though he'd been kicked all over, and briefly wondered if he'd been beaten while he was unconscious. Something told him that wasn't quite right. Miroku wouldn't have let that happen.

It was thoughts of Miroku that finally made him open his eyes again. He looked around the room as information slowly leaked into his brain. Sango lay on Kirara, head bandaged, eyes screwed shut, face contorted in pain. Her heartbeat told him that she wasn't asleep. Kirara was blinking at him, watching him carefully. They were in a nice room, the light outside indicating that it was late afternoon. Miroku's scent still lingered nearby, but he was nowhere to be seen.

"Miroku?" Inuyasha asked Kirara, and she pointed outside with her nose.

Inuyasha closed his eyes and swivelled his ears. He could pick up several human heartbeats, but he didn't know which one was Miroku's, and it was hard to pinpoint his smell. Inuyasha was running on base instincts, and they were telling him that he needed Miroku nearby. But when he so much as lifted his head, pain shot through his entire body. He dropped his head back onto the floor with a small noise of discomfort. He must have faded in and out of consciousness, because he only noticed the footsteps when they stopped right beside him.

"You're awake?" a soft voice asked gently, and that was certainly enough to prod Inuyasha into action. He reached out to snag Miroku's robes by feel alone and pulled him closer, as though Miroku hadn't already been coming to kneel down beside him.

"How are you feeling?" Miroku asked sympathetically, brushing the hair from Inuyasha's eyes with careful fingers.

Inuyasha let out a low whine and tugged him closer.

"I'm here," Miroku promised. "I just need to get these herbs to Sango and then I'll be right back."

Inuyasha cracked one eye open and saw the bundle of plants resting in Miroku's lap. Under their bitter scent, he could smell the pain and exhaustion absolutely dripping from the monk. His movements were stiff and there were dark, bruise-shaped circles under his eyes. His fingers trembled where they rested on Inuyasha's brow.

"You're hurt," Inuyasha murmured. "You should be resting."

"I will be," Miroku said. "The physician has been busy treating the villagers. Some of them were injured in Kagura's attacks. He didn't have time to get what we needed, so I had to."

Inuyasha frowned. Everything that had happened the night before – at least he assumed it had only been last night – was still fuzzy and hard to grasp. He remembered lying on the ground, consciousness fading away, struggling to stay awake because Miroku was there and fighting and in danger. He remembered the small gasp that came from the monk when Kagura's blade struck him. The pain that radiated from him when that demon girl had been taking his soul. Inuyasha had been trying so hard to help – to do _anything _– but his body hadn't responded. He'd been weak, and Miroku had gotten hurt because of it. The least he could do now was make sure that Miroku got the care he needed, got a chance to heal, but now the monk was pushing himself to take care of him and Sango.

"Yash, let go," Miroku told him quietly. "I swear, I'll be right back."

Inuyasha wanted nothing more than to use the little strength he had left to pull Miroku to him and never let go. But he could smell Sango's pain from across the room, her nausea and dizziness, and Kirara's distress. Reluctantly, he released his grip on Miroku's sleeve and closed his eyes. He followed the monk's progress around the room, brewing tea from the herbs, mashing others into a poultice, helping Sango to sit up slightly so she could drink. He heard him murmuring to Kirara about how these other herbs would help her paws, heard Kirara's appreciative grumble in return. When Miroku sank down to his knees beside him again, Inuyasha had no energy left to waste on words or thoughts. He simply dragged the monk down by his arm and pulled him close.

Miroku obediently lay down, maneuvering Inuyasha's head onto his chest. The hanyou turned over, careless of his wounds, and draped himself over Miroku like a blanket. Miroku closed his eyes and wound his fingers into Inuyasha's hair. It was clear that he wasn't going to be let up anytime soon. Inuyasha's fists were clutching handfuls of his robes and refusing to let go. And in truth, he longed for the escape of sleep. He let himself relax, and it didn't take long for him to drift away.

xXx

"Are you sure you don't want any food?" Koharu asked for the third time.

"We're fine, but thank you," Miroku said reassuringly.

Inuyasha was still asleep, out cold from the sleeping draught Miroku had convinced him to drink earlier that morning. Sango was awake, having dozed throughout the night, but she still couldn't open her eyes and Miroku strongly suspected that even the mention of food would have her throwing up again. The physician said it was normal to expect as much from a head wound, but it still killed Miroku inside to see the slayer in such a state. As for himself, the thought of food made him ill. He slept as long as he could, and when that didn't work, he busied himself collecting herbs or helping the physician however he could.

Koharu had explained to the Headman what had happened, with only a little vague input from Miroku, and the man had promised them a place to sleep, physician's care, and food for as long as they needed it. He had spread the word around the village that their odd group had saved everyone, and was insistent that they be treated as their most honoured guests. Miroku wished that they could enjoy it more. Kirara had been the only one to take advantage of the fine meals being offered by the villagers, and they wouldn't be able to stay for much longer. Naraku knew where they were. They needed to leave.

Miroku glanced up to see Sango watching him. She was still resting against Kirara's side, wrapped in blankets. Miroku wiped any trace of emotion other than concern for his face as he walked over to her.

"How are you feeling?" he asked softly.

Sango shot him a glare and a raised eyebrow.

"Alright, that's fair," he smiled. "Do you want another draught? It will help you sleep."

She narrowed her eyes at him, calculating. "We can't stay here," she murmured.

"I know. We'll leave soon – tonight, if you're up for it."

She made a vague noise of acknowledgement and screwed her eyes shut.

"I'll get you that tea," he said, rising to do so.

"Naraku has gotten stronger," she whispered. "He's practically invincible now."

Miroku paused, a slight grimace flashing across his face before it cleared. "That may be true, but what does it say about us that we've survived every battle with him thus far?"

He helped her tilt her head up to drink and passed her a cloth to drape over her eyes and block out the light. He waited until she was asleep – it didn't take long – before he pushed to his feet. He whispered to Kirara that he would be outside and she nodded. With one final look at Inuyasha, he slipped out the door. He made his way to the small cluster of trees in the Headman's garden. It was closer than he would have preferred, but he knew that Kirara wanted him to stay within earshot. He sat down against the trunk of the largest tree, needing to have something covering his back. Miroku closed his eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath. Then, slowly, carefully, he let all the emotions of the past three days roll over him.

The first was fear, for Inuyasha and Sango and Kirara. There had been plenty of chances for those he loved to die. But they had not. There was no use fretting over what had not come to pass. He took his fear, acknowledged it, and let it fall away. Helplessness was the next to rise, the frustrated helplessness he felt as his friends were in pain with little he could do to help. This one was harder to process.

Sango would be fine, he knew, but it tore him apart to see her so taken by this head wound that she couldn't even sit up. And Inuyasha, well, a wound like that shouldn't be as serious as it was. The Wind Scar had bit deep into his flesh, but it was nothing compared to when Sesshomaru punched a hole through him or even Kouga's last strike. There was something more to it than that. The Wind Scar attacked through his youki, so maybe that was what had been damaged. Inuyasha was frail and weakened and unable to move properly even after more than a day because his very soul had been torn to shreds. Miroku didn't know what to do about that, other than to watch him closely and make sure that he recovered. He was doing what he could, what he needed to do.

Next was anger. He didn't like it, he didn't want it there, but it persisted nonetheless. Kikyo had given Naraku the Jewel shards so that he would kill Inuyasha. He knew that the outcome didn't make much difference – Kikyo had wanted Inuyasha dead as long as Miroku had known her, Naraku had always been collecting his own Jewel shards and was trying to kill Inuyasha of his own accord, and his attempt hadn't succeeded. He would have found a way to get Kikyo's Jewel shards eventually, it had only been a matter of time. But Miroku was still angry. How dare she give Naraku the shards? _Knowing _what he had done to her, _knowing _that it would make him an impossible opponent to defeat, she had still handed them over of her own free will. And for what? So that Naraku would kill Inuyasha so she didn't have to? So that she and Inuyasha could be together in the afterlife or whatever it was she had planned?

Miroku took a deep breath and cleared his mind. He could not control Kikyo's actions. He could not understand her reasoning. He had to deal with the consequences of what she had done, but it hadn't changed the course that he was already taking. They would have to watch out for her in the future, but what was done, was done. The past was out of his control.

Of course, the next thing he felt was an overwhelmed panic at the prospect of facing Naraku. How on earth were they supposed to fight him? He had almost the entire power of the Jewel at his disposal. He could create offshoots of himself which posed almost as much danger as himself. He was somehow tracking their every action, always meeting them on his terms and playing with them as much as anything. Miroku had no doubt that if Naraku put his mind to having them dead – no tricks, no plots, no elaborate schemes – then they would be dead. They were being kept alive out of sheer luck and bare escapes and the amusement they provided him. Sango had said that they needed to be smart, but it was more than that. They needed to be stronger, faster, and better than ever before. They needed to seize their chances where they could.

The last thing on his mind was the small shard of horror which lodged in his mind at Naraku's reveal. Wind and Void. Miroku stared at his upturned palm, brushing his fingers over the mala beads and the cloth which rested there. It shouldn't make any difference. Kagura and Kanna were opponents to face, adversaries sent to them by Naraku. It shouldn't matter that they were created in reference to the wind tunnel. It shouldn't be important, and yet it mattered to Miroku. It mattered that Naraku was mocking him, was basing his soldiers on the very thing that he had sent to kill Miroku two generations ago. In the grand scheme of things, it didn't make any difference. But it hurt.

Miroku tugged the cloth cover from his hand, carful to keep the beads still in place. The gaping hole in his palm stared back at him. He remembered the first time he saw it, the little pinprick which barely drew in enough air to make the leaves rustle. It had spread quickly at first, stretching to the size of a coin by the first night. It had grown as he had, faster even. Now it covered more than half his entire palm. He wondered how much more it would stretch before it snapped. Before it burst. Before it drew him in and ended the curse forever.

Miroku shook his head and rose to his feet, tucking the cloth back into place. He couldn't control when the wind tunnel would take him. He knew that every time he opened the void, he risked widening it, tearing it, or breaking it altogether. It wouldn't stop him. He had been so frightened of it as a child, never opening it once until the day that he was forced to. He became reckless with it as a youth, opening it for whatever purpose suited him. He got better as he got older, as he learned to take care of himself and to give himself as much of a future as he could. And now, he had no choice. If his companions were in danger, if there was even a chance of him killing Naraku with the wind tunnel, then he would use it without hesitation. As in everything in life, there was a balance, but it had shifted. He still had to preserve himself as long as possible, but he couldn't afford to miss an opportunity. Naraku was within his grasp, for better or worse, and Miroku would not let his chance escape. He would be the one to end his family's curse, even if it killed him.

xXx

Inuyasha watched a fly crawling along the ceiling with more interest than it deserved. Miroku was just outside, letting the Headman know that they would be leaving that night for a safe place. Kirara had scouted the area and found an old abandoned storehouse deep in the forest. The Headman was busy insisting that they send her over there once more with enough food and supplies to last them for another few days.

Inuyasha let their voices wash over him, but no longer tried to make sense of the words. Piece by piece, he remembered everything that had happened during the attack. Everything. And it left him hollow and gutted. Kikyo handed over the Sacred Jewel shard to Naraku. The shard she had stolen from Miroku, after she tried to kill him. After Naraku had abducted her. After she already knew that he had killed her. His Kikyo. What could she be thinking? What could she possibly be planning that would involve such a big risk? Or was it even a risk?

It was possible that Naraku hadn't lied. That she had purposefully given him the Shikon Jewel – the very thing she had spent her life protecting – so that the demon would kill him for her. Her parting words the last time he had seen her had been that she was waiting for him, so that they could be dead together. Inuyasha squeezed his eyes shut. He loved Kikyo. He loved her so much that it hurt. But he knew it couldn't be. She was dead. She had changed. And what they had, this twisted thing between them was ugly and it was dangerous. He couldn't change how he felt about her, but he needed to let her go.

xXx

They left for the storehouse under the cover of darkness. Sango lay over Kirara's neck and head, her hands wound into her fur so that she wouldn't fall off if another wave of dizziness struck. Inuyasha was behind her, leaning forward onto her back, both to pin her in place and because he still couldn't properly move. Miroku was preparing to sit behind them, Hiraikotsu strapped to his back. Koharu, the Headman and his wife, and the physician were all seeing them off. Sango's furoshiki carrying cloth was full of herbs, the suitou canteen inside filled with a powerful sleeping drought. Kirara had already flown a basket full of food and blankets and bandages to the storehouse for them. The Headman was still trying to convince them to take more, or at least some coin, but Miroku refused. He was already indebted to them for taking in Koharu, and though he couldn't tell them, the attack on the village had been entirely his fault. He couldn't take their money.

"Will you come back to visit?" Koharu said tentatively, her eyes cautious.

Miroku sighed softly. "You saw the demons that pursue us, Koharu. I cannot risk them coming after you ever again." He pulled a piece of paper from his robes and pressed it into her hand. "This charm will keep you safe and bring you luck. Think of me when you look at it, but do no more. Our paths may be destined to cross again someday, but that is all. Your fate is here. Mine is not."

"And what of your fate?" she asked softly. "Will you continue to fight that demon?"

"You cannot run from your fate, but you can rise to embrace it," he smiled sadly. "Don't worry about me, Koharu. Take care of yourself and live well."

He was surprised when she pulled him into a fierce hug. She had tears in her eyes as he climbed onto Kirara's back, as he waved farewell to her and the other villagers. He didn't expect that they would ever come back here again. Maybe one day, if he defeated Naraku, he would stop by. He would find her in her house with her husband and children. He would see that she was happy. And he would leave.

xXx

Inuyasha followed Miroku with his eyes and ears as the monk settled everything around the storehouse. Sango was curled up across the room, sleeping deeply from the herbs Miroku had given her. Kirara was asleep as well, exhausted from having watched over them all for so long. Miroku should be sleeping as well, the exhaustion still deeply present in his scent, but he seemed unable to settle down. Inuyasha could smell the pain, fear, sadness, and a collection of other nasty emotions clinging to him. He watched as the monk struggled to lift the basket of food, as he gasped softly and wound his arm around his stomach, closing his eyes against the pain.

"You need to stop," Inuyasha told him firmly but quietly. "You've done everything you can, and now you're just hurting yourself."

Miroku looked at him a little sadly, but past the mask he struggled to maintain, Inuyasha could see emotion swirling in his eyes. He ground his teeth and pushed himself up onto his knees, ignoring the slight noise of protest that came from the monk.

"Come here," he ordered, reaching out with one hand, no room for argument in his voice.

He came. Inuyasha carefully wound his arms around Miroku, gently pulling him close and burying his face in the hollow of his neck. Miroku clutched his robes, one hand rising to cradle the back of Inuyasha's head, holding him closer. Inuyasha closed his eyes and breathed in the monk's scent, the pain and anguish still present there. But past that, Miroku still smelled like home. When he saw Kagura's blades strike him, smelled his pain, everything else had fallen away. This whole thing with Koharu had reminded him of Miroku's past, of everything he still had going on, but it hadn't changed how he felt. Carefully, he pulled back, meeting the violet eyes.

"I asked for us to try," he murmured. "And a lot has happened since then."

Miroku's eyes were cautious, guarded. "It has."

"I want to be with you, Miroku, but I don't know if that can happen. You want children, and I can't give you that, but I also don't think I can share you with someone else."

"Is that what this is about?" Miroku asked in surprise. "Yash, if I'm with you, then I'm with you and no one else. I know it may not seem it, but I can stay loyal."

"That's not what I meant," Inuyasha shook his head. "You want an heir to defeat Naraku."

Miroku's expression darkened and something ugly and painful flashed across his face. "No."

Inuyasha frowned, gripping Miroku's arms tightly. "What? What's wrong?"

Miroku looked away, blinking rapidly. "I…" he started, and grimaced. "I don't want a child. Not now. Not like this."

"But the women you always ask…"

"It's what I was raised to do. I was always told to find Naraku and produce an heir to carry on in my place if I should fail. My father and grandfather may have been convinced that it was the right thing to do, but I was not. To me, the idea of leaving behind a child to bear my curse was simply wrong." He sighed, ran a hand down his face. "Ever since we started taking care of Shippo, the idea has become abhorrent to me. I don't understand how a parent could wish for such a life for their children."

"But the women," Inuyasha said in confusion. "Did you never actually…?"

"Oh, I've slept with them," Miroku chuckled darkly. "But never in a way that could produce a child."

Inuyasha frowned again. "What do you mean?"

Miroku blinked at him, his expression freezing. "You… You know. I never…" He gestured vaguely. "Inuyasha, you do understand how babies are made, don't you?"

Inuyasha flushed bright crimson and his ears flattened. "I'm not a fucking child, Miroku!"

"Alright," Miroku said, placating. "So which part is confusing?"

"How do you avoid having a child? Isn't there always a risk?"

"Not if you do it correctly," Miroku shrugged. "There are other ways to share pleasure besides that particular way of doing things. The hand, or the mouth, for instance. Or, of course, sleeping with other men."

Inuyasha was utterly overwhelmed as his mind tried to catch up with this information. He cleared his throat loudly, steering his thoughts into safer, less revealing territory. "Okay, so you've been careful to avoid having a kid. Why bother asking, then?"

Miroku shrugged. "Habit, maybe. Besides, before I began travelling with you, I still thought it might be a possibility. I don't want to burden a child with the wind tunnel, but I had no idea if anyone other than myself was trying to destroy Naraku, and I needed someone else to continue on if I died. I never made up my mind for sure."

"But you have now?"

"I have," Miroku sighed. "And not just about children, mind you. Yash, if we're together, then I will only be with you."

Inuyasha smiled, tugging him into a strong embrace. "I would like that very much." He frowned, words from earlier flashing in his mind. He pulled away again, holding Miroku's shoulders with a firm grip. "Now that that's settled, what the hell was that with Koharu?"

Miroku's face paled. "Which part? I thought it was pretty obvious what happened."

Inuyasha shook his head. "Not your history with her or anything. When you were talking with her, you told her that you were fated to die from the wind tunnel. That's _not_ going to happen. I'm not going to _let_ it happen!"

Miroku shied away from him, curling into himself. "You don't know that. You can't."

"We're going to defeat Naraku!" Inuyasha said firmly. "I don't care how long it takes – we're going to kill that bastard. And if we can't kill him, we'll think of something else!"

"Yash," Miroku sighed. "I may not have very long left."

"Of course you do!" Inuyasha said dismissively. "Mushin said your father and grandfather both had the wind tunnel for twenty years."

"Mm."

"So you've only had it for ten." Inuyasha froze, his own words catching up to him now that he'd said them aloud. He turned his gaze back to Miroku in horror. "You've had it for ten years."

"Yes," Miroku said, and he'd never sounded so tired. "It appeared the same day my father died."

It was Inuyasha's turn to shrink back. "When you were eight years old? That's awful!"

Miroku shrugged and looked away. "I suppose so."

"Did your father also get it at such a young age?"

"No. My grandfather was in his thirties when he encountered Naraku, and he died in his fifties. My father was in his early twenties at that point."

Inuyasha reached out and closed his hand around Miroku's, the one covered with cloth. "I'm sorry," he whispered, blinking rapidly. "But still, ten years. You have another ten to go. We have ten years to defeat Naraku."

Miroku shook his head sadly. "My father and grandfather never used the wind tunnel the same way I do. They rarely opened it, if ever. I have been using it for years – and there was the nick from the mantis demon. Besides, I wouldn't be surprise if the curse got stronger with each generation. I can't say how long I have, but I wouldn't be surprised if it was only a few more years at most."

Inuyasha frowned, his similar conversation with Mushin a few months ago ringing in his mind. The severity of Miroku's situation loomed before him, the enormity of their task finally hitting home. It wasn't just that they had to kill Naraku – that much was obvious – it was that they needed to kill him _now_. They had been after him for _months_ and had nothing to show for it. Miroku had been looking for him for _years_. Inuyasha's breath caught in his throat and his heart pounded. His hands grasped Miroku's shoulders hard enough to bruise. Miroku was watching him carefully, his expression soft, his eyes calm.

"How do you do it?" Inuyasha breathed. "How do you live with it?"

Miroku shrugged gently. "I have to."

Inuyasha didn't so much pull him in as throw himself at the monk, wrapping around him like an octopus. Miroku chuckled lightly and held him back. His hand came up and began slowly stroking Inuyasha's hair in calm, soothing movements. Inuyasha couldn't help but think how wrong that was – he was supposed to be comforting Miroku, not the other way around – but it didn't stop him from sinking into the touch.

"Enough about me," Miroku murmured. "How are you doing?"

Inuyasha huffed wryly. "Which part?"

"Kikyo."

Inuyasha froze, his hands curling deeper into Miroku's robes. "Naraku was lying. He had to be. I can't believe that she would…" he trailed off, staring at the ground.

"It would explain how Naraku is now able to make incarnations," Miroku said reluctantly.

"I know," Inuyasha sighed, sitting back on his heels. "She said before that she wanted me dead."

"Maybe Naraku is lying," Miroku offered. "Maybe he took them from her."

"Maybe," Inuyasha agreed half-heartedly. "I can't tell what she might do anymore. She's not the woman I fell in love with."

Miroku pressed his lips together, his heart aching. "No?" he asked softly.

Inuyasha shook his head. "The woman I knew would never try to kill me, or you, or try to steal your soul, or any of the things she's done. I will always care about her, but I know that she's no longer a part of this world."

"I'm sorry," Miroku whispered.

"Don't be," Inuyasha muttered, reaching out to catch Miroku's hand again. "Look, I can't promise I won't still run after her whenever she turns up, but like you said, I'm only with you."

Miroku's brow furrowed, and he looked so sad. "I'm not going to ask you to give up on her just so we can be together."

"You're not," Inuyasha told him firmly. "I'm deciding. And it's not just so we can be together – there's nothing left for her and me. You know that much. And even if there was a chance for me and Kikyo, I wouldn't take it. Not now, anyway. I have you. _You're _more important to me." His fingers gently stroked down Miroku's cheek, and their eyes held. "You're all I need."

* * *

I feel as though it's my duty as the author of this fic to either take a happy chapter and inject some angst, or take an angsty chapter and shove in some gosh darn fluff or comfort. It sometimes feels like trying to cram something into a bag that's already full, but I ain't giving up.

And just to clarify, I'm not bashing polyamory here. If everyone involved is happy and onboard, then go for it! I just don't see it happening for two people with such deeply-imbedded abandonment issues as these two knuckleheads.

My most sincere thanks to everyone for the well-wishes. This week has been WILD but I'm okay, I'm home safe, and I'm excited to keep on churning out these chapters now that I can indulge in some good old romance


	43. Chapter 43: s2e16

Warnings for this chapter: near-death experiences, effects of a traumatic head wound, references to mass slaughter and the consumption of human flesh, emotional manipulation, loss of self, depictions of serious injuries, a state similar to disassociation or fugue, depictions of resetting bones, bad headspaces, negative self-talk

* * *

Inuyasha watched, his head propped up on his hand, as Miroku sliced up the root vegetables with one of Sango's hidden knives to put in their stew. He was lounging just inside the storehouse while the monk knelt by the fire outside, since they still couldn't risk anything seeing him while he was injured. He was still floating in a mixture of drowsiness and pain, sustained by the medicinal herbs which Miroku insisted he take whenever his wounds ached too much. The last of the various plants were currently steeping in a pot for after they ate, since it was fair to assume that even the bland meal would send Sango's stomach rolling again. Inuyasha also wasn't opposed to a nice midday nap. The Wind Scar had utterly levelled him – Miroku was probably right when he theorized that the attack targeted youki more than flesh. Even though he felt tremendously guilty watching Miroku and Kirara run around taking care of him, Inuyasha was predominantly horizontal for the time being.

At least it was a pleasant view. He watched Miroku's actions with keen interest, simply appreciating his form. Now that he was allowing his mind to go there, he could linger on the handsome features, the dextrous fingers, the hint of the slim form under billowing robes. He'd always known the monk was attractive – how could he not be, the way he could get a herd of women to fawn after him? – but now he could drink him in. He must have been staring a bit too hard, because Miroku was looking at him questioningly. Inuyasha smiled warmly, and to his utter delight, Miroku quickly looked away, his cheeks turning pink and a goofy grin sliding across his face. Naturally, this caused Inuyasha's smile to widen, which caused Miroku to blush even more, and it was a good thing that both Sango and Kirara were asleep because they were not being subtle.

They'd been careful not to be too handsy with each other or let any looks linger when the others were awake. They were slowly growing more comfortable with each other, neither of their hearts pounding when they so much as shared a glance. Inuyasha knew that they were both smiling more than usual – more than they had any right to be, since they were both injured and in pain most of the time – but he figured that they had been discreet enough as to not flaunt what was going on. It helped that the storehouse was small enough that they had to sleep pressed next to each other simply because there was nowhere else to lie. Inuyasha could close his eyes and still feel Miroku right there, smell his warm scent, and hear his heartbeat loud enough to be his own.

"That should about do it," Miroku said, sitting back in satisfaction and looking over the food. "The villagers were truly very generous."

"Right, 'cause it's not like we spent all night saving their asses or anything," Inuyasha drawled.

"From a threat we brought to them," Miroku pointed out seriously.

Inuyasha shrugged, conceding the point. Miroku stepped over him and walked over to Sango to kneel by her side, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. She groaned loudly, swatting away his hand with more coordination than she had any right to have.

"You need to eat," Miroku told her.

"I've decided that I don't need food anymore," she declared, hiding her face in her arm and not opening her eyes.

"Mhmm," Miroku hummed. "Come on, I'll help you sit up."

"Lying down is so much better. You should try it."

He huffed gently, a smile making its way onto his lips. "I will, after you eat something."

One of Sango's eyes opened just wide enough to scrutinize him, wondering if the trade was worth it. She knew that she needed to eat eventually, but over the past few days she hadn't managed more than a few mouthfuls of rice. Even the smell of the stew now made her want to curl up and die. She could survive for weeks without dying of starvation, so surely a few more days couldn't hurt? But she had seen the worried glances passing between the others at each meal she left unfinished, and with Naraku still out there, she needed to be in fighting condition. Besides, Miroku said he would rest after their meal, and she was trying to do her part to keep him from collapsing from exhaustion.

"One bowl," she bartered, pushing herself upright with his hands guiding her arms.

"One bowl and some beans," he said firmly. "The tea's ready to knock you out once you're done."

"You're mean," she informed him flatly.

"So I've been told," he smiled.

As Miroku grabbed them each a bowl full of stew and poured the tea into the cracked cups they'd found in the storehouse, Inuyasha shuffled over to sit next to Sango.

"How are you feeling?" he asked cautiously.

"Better than yesterday, worse than I would like," she shrugged. "Head wounds are like that. I'm lucky that I got off as easily as I did. There are no speech or memory problems. I've seen people who never recover from being struck in the head, especially by something like Hiraikotsu."

"I'll say," he frowned tightly. "Make sure it doesn't happen again, okay? We can't have you lazing about any more than you already have been. We have no use for a sleepy slayer."

"Like you can talk," she shot back. "Lounging about all day. What kind of guard dog are you?"

"Watch it," he growled, his ears flicking in annoyance.

"Play nicely," Miroku instructed them as he returned with their food.

"He started it," Sango grumbled into her bowl.

"Kirara, what are we going to do with them?" Miroku asked forlornly, earning himself a look which clearly stated that he was on his own.

They ate quickly and in relative silence. After finishing her food under Miroku's watchful eye, Sango chugged her tea and curled up on the floor once more. The monk then handed a cup of the stuff to Inuyasha, who frowned.

"What about you?" he asked, the pain already obvious in Miroku's scent.

"I have to see to all your wounds first," the monk shrugged.

Inuyasha pointedly set his cup on the ground. Miroku gave him a pleading look, but he shook his head. With a small sigh, the monk began to gather their medical supplies. They had just enough herbs for a final round of poultice to stave off infection. Thankfully, the villagers had supplied them with enough bandages to last another few days. By that point, they should be heading off to their next destination and would be able to buy what they needed from a village or town. Miroku leaned over Sango first, who was curled tightly into herself.

"I'm afraid you don't get out of it that easily," he said regretfully. "I need to change your bandages."

"It stopped bleeding yesterday," Sango said grumpily as she sat up once more.

"We still need to watch for infection," Miroku said. "Do you want to be fighting off a fever as well as everything else?"

Sango narrowed her eyes at him. "Seriously, when did you get so stern?"

"I'll have you know that I am a highly respectable authoritarian figure," Miroku said as he began unwinding the cotton strips from around her head.

By the time he had cleaned the wound, smeared on a poultice, and rewrapped her head, Sango was blinking heavily and leaning against the wall. He eased her back down to the floor and she was asleep before he covered her with a blanket. Kirara immediately curled herself up around her. She hadn't transformed back into her smaller size since before they were attacked. Miroku was grateful for the added security – he was the only other one able to keep his feet, and he knew that he was in no condition for a fight.

"Your turn," he told Inuyasha, turning on the hanyou.

"Will it do me any good to point out that my wound stopped bleeding _two_ days ago?" Inuyasha grumbled mildly.

"Not at all," Miroku replied easily. "You should have healed much more than you have. I don't think your youki is fully recovered yet."

Inuyasha shrugged and let the monk have at it. The long, jagged line which reached from his right thigh to left shoulder was stitched closed and healing well, but Miroku was right – something like this should already be no more than a scar. Inuyasha was healing barely more quickly than a human. He shook his head to himself as Miroku set about washing the wound. It was already frustrating enough that he was so much weaker than full youkai – he couldn't imagine how the humans he knew put up with being hurt.

He was utterly distracted from his thoughts by Miroku's hands, which slid up and down his torso as he readied the fresh bandages. The monk had an expression of intense concentration on his face, but Inuyasha couldn't help but notice the way his knuckles lingered at his chest or the fingers which brushed along his sides. His own breath caught in this throat and he held utterly still, waiting to see what would happen next. Miroku's eyes darted up to his own and he could see desire and amusement swirling in their violet depths. A slight quirk to his lips betrayed him and Inuyasha knew that he was fully aware of what he was doing. Part of him wanted to lean into the touch, to preen under Miroku's attention, while the other half shied away, afraid of where it might lead. Luckily, Miroku made the decision for him.

"It's not my fault you're so damn attractive," he muttered, wrapping the bandages around his torso regretfully.

Inuyasha snorted before he could stop himself, some of the tension bleeding from his form as Miroku's firm hands confidently continued their ministrations. His first instinct was to ask if Miroku had seen _himself _recently, but that seemed a little too revealing. "Are monks allowed to say damn?"

Miroku shrugged, tying off the ends of the bandages and sitting back to survey his handiwork. He picked up the cup of medicinal tea and handed it over to Inuyasha pointedly. The hanyou took it suspiciously.

"I'll grab some of my own in a moment," he promised. "I need to rewrap my own wound, and I'd like to get some work done on your hadagi and suikan. They should be dry by now."

Inuyasha glanced over to where his robes were piled in the corner, torn to shreds from the Wind Scar. Miroku had washed them all earlier and had already stitched up his hakama pants. Walking around half-naked with his bandages clearly showing wasn't exactly helping Inuyasha feel more secure, but he shook his head firmly.

"Later," he said. "You need to see to your own bandages and then we need to sleep."

Miroku smiled gently. "Do we, now?"

"Yes," Inuyasha said, his eyes expressing what his words couldn't.

"You've convinced me," Miroku grinned, and Inuyasha could hear his heart beating faster.

The monk deftly untied his kesa and shrugged off his koromo and hadagi. Inuyasha frowned as beneath the scent of pain and herbs seeping from the bandages tied around his middle, he could detect the barest hint of blood. He had yet to see the wound made from Kagura's blade, and he watched carefully as Miroku untied the long strips of cotton. He sucked in a harsh breath as the cloth fell away to reveal a deep slash along his belly, the delicate skin torn and pulled awkwardly together by the stitches there.

"Shit," he breathed, his hand reaching out to touch the wound before his mind caught up with it. Fear spiked in his heart, the same urgency thrumming through him as he felt when Miroku was receiving the injury – or whenever he was in danger, really. This wound was a reminder how he'd failed his pack and his…whatever Miroku was to him.

"Hey," the monk said gently, catching his hand gently in one of his own. "I'm alright."

Inuyasha's ears twitched and he couldn't tear his eyes from the puckered skin and torn flesh. "It didn't catch any of your insides, right? Nothing got ripped open?"

"I would be dead already if it had," Miroku said, like that was in any way reassuring.

Inuyasha swallowed hard and watched the monk's every movement with rapt attention as he cleaned and bandaged the wound. Once he was done, Inuyasha tugged him closer by a hand on his sleeve and insistently held out the tea. Miroku shook his head and went to get his own cup from the dregs of the herbs in the pot. Even more guilt surged through Inuyasha at the sight. He gulped down the bitter medicinal concoction without complaint and dragged Miroku down to the pile of straw on the floor with him. He wrapped his arms around the monk and buried his nose in the hollow of his neck, breathing in deep pulls of the scent to calm down. He fought against the drowsiness brought on by the medicine just long enough for Miroku's heartbeat to slow and his breathing to deepen as he drifted off to sleep, his head pillowed safely on Inuyasha's shoulder.

xXx

"You shouldn't go out there alone," Inuyasha said firmly as Miroku shook out Sango's carrying cloth. "Sango and I can hold off long enough for you and Kirara to come back."

"I don't like the idea of leaving the two of you alone," the monk said worriedly, his eyes darting between the prickly hanyou and sleeping slayer. He didn't want to leave them at all, but the pain medicine had worn off and all of them were suffering for it.

"Take Kirara," Inuaysha told him in a tone that left room for no argument.

"If you die while I'm gone I'll be very unhappy," Miroku replied as the twin-tail trotted to his side. "We'll be back soon. I only know the three different plants, and we've picked most of them in the area. I wish Kaede or even Shippo were here – he learned a lot more about herbs from her than I did."

Inuyasha watched them go with a nervous energy slamming around his belly. He glanced over at his robes once more, wondering if he should even attempt to mend them himself. His attempts in the past had been rather disastrous, but he needed to do something to keep his mind occupied. The pain in Sango's scent had been steadily climbing all afternoon, and now Miroku was out of sight and almost out of earshot. It lent a sharp edge to his own thoughts, making his thoughts turn sour.

Miroku had told him everything that Naraku had said – about creating Kagura and Kanna thanks to the power of the Shikon Jewel. The Jewel which was almost whole once more. The shard that Kikyo had stolen from them was only part of what that monster now held. He must have had his minions scouring the land for any shards they could get their hands on. They needed to get the Jewel back from him, but even more than that, they needed to keep him from getting any more shards. If Naraku completed the Jewel and restored its power, he would be truly unstoppable.

And Kikyo had made it happen.

What had she been thinking? Was it truly to see him dead? Did she hate him that much?

He closed his eyes as his chest contracted in pain. He hated this. His pack was suffering because of him, because of Kikyo. And Miroku and Kirara were out searching for medicine for him, for Sango who was suffering beside him, and if they ran into trouble he doubted that he could do so much as shamble over to help.

A faint noise of pain came from Sango, and Inuyasha glanced over to see her curling tighter into herself. The medicine was wearing off for both of them, the hurt returning even as the drowsiness kept them caught in its claws. He tried to train his ears on Miroku's heartbeat, but it was hard to focus on anything. There was a faint presence outside, but he couldn't quite tell what it was. It wasn't threatening, exactly, but…

A flock of soul collectors fazed through the wall of the storehouse. They snaked around him, nudging along his bandages and face. Inuyasha watched them uncomprehendingly for a heartbeat before he realized what their presence meant – Kikyo had to be somewhere nearby. As the serpentine youkai turned and faded back through the walls, Inuyasha struggled to sit up. He paused, a wave of dizziness washing over him, before he pushed to his feet.

He immediately fell back to his knees. His body was still so weak! He growled in frustration, and was met with a concerned noise from Sango. He shook his head, grabbing the sheathed Tessaiga from where it lay in the hay beside him. He used it as a crutch, crawling forward across the ground, following the trail of the soul collectors. He couldn't smell Kikyo, but his senses were dulled from the herbs, and his instincts told him that she was close enough for him to get to her.

His progress was painfully slow. Every time he tried to rise to his feet, he fell back to the ground. He heard Sango's voice calling after him, but he ignored her. He needed to get to Kikyo. He needed to see her. He needed to know the truth.

"Inuyasha, she'll kill you!" Sango's desperate plea sounded after him. He clenched his jaw and kept going. It may be true. If she attacked him now, if she truly wanted him dead, he would be defenseless. But he had to know.

The ground turned sharply downward and he stumbled, his momentum sending him tumbling down the shallow incline. His wounds screamed and he curled into a ball, trying to prevent any more damage from being done. When he rolled to a stop, he could hear the whisper through the air of soul collectors surrounding him. He closed his eyes and tried to focus on bringing air into his lungs, of dispelling the grey fuzz of pain which had descended over his eyes. But then he caught her scent, and he sat bolt upright.

"Inuyasha…" she said from where she sat on a tree branch, almost surprised, and then more urgently. "Inuyasha!"

"Kikyo," he echoed, struggling to keep himself up on shaking arms.

"You're still alive, I see," she said, her face a gentle contrast to her cold voice. "I'm glad."

"Kikyo, tell me what's going on!" he demanded, all his pain and frustration and anguish spilling into the words. "Is it true that you gave Naraku our Jewel shards?"

"Yes, I did," she answered simply. "To cast Naraku into oblivion."

He shrank back, confused and skeptical and hopeful all at once. "What's that supposed to mean?" He shook his head fiercely. "Naraku's a lot stronger than he used to be, and now he's going around creating more demons out of his own body!"

xXx

From her position deep in the woods, Kagura smiled. How interesting. She had known that Inuyasha and this Kikyo woman knew each other, from what Kikyo had said when giving them the Jewel shard and from Naraku's words as he taunted her with Inuyasha's injuries just the previous day. But this was no mere acquaintance. They sounded like they had been involved. Narraku, too, was strangely invested in their relationship. Why else would he send her to spy on Kikyo?

xXx

Inuyasha sat back heavily, looking up at her forlornly. "You wanted me dead," he said, not accusingly, just putting it out in the open. "Isn't that why you gave Naraku the Jewel?"

Kikyo's expression hardened with cold fury. "I would never allow someone such as Naraku to take your life." She must have seen the disbelief on his face, because she pressed forward. "Take heed, Inuyasha. Naraku is our most bitter enemy."

xXx

Kagura rolled her eyes. How dull. He was close to death and she was a wooden figure. Surely there had to be something more entertaining for her to watch! That idiotic hanyou hadn't even picked up her scent – some dog demon he was. She might as well just kill them both and be done with it.

xXx

Kikyo glanced over her shoulder, her expression closing off even more. Inuyasha followed her gaze, straining to hear or see anything. Kikyo shot to her feet and swung around on the branch, pulling an arrow from her quiver and notching it with practiced ease. She spared a scarce heartbeat to surround it with glowing spiritual power before loosing it deep into the forest. Inuyasha could smell the youki that it dispelled – Naraku's scent. His eyes narrowed and he could just make out a figure leaning against a tree, the corner of her red and blue kimono caught by Kikyo's arrow.

"Kagura!" he growled, grabbing Tessaiga.

"Your head will be next," Kikyo announced, notching another arrow.

Kagura wordlessly plucked one of the white feathers from her hair and threw it into the air, jumping onto it as it grew and lifting up into the sky. Inuyasha ground his teeth and sank back onto his heels. So someone was spying on them after all. But Kagura still had a presence they could detect. There had to be others as well, ones that they couldn't sense.

"Inuyasha," Kikyo said, turning just far enough that her profile was towards him. "Naraku will only continue to grow stronger and stronger. You mustn't allow him to kill you."

"Huh?" he gasped, staring at her uncomprehendingly.

"Until I am able to cast both Naraku and the Shikon Jewel from this world, your life belongs to me," she said firmly. "No one else will have you!"

Her soul collectors swarmed around her and lifted her into the air. Inuyasha watched them go with a dozen different feelings twisting in his gut. Kikyo. What was she after? What was she trying to do? So she had some plan to defeat Naraku, but he couldn't imagine what it might be. Was it even the truth? She had to hate Naraku, after what he did to both of them.

And then her parting words. She always seemed to have a special hatred for Miroku. Before, Inuyasha was appalled by her actions towards the monk, but now they were a threat to his relationship, _his _Miroku. He could try to convince himself that she was talking about Naraku, but he didn't believe it. She wanted to be the only one to have him, and if she put her mind to it, she might pose a bigger threat to Miroku than anyone else. Because Inuyasha didn't know if it came down to it, if he would be able to fight her, even if it meant keeping Miroku safe. Every bone in his body was still on fire just from seeing her, from her scent. He couldn't deny that he still loved her. He just didn't know if that would be enough.

xXx

Miroku was stretching out his aching body, trying to keep his new scars pliable, when Kirara growled beside him. He followed her gaze into the sky, where a glimpse of white youkai were winding through the sky. In the direction of the storehouse. Miroku immediately swung onto Kirara's back as she shot after them. Huh. From this vantage point, they almost looked like-

"Kirara, hurry!" he gasped, his fingers digging into the fur around her neck.

A splotch of red in the distance drew his attention. He threw himself off Kirara's back before she even touched the ground, catching Inuyasha as he struggled forward.

"Are you alright?" he asked frantically, dropping to his knees in front of him. Inuyasha made a vague noise of acknowledgement and looked away. There was no blood on his bandages, no sign that he had been in a fight, but he looked guilty and heartbroken. Miroku swallowed. "You saw Kikyo, didn't you?"

"Miroku…" Inuyasha started nervously, his ears twitching in distress.

"Did she hurt you?" Miroku asked firmly.

"No," he muttered. "She said that she was glad I was alive."

Miroku leaned back slightly. He could tell that something had happened, but he wouldn't press if Inuyasha wasn't ready. "So, did you find out the truth? Was Naraku honest about how he got Kikyo's Jewel shard?"

"Yeah…" Inuyasha sounded defeated.

Miroku shook his head in disbelief. "She made a pact with Naraku!"

"Never!" Inuyasha snapped, whirling on him. Their eyes met with a jolt and they both froze. Miroku had shrunk back, his expression closing off significantly. The sight made Inuyasha sick to his stomach.

"I can't say what she intends to do, but…" he shrugged helplessly. "She hasn't joined forces with Naraku. She has something planned, I just don't know what it is."

Miroku didn't say anything, just looked back at him with sad eyes, everything else shut off behind a carefully constructed blank mask.

"Miroku," Inuyasha tried pleadingly. "I swear, I'm not falling for her again, or defending her just because of our past together. I really think she's trying to destroy Naraku."

Miroku nodded, and his voice was calm. "I trust your judgement. She may even have the power to purify the Jewel once it's in Naraku's grasp, weakening him significantly if not killing him. We still have to contend with the results of his increased power, though."

As the monk helped him to his feet and onto Kirara's back, Inuyasha wanted to scream. He felt like utter shit. Even though he believed what he said, it felt so wrong to defend Kikyo to _Miroku _of all people after everything she had done to him and to their relationship. His eyes darted to the thin dark line cutting across the monk's cheek, the mark left from the arrow Kikyo had shot at him the last time they saw her. The time that Kikyo had openly stated that she'd tried to kill him. He'd told Miroku that he would be with only him, and he meant it, but he couldn't deny Kikyo's pull on him. He didn't know what to do.

xXx

"Are you sure you should be moving yet?" Miroku asked Sango carefully as he helped her sit upright.

"It's better than staying here," she grumbled, grasping his arm for support. "If Kagura's found us here then we could be under attack at any moment. The two weeks are almost up, anyway, and we'll need the extra day or so to get the poison powders from the apothecary."

"Isn't it risky to stay in the town for more than a day?" Inuyasha asked.

"Probably, but we don't have much of a choice," Miroku sighed. "With all of us injured except Kirara and you two unable to even walk, it might present more of a danger to move around constantly and risk an attack."

"We can barricade ourselves in our room and try to keep Naraku from finding us," Sango said. "If he sends Kagura after us again, at least we'll sense her."

"And if he sends someone else?" Inuyasha pointed out.

"It must have been Kanna before," Miroku said as he helped Sango onto Kirara's back. "We can't sense her at all."

Inuyasha frowned. "You think that kid-looking demon was able to track us through the air?"

"He could be having Saimyosho following us whenever we travel quickly and have them report to Kanna," Sango said. "Or maybe Kagura flies her around. Or maybe he has some other incarnations to spy on us. It could be anything, at this point."

"If we place wards around the room at the inn then we can at least keep anything with youki from getting in," Miroku said. "We'll just have to work things out from there."

They loaded up Kirara with only the essentials, leaving behind the rest of their food and cookware for fear of slowing her down too much. They weren't too far from the town with their commissions, but it was already getting dark and they wanted to get there as soon as possible. Kirara sped through the sky, while the three on her back kept their sense heightened for any sign of danger.

She landed outside the town, closer than they would normally risk, and Miroku slid off her to run to the inn. He emerged just a few moments later and waved them over. As soon as they entered their room, Miroku posted sutras on all the walls and took the last of one of Sango's poison powders and dusted it around the outside of the inn, enough to block the sense of smell of most demons.

"I'm going to see if the woman at the apothecary is still there," he told them once he'd finished. "Hopefully she can start tonight and we can be gone by tomorrow evening."

Inuyasha protested him going alone, but as Miroku pointed out, neither he nor Kirara could leave the room at the moment, and Sango still couldn't stand on her own. He left silently and Inuyasha was forced to track his movements through sound alone. His usual strategy of pacing relentlessly was somewhat unfeasible seeing as his short crawl through the woods had left him unable to move properly. Instead, he lay on the floor and steadily shredded the ends of his bandages with his claws.

Miroku returned a short while later with the news that no one was in the apothecary and they would have to try again in the morning. Sango tried not to look too disheartened at the prospect. She knew that they needed to be polite to the apothecary owner since they needed her to make the powders a second time, but the prospect of going a night without any herbs to help her sleep or take away the pain made her uneasy to say the least. She curled up on her side and listened to Kirara's gentle purring beside her.

xXx

None of them were in a good mood the next day. Miroku left early to make his rounds at the apothecary, blacksmith, and ironworker, while Inuyasha and Sango lay on the floor doing their best dying whale impressions. He returned bearing two daggers, a bundle of herbs, and a significantly lighter coin purse.

"The original powders we ordered were sold when we didn't come to collect them," he told them as he immediately began making some medicinal tea. "She's going to make the new order by tomorrow evening, but she wanted to be paid upfront this time, which is understandable. The masks should be ready within two days. The ironworker wants us to try them on to make sure they fit properly."

Inuyasha examined the dagger that Miroku passed to him. It was a short, single-edged blade with a red hilt and its own sheathe, basically just a smaller version of the untransformed Tessaiga. Miroku's was a slightly longer double-edged blade with a wooden handle that could be easily concealed in his robes. The weight of the weapon was odd in his hand, so much lighter than his sword but still heavier than he had anticipated. He still didn't really see the point of a dagger when he had the Tessaiga, but he supposed that a few more weapons couldn't hurt.

xXx

Kagura landed on the ground already surrounded by the sounds of screaming humans. She watched in disgust as the large, hulking form of Naraku's new plaything ripped apart the villagers. Around them, bodies of humans, horses, dogs, and other livestock were scattered indiscriminately, all being feasted on by the beast. What a disgusting display. What a pathetic specimen. This new incarnation was _nothing _like her or Kanna. Why, it was nothing more than a brainless glutton.

The demon turned to look at her with glowing red eyes, a laugh reverberating through his chest. "Sister, did you just call me a brainless glutton?"

Kagura watched him carefully, refusing to let any emotion show on her face. This creature was toying with her. _Naraku _was toying with her. This thing could read her mind. A toothy grin spread across the demon's face. There was no telling just how deep he could pry. Kagura shot a wave of distain at him, just for good measure, and told him where he could stick his head.

xXx

They didn't have a chance to send Kirara out searching for a place to stay, so they ended up searching from the sky that evening. Their stay in the town had been longer than any of them were comfortable with, after slight adjustments were needed to their masks, but they had finally gotten everything they commissioned and were free to go. They were also entirely out of money, but that was a problem for a later time. The time spent waiting in their room had actually helped them all somewhat, as they relied on the inn's services for food and had nothing else to do other than sleep. Sango could now sit up for extended periods of time, and Inuyasha was well enough that he figured he could do some fishing for the group. Both he and Sango had surreptitiously forced Miroku and Kirara to get more sleep than was strictly necessary, but they already felt guilty for running them ragged over the past few days.

Sango spotted a cave in the craggy rocks of a hill, and Kirara dove down to investigate. She waited outside while Miroku hopped off and poked his head inside to investigate. It was barely more than a shallow hole in the ground, but it would be enough for the night. They settled down and Miroku began posting more sutras around the outside. Sango picked up Inuyasha's suikan to continue stitching it up – it was more stitches than fabric at this point, but she imagined that finding hair from Fire Rats wasn't an easy task for repairs. That being said, if Inuyasha had had it for his entire life, then she had no idea how there was any fabric left at all. She knew that the robes contained youkai-like power, so maybe that had some part in it. She had observed scratches and dents on her own weapons disappearing on their own from time to time due to the youki left behind from the demons from which they were forged. Inuyasha was still playing with his dagger, despite insisting that it was useless to him. Perhaps it was, compared to other demonic weapons, but he still seemed intrigued. Sango was happy to let him have his fun.

It was only a little later that evening, when Inuyasha was getting ready to find them some fish, that he suddenly stiffened. He sniffed the air cautiously, his ears swivelling nervously. Kirara also climbed to her feet, growling softly.

"What's the matter?" Miroku asked, grabbing his staff.

"The scent of a dead man," the hanyou muttered faintly.

He struggled to his feet and crept outside the cave, Miroku running out before him and peeling off the sutras to let him out. The stumbling figure of a village man was moving slowly towards them, his clothes torn to shreds.

"A demon has come!" the man was gasping, still staggering forward. "It devoured the entire village! On its back was the mark of a spider…"

Miroku didn't need to hear the soft growl in Inuyasha's throat to know that something was awry. Another of Naraku's incarnations, and a villager who conveniently knew their location? The man gasped out one final plea for help and fell over, his body dissolving into a charred corpse.

"Kagura must have been controlling his body with her Dance of the Dead," Miroku said. "It has to be a trap."

"Yeah," Inuyasha grumbled. "A trap set to force me to meet the third demon."

"You're _going?_" Sango asked incredulously.

"You're too injured," Miroku said softly.

"We can't just sit around and do nothing!" Inuyasha growled. "Who knows how many more people Naraku will kill if we don't go!"

"You and Sango should stay here," Miroku said. "Kirara and I can go investigate."

"Not alone, you're not!" Inuyasha snapped. "None of us can face him alone. Besides, you're injured, too!"

"Kagura sent the dead man to us, which means she knows our whereabouts and is tracking our movements," Sango pointed out. "None of us can stay here, regardless of what else we decide."

Miroku's eyes were pleading as he looked at Inuyasha. "We can't stand against them as we are – especially if it's more than just this new incarnation waiting for us."

"I'm not passing up an opportunity to kill that monster," Inuyasha said quietly, just loud enough for Miroku to hear. "You said it yourself."

Miroku shook his head in denial. He knew that he should never have told Inuyasha how pressing his situation had become. The hanyou was already set to rush into battle when he wasn't ready, and this had made it even worse.

"I doubt Naraku will give us a chance to escape," Sango muttered, already stripping down to her armour.

"That demon's bound to attack sooner or later," Inuyasha said decisively. "I'm going!"

He took off at a run, soundly refusing to look back and catch the hurt and worried expression that he _knew _Miroku was sending after him.

xXx

Kagura sighed and examined her fan, bored of the whole affair. "It's just a few children. Let them go so we can be done here!"

The demon turned to face her, blood still dripping from his jaws. "Naraku commanded me to devour the entire village, so I will kill every last human, and every horse, dog, and fowl!"

Kagura looked around the decimated houses and carcasses strewn about the ground. No wonder this was taking so long! She scoffed and turned away. "Do as you wish. I can't bare your company any longer."

What a spineless fool! She didn't care if he heard her calling him such in her thoughts. He was an ass-kissing mindless follower of Naraku and she hated him for it. Each new incarnation formed from Naraku's body was utterly unique, and she didn't like the thought of what it could mean for the future. She didn't know what was stewing away in those clay jugs of his, but she didn't like it.

She glanced behind her to see the demon ripping the roof off of a storehouse, revealing a pile of hay with two children buried deep inside. They both screamed in fear when the demon scattered the hay and revealed them.

"You thought you could escape me by hiding? That it would protect you!" the demon laughed. "You cried out for your ma and pa to save you, but I ate them a while ago. Look inside my belly and see!"

Inuyasha threw himself between the demon and the kids, swinging Tessaiga from its sheathe as he did so. The demon reared back, and Inuyasha slashed at it with his claws, shouting "Iron Reaver, Soul Stealer!"

The demon moved with surprising speed, avoiding the attack and jumping to a safe distance. Inuyasha scoffed. He was pretty spry for a lumbering giant! The demon stood twice as tall as him, with long pointed ram's horns and skin that was a sickly blackish-purple. Inuyasha had never seen a demon like it before.

He glanced behind him to where the kids were cowering. "Get out of here!" he snapped, and the older one quickly snatched up his sister and ran for it.

Inuyasha eyed the demon more closely. His head was shaped like a dragon's but his body was almost human-like. A ruff of grey fur travelled down his back. His fingers ended in long, jagged claws. Inuyasha would have to watch out for those. His suikan was back at the cave, which meant his upper half was protected only by the flimsy cloth of his hadagi, and he had no desire to add another gaping hole to the collection in his body.

Miroku skidded to a stop across the village, Kirara landing beside him with Sango on her back. He could clearly see the bright purple spider-shaped scar stretching across the demon's back. He met Inuyasha's gaze and nodded, as if there was any doubt – this demon reeked of Naraku.

"So you must be the third incarnation," Inuyasha drawled casually, stalking forward and swinging Tessaiga around.

The demon laughed, a smirk pulling unnaturally across his jaws. "You're thinking that I wouldn't be able to dodge the Tessaiga a second time. You were surprised at my speed despite my enormous size. You doubt my power."

Inuyasha froze. This thing knew what he was thinking! Fuck! Fuck, fuck, fuck-

The demon laughed again. "Just as you suspect – I am able to read the minds of others."

_Fuckfuckfuckfuckfuck-_

"My sisters, Kagura and Kanna, were only the beginning," the creature continued, swinging his head around to stare pointedly at Miroku. "Now Goshinki makes his debut!"

Inuyasha scoffed with false confidence. "Your big speech is over, demon!" He leapt, swinging Tessaiga. "Now you're finished!"

Goshinki easily dodged the blow – of course he did! Inuyasha whipped around, trying to track the demon's progress. If he was going to have any chance of winning, he needed to strike faster than Goshinki could react to his thoughts. Or maybe he could trick him, find some way to-

The demon dropped from the sky in a powerful leap, and Inuyasha barely darted out of the way in time. Goshinki's giant fists crashed into the earth where he'd been standing, shattering the ground. Inuyasha dropped to his knees, gasping for breath as pain shot through his chest, his wounds screaming.

"I told you," Goshinki said matter-of-factly. "I know every thought that crosses your mind. It is no use hiding your injuries, Inuyasha. I know that you are done for."

"Damn you!" Inuyasha spat, struggling to his feet. "I've had just about enough of you!"

He leapt and swung. Goshinki dodged easily. Shit! He had to stop thinking. His very thoughts were betraying him. This monster knew where he was going to strike, knew his weaknesses- Knew how to hurt him. Would he be able to sense Inuyasha's relationship with Miroku? Wait, no! He couldn't think about that! _Shutupshutupshutup-_ Goshinki was behind him, and his eyes snapped to Miroku. Inuyasha hurled himself at the demon, not even bothering to think.

"I can predict every move before you make it," Goshinki bragged, his claws slamming into Inuyasha, knocking him through the air. He barely managed to hold on to Tessaiga and he crashed into the ground. The air was knocked from his lungs and his vision swam.

Miroku ran forward, already reaching for his mala beads. Inuyasha was still far too weak to fight. This demon might be fast, but he doubted he was faster than the wind tunnel! He came up behind Goshinki and braced himself, opening his palm and-

"Stop!" Sango screamed, and she sounded frantic. He whipped around to see her staring at the sky. He followed her gaze to see the swarm of Saimyosho descending on them.

Goshinki side-eyed them, chuckling. "You were thinking you would suck me into your wind tunnel, monk."

Miroku glared at him. He still might. He knew that Goshinki heard the thought, because his smirk broadened.

"I would rip off your arm before you got the chance," the demon practically purred before glancing at each of them in turn. "You see, I know all of your weaknesses. Sango, you are unable to fight. You still can't move after that blow you received from your own weapon. Kirara, you will not leave her side, and you know that you would be no match for me alone."

Inuyasha struggled to his hands and knees. The world was spinning, and his body was trembling from the exertion of the pathetic fight he'd managed to put up so far. He was useless in this condition! His pack needed him more than ever, and he couldn't even land a blow. Two frantic heartbeats from behind him made him turn. The two kids from the storehouse were huddled on the ground, clutching at scraps of torn cloth with tears in their eyes.

"I told you to escape!" he snapped. "What're you still-" His voice died when he caught the scent clinging to the cloth. A scent very similar to that of the children, and potent with blood. "Those clothes… Did they belong to your parents?"

The older one nodded hesitantly. Inuyasha's jaw clenched and he looked back at the demon with renewed hatred. How many more people were going to lose their lives because of Naraku? How many families were going to be torn apart? Goshinki was walking slowly towards him, apparently confident in his inability to escape. Inuyasha pushed to his feet, lifting Tessaiga to rest on his shoulder.

"You think I'm despicable," Goshinki smiled. "You want to kill me. Don't make me laugh, hanyou. You have demon blood coursing through your veins, and yet you still take pity on humans?"

"Shut up!" Inuyasha roared, raising Tessaiga above his head. "I'll slice you in half!"

He focused, bringing the Wind Scar to the forefront of his mind. He'd like to see Goshinki dodge this!

"You're trying to slice through the Wind Scar-" Goshinki started, like he was flaunting it.

"If you can figure that out, you're already dead!" Inuyasha snarled, swinging forward for the attack.

Goshinki swiped his claws trough the Wind Scar, concentrating his youki there and dispelling it. Inuyasha didn't alter his course. Fine! If the demon could dispel the Wind Scar, then he'd just have to settle for chopping off his stupid _head!_ Goshinki lunged, catching Tessaiga between his jaws, and bit down hard. Inuyasha hung in the air, watching in shocked disbelief as jolts of power flew from the sword, illuminating the evening sky. Goshinki clamped his teeth deeper into Tessaiga, and cracks began to form along the blade. Then it broke.

Inuyasha dropped to the ground, holding half a sword in his hands. He couldn't take his eyes from the jagged edge of the blade. Goshinki still had the other half in his mouth, and he spat it out pointedly.

"I suppose that proves that some demons' fangs are stronger than others," Goshinki remarked slyly.

Inuyasha couldn't speak, only stare in disbelief. He destroyed Tessaiga! He just…broke it. Like it was a toy. Like it was nothing. He glanced up to see Goshinki closing his hand into a fist, but the danger didn't register in his foggy brain until it was too late. Goshinki's claws struck like a snake, slicing through Inuyasha's torso, tearing flesh and breaking bones. He fell back, Tessaiga slipping from his hand, and the world went black.

"Inuyasha!" Miroku screamed, running forward. He could hear Sango crying out after him, but Inuyasha wasn't moving, and there was blood everywhere.

Goshinki was laughing again. "Your mind has gone blank, hanyou. Your sword is broken and so is your spirit. Or are you dead?"

Miroku ran for him, tearing the mala beads from his hand. Goshinki whipped around and slapped him out of the air. Miroku gasped as he landed hard on the ground, stunned. He could feel the wind tunnel sucking in the ground beside him. He tried desperately to raise his left hand, to get the beads over to his right and get the wind tunnel under control, but his arms weren't cooperating.

"Miroku!" Sango shouted as she ran for him. She dropped to her knees beside him and grabbed the mala beads from his hand. Her heart was pounding as she stared down the wind tunnel. She had never seen it out of control before. It had never posed such a threat to her before. But there was no time to waste! She leaned over his chest, her hand sliding down his right arm to pin his hand to the ground. The earth was still being sucked in, and his body was rolling into the hole that was being created. Sango slammed the ala beads onto the back of his hand. The wind instantly died down, and she was able to wrap the string of beads securely over his palm.

"Monk," Goshinki smirked. "You were prepared to draw me into your wind tunnel, even if it meant sacrificing your own pathetic life."

Sango's eyes snapped from Goshinki to Miroku. If the demon was toying with him did that mean he was still awake? Miroku's violet eyes were staring at nothing, his chest barely moving. "Say something!" she pleaded, shading his shoulder slightly before pulling his head onto her lap. "Miroku!"

She glared at Goshinki, reaching for her sword. She may not be able to hold up Hiraikotsu just yet, but that didn't mean she was defenseless. Her hand changed directions, reaching for the poison resting in a small box under the armour on her shoulder. It would hurt Kirara and Inuyasha as well, but it would be enough to disorient Goshinki and let them escape.

"Don't rush to your death, slayer," the demon said. "Be assured, I'm going to devour each and every one of you. The only question is which to start with."

He started running at them. Sango unsheathed her sword and jumping to her feet. Kirara was faster. The twin-tail leapt at Goshinki, sinking her teeth deep into his forearm. Goshinki didn't so much as blink, merely slashed at her with his other hand. His claws caught her side, ripping three deep gouges down her flank. She roared in pain and let go, crashing to the ground.

"Kirara!" Sango shouted, snatching a small bag from deep in her robes. Kirara met her eyes and shot into the air, just as Sango threw the bag to the ground at Goshinki's feet. It exploded upon impact, sending a thick swirling smog into the air. Goshinki leapt away, narrowing his eyes at her. No doubt he knew from her thoughts that it was a harmless powder, merely an irritant, but it bought them time. Kirara landed beside her and instantly transformed into her smaller form. Sango swore and snatched a strip of bandages from her robes, sparing a moment to wrap it around Kirara's torso to stop the bleeding. The twin-tail watched Goshinki guardedly, making sure he didn't come any closer. Sango deposited her on Miroku's chest and stood, grimly preparing for battle.

Her heart hammered as her eyes darted from Goshinki to Miroku to where Inuyasha was lying. It was possible that she could hold off the demon until Kirara got Miroku out of there, but she had no idea if Kirara would even be able to fly with that wound, and Sango would barely be able to hold her ground, and Inuyasha… He still wasn't moving. A low moan from Miroku made her take a few steps back, holding out her sword defensively. It was a futile gesture, given Goshinki's speed, but she didn't know what else to do!

Goshinki laughed, looking past her to Miroku. "Fool! There is no use. Inuyasha is already…"

The demon trailed off and whipped around. Inuyasha was flying at him, body drenched in blood, hadagi torn to shreds, and the whites of his eyes glowing red. He moved with lightning speed as his claws slashed through Goshinki's arm, severing it from his body. Inuyasha twisted through the air and landed lightly on his feet. His fingers curled into a fist, his claw-like nails seemingly much longer than usual. His teeth, too, which formed the barest of fangs, now protruded from his upper lip. Under the blood splashed across his face, there were odd purple markings on his cheeks that hadn't been there before. Demon markings.

Sango sucked in a harsh breath. Inuyasha's youki was stronger than she had ever felt it before. It was almost as if…

"Something wrong, Goshinki?" Inuyasha grinned predatorily, and his voice had never sounded so much like a growl. "I thought you could read my mind!"

Miroku struggled to push himself up onto his elbows, taking in the scene. What had happened to him? This didn't feel like Inuyasha. The aura around him was that of a youkai, not a hanyou. The name fell from his lips in mild horror. "Yash…"

Sango knelt beside him, helping him to sit up further while not taking her eyes off their companion. Kirara leapt off his lap and transformed, the bandages ripping and falling away. She glanced nervously in between the humans and Inuyasha, slowly creeping forward to move in front of them – in between them and Inuyasha.

"I don't understand," Goshinki said, sounding much more upset about Inuyasha's new condition than his own missing arm. "Inuyasha, why have you transformed?"

Inuyasha's grin spread across his face, exposing his fangs even more. "The hell should I know? Instead of worrying about me, you should focus on yourself, Goshinki."

Goshinki roared, his eyes blazing, and ran at Inuyasha with his claws bared and jaws gaping. Inuyasha jumped high in the air, hovering for a moment as his youki flared around him, before hurling himself at Goshinki. His claws slashed down the demon's body in five long lines, slicing his flesh apart. Goshinki's head landed on the ground, and Inuyasha dropped down beside it. He smiled, lifted his hand, and began tearing at the dead flesh around him. His lips were still stretched in gruesome delight, his movements increasingly erratic.

Miroku pushed himself onto his hands and knees before carefully reaching forward, his hand outstretched. "Inuyasha?"

One of Inuyasha's ears flicked and he stood, staring at his claws. He rumbled in satisfaction. Good. Dead. The threat was gone. The blood smelled sweet. Inviting. He frowned. Not enough. He needed more. He needed to sink his claws into flesh, to tear and slash and destroy. He needed to kill again.

"Inuyasha," Miroku called out again, louder than before, taking a few hesitant steps forward. "Inuyasha, what's-"

Inuyasha whirled on him with a ferocious snarl, his ears flattening to his head. "Stay away from me! I don't know what I'll do next."

Miroku paused, shrank back a little, but held his ground. Inuyasha was breathing raggedly, his fingers still curled loosely in front of him. There was no denying the power flowing from him. His youki felt almost identical to that of Sesshomaru. Inuyasha's eyes were wild as they darted between Miroku and the chunks of Goshinki scattered across the ground.

"Inuyasha," Miroku said softly, taking another cautious step forward. "Please, listen. The enemy is gone. You did it. You're safe."

"I said _stay away!_" Inuyasha shouted roughly, slicing his claws through the air.

Miroku didn't stop, and it was Inuyasha's turn to shrink away. His eyes were fixed on the advancing monk, breath tearing from his lungs. He growled in warning, his youki swirling around him ever more agitatedly. Miroku came to a stop right in front of him, his hands held up calmly. "Inuyasha…"

Inuyasha's body twitched back. His claws raised. Miroku placed a gentle hand on his bare chest. Inuyasha lifted a hand to slash at the monk. Miroku closed his eyes and sent a burst of spiritual power through Inuyasha's body.

Inuyasha stumbled backwards, gasping in surprise and pain. He fell back, landing hard on the ground. His head snapped up to glare at Miroku. His eyes were amber once more. Miroku fell to his knees in front of him. Inuyasha watched him closely, the world swimming and nothing making sense. His ears flicked back nervously. Miroku threw himself at him, dragging him into a crushing embrace. Inuyasha's arms slowly closed around him, holding him carefully in return, his mind still whirling in confusion. All he knew was that Miroku smelled like pain and distress, and there was blood everywhere.

"What's wrong?" Inuyasha murmured, tucking his nose against Miroku's neck. "What happened?"

The monk slowly pulled away from him, brows drawn and lips pressed tightly together. His eyes darted to the four deep slash marks running across Inuyasha's torso, to the ribs which stuck out at odd angles, to the blood on his claws. Inuyasha followed his gaze to each one, his heart sinking as he did so. What the hell _happened _to him? Finally, he followed Miroku's eyes to where Tessaiga lay on the ground, transformed back, broken in two.

"Oh, no…"

Sango and Kirara were walking towards them, with tight frowns and guarded eyes. Miroku sat back on his heels, his jaw clenched. "We can't stay here."

"Kirara, can you fly?" Sango asked, carefully looking over the twin-tail. She received a hesitant nod in return. "Can you gather our things from the cave? We need to get as far away as we can."

Kirara took off without a word, leaving a trail of blood in her wake. Inuyasha glanced between Miroku and Sango, a question in his eyes, but they weren't looking at him.

"She won't be able to carry us," Miroku said, climbing stiffly to his feet.

"I know," Sango sighed. "Not for a few weeks, most likely. We'll need to lay low for a while."

Miroku glanced around the decimated village. "Do you sense Kagura at all? She was here when we arrived."

Inuyasha sniffed the air and shook his head. "Her scent has faded. She must have left sometime during the fight. Now, are either of you going to tell me what the hell is going on?"

Miroku and Sango exchanged a reluctant glance. Sango held out a hand and helped Inuyasha to his feet.

"What do you remember?" Miroku asked cautiously.

Inuyasha grimaced, staring hard at the ground. "I dunno. Nothing, really. I was fighting Goshinki, and the next thing I knew, he was dead." His eyes darted over to where his broken sword still lay on the ground. "I don't even remember what happened to Tessaiga."

"Goshinki bit it in half," Sango said. "Right before he struck you. I think he thought that he killed you."

Inuyasha nodded slowly, looking down at his chest. "It doesn't hurt nearly as much as it should," he murmured, his fingers running over one of the deep gashes.

"The wounds have already stopped bleeding," Miroku observed. "And those ribs should be keeping you from moving almost entirely."

"How do you feel?" Sango asked. "Before, you could barely even walk."

Inuyasha's frown deepened. "I feel like shit, but I should feel like death. It's not nearly as bad as it should be."

Miroku hummed thoughtfully, his brow furrowed. "I wonder if it's because of your youki."

"Huh?" Inuyasha asked, picking up on the ominous note in Miroku's voice.

The monk's eyes darted to Sango's uncomfortably before returning to Inuyasha's face. "When you fought Goshinki a second time, your youki was much stronger. It was almost as though you'd transformed…" He grimaced. "As though you were a full-blooded youkai."

Inuyasha shrank away, shaking his head in disbelief. "That's impossible! How the hell could I be-"

"That _is_ what it looked like, Inuyasha," Sango interrupted gently. "All of your demonic features were heightened and your aura was almost indistinguishable from your brother's. You appeared like a full dog demon."

"And if your healing was indeed slowed due to injury to your youki before," Miroku continued. "That would explain how such terrible wounds now are affecting you even less."

Inuyasha was silent, his mind whirling and his thoughts a jumbled and tangled mess. None of this made sense! And yet there was an echo of something in his mind, a bloodthirsty vengeance that he knew came from himself but didn't feel like it was a part of him. His eyes fell to the blood on his claws – Goshinki's blood. The satisfaction of tearing through the demon's flesh was still settled deep in his bones, even if he couldn't remember the act itself. What had he _done?_

"Inuyasha, can you smell a river nearby?" Miroku asked. "We need to wash and tend to your wounds."

Inuyasha blinked and shook away his thoughts, taking a deep breath. The air was thick with blood, pain, demon, death, and unfamiliar humans. He frowned, spinning around as he followed that last scent trail, an earlier memory sliding into place.

"Shit," he swore softly. "The kids."

He could smell them, off in the forest surrounding the village. What the hell were they supposed to do with them? They couldn't just leave them – there was nothing else alive in the entire village. But it wasn't safe for them to stick around, and they couldn't afford to be dragging two whelps around the countryside. Especially now. Especially when he had transformed. Especially when he had no idea if he would transform again.

First, he picked up all the broken pieces of Tessaiga. Then he led the others to where the kids were huddled under a fallen log. They looked up at him with wide, lost eyes swirling with hope and fear. Inuyasha looked away.

"It's over," Miroku said, kneeling down in front of them. "The demon's gone."

They nodded silently, tears slipping down their cheeks.

"We're going to help you," Sango said firmly. "Do you have family nearby?"

"Our father's sister and her family live over that way," the young boy said, pointing off to the west of them.

Sango nodded. "Alright. We'll take you there. Some of my friends are hurt, and we need to get you two some food before anything else. We'll leave in the morning."

The kids huddled together around the fire that Miroku built. The autumn night was cold, so Miroku dropped his kesa over their shoulders. Kirara returned with their few possessions left behind in the cave, all of it clamped in her jaws. Miroku pulled their medical supplies from his robes, but he was hesitant to stitch them up without cleaning out the wounds first. His eyes darted to the mangled mess that was Inuyasha's ribs. There would be no use treating him until those had been dealt with, anyway. He caught Sango's eye and waved her over to the edge of the forest.

"Are you able to reset bones?" he asked quietly, and she nodded in understanding.

"I can, but it won't be pretty." She glanced pointedly at the kids.

"I'll keep them busy," Miroku promised. "You stay here with Inuyasha and Kirara."

Sango frowned. "You want to go off alone with the kids? In the middle of the night? With Kagura still out there?"

Miroku swallowed, and he hated the words which came from his mouth. "It will be safer if Kirara stays here with you."

Neither of them looked over at Inuyasha. Sango nodded, though she looked less than thrilled.

"Do either of you know where the well is in your village?" Miroku asked the two children. "And the storehouse, perhaps?"

The kids nodded tentatively and stood, hugging his kesa around their shoulders. Miroku was loathed to leave Inuyasha, and hated to be bringing the children back into the midst of their village with the bodies still littering the ground, but Inuaysha's wounds were healing at an unprecedented rate, and they couldn't afford to leave it any longer. Besides, from what he'd seen, most of the human bodies had already been eaten by Goshinki by the time they arrived. Somehow, in the twisted world they lived in, that made it better.

Sango watched Miroku disappear through the trees, each of the children holding on tightly to one of his hands. She looked over to see Inuyasha also gazing at him, unmitigated sorrow in his eyes. Her heart ached for him – and his pain was far from over for the day.

"Come on," she said, motioning him over to a tree. "You're going to want to be holding on to something for this."

She tried to keep her breathing and heartbeat calm as she prepared to set his ribs. Some of them were broken, while others were popped out of place. There were two on his left side that were sticking out at odd angles. Those were the ones she would have to break so that she could reset them to heal properly. And she had no idea if the pain from that might spark Inuyasha's youki back to life, and cause him to transform once more. She clenched her jaw and picked up Hiraikotsu, aimed it carefully, and swung. The sound of snapping bone rang through the forest.

It took far longer than any of them were comfortable with for Inuyasha's ribs to be back in place. The entire time, he hadn't made so much as a sound, but instead had his eyes squeezed tightly shut and his ears pinned back while he pulled deep breaths through his nose. Sango tied them securely, a temporary measure until Miroku could stitch up the claw marks down his torso. The monk and two children returned shortly after, with each of them carrying a basket of food and Miroku with a large pot full of water tucked under his arm.

Inuyasha insisted that Kirara be taken care of first, as her side was a red-stained mess at this point. They cleaned and washed the gouges down her flank and Miroku carefully stitched the wounds shut, while Inuyasha carefully washed the blood from his face. As Sango began bandaging her, Miroku knelt down in front of Inuyasha and nudged his arm out of the way so he could unwrap his ribs.

"How are you feeling?" he asked gently, quiet enough that the others couldn't hear.

"I'll live," Inuyasha said gruffly, not meeting his eyes.

Miroku frowned. "I don't know what happened today, but we'll figure it out, alright? We're here for you."

Inuyasha looked away, his ears flicking dismissively.

xXx

As soon as the sun rose, Sango and Kirara were searching through the village while Miroku and Inuyasha stayed in the forest with the children. Kirara couldn't carry any of them on her back with her injuries, but from what the children were describing, it would take around two days to walk to the village where their aunt lived. None of them were comfortable taking so long. Inuyasha had offered to carry the kids over on his back, but it had been a half-hearted suggestion, and neither Miroku nor Sango felt comfortable taking him up on his offer. They had discussed summoning Hachi, but it could take anywhere from one to three days for the tanuki to track them down.

So they had to improvise. Sango found an old horse-drawn wagon tucked away beside a storehouse. The two shafts were wide enough apart that they wouldn't rub on Kirara's sides as the pulled the wagon, and it would be a lot easier on her than trying to carry any of them. Sango hated that she was asking so much of the twin-tail when she was injured, but none of them were in a particularly good situation at the moment. She fixed the leather straps around Kirara and let her test it out, adjusting to the weight of the wagon behind her. She then called the others over, trusting that Inuyasha's hearing would catch her voice.

"We should be able to get there and back before the end of the day if we leave now," Sango said, lifting the children into the wagon.

"Inuyasha and I should stay behind," Miroku said. "We can clean up the village somewhat, and it will be better for Kirara to have to pull only three of you."

Sango frowned. She didn't have to tell Miroku that she didn't like leaving him alone with Inuyasha right now. She didn't need to hear him respond that if Inuyasha was going to transform again, then he should be as far from a human village as possible. Neither of them had told the hanyou just how close he came to striking Miroku before he transformed back. They didn't particularly want to think about it. Inuyasha, for his part, was silent on the whole affair. Sango acquiesced with a grimace and climbed onto the wagon. Kirara took off at a run, and they quickly disappeared down the forest path.

Inuyasha watched them go. Miroku watched Inuyasha.

"We should pick up the carcasses before they start to smell," Inuyasha said, turning away.

"Yash," Miroku said gently, stopping him with a hand on his shoulder. "Wait. Talk to me."

Inuyasha shrugged off his hand. "There's nothing to talk about."

"Please don't shut me out on this," Miroku said pleadingly. "What do you need?"

"What I need?" Inuyasha snarled, eyes blazing. "I need Naraku to be dead. I need that bastard to stop trying to kill us every other fucking day. I need you and Sango and Kirara to be _safe_. I need to know what's going on in my own fucking _body!_"

He stalked away, and Miroku could only follow after him quietly. As much as Inuyasha tried to deny it, he was in a significant amount of pain. The first time he tried to move one of the horse carcasses, he gasped and dropped it back to the ground. They worked together to clear away some of the debris from the village, but quickly tired.

Inuyasha was drained from the fight, and Miroku was aching from the blow from Goshinki. They ended up sitting at the edge of the forest while Miroku mended Inuyasha's suikan and Inuaysha sat silently beside him. Inuyasha didn't know if it would have made a difference if he was wearing the jacket. The hair of the Fire Rat may have offered some protection from Goshinki's claws, but would it have been enough? Would it have kept him from transforming?

His hadagi was beyond saving. It was nothing more than shreds of white fabric. When Miroku finished mending his suikan, to Inuyasha's surprise, he shrugged off his robes and took off his own hadagi, handing it over.

"You need it more than I do," Miroku said when Inuyasha hesitated. "I still have my koromo. It'll be a little while before we can afford to buy a new one."

Inuyasha took it tentatively. He would usually insist that he didn't need it, that humans got cold more easily and he was fine on his own…but it smelled like Miroku.

Sango and Kirara arrived back by noon, with the news that the children had been safely delivered to their aunt's house, and that the woman had rallied the people there so that they would be coming over to the village over the next few days to clean up and perform funeral rites. It meant they had no reason to stay. They couldn't fly, and none of them could walk particularly quickly, so they gathered up their various weapons and set off in the first direction that looked appealing. They moved in silence, and none of them could shake the feeling of eyes at their backs.

* * *

My apologies for saying that I wanted to upload twice a week and immediately not doing that. Chronic illnesses be like that sometimes, and this chapter also turned out to be way longer than anticipated. Inuyasha's reaction of "Oh shit, the kids!" was exactly what I said just as I was wrapping up. I'm going to try to get two chapters out next week, but no promises


	44. Chapter 44: s2e17

Warnings for this chapter: negative self-perception, feelings of loss of self, temporary character death, another serious head injury, some swearing

* * *

Sesshomaru walked slowly behind, letting Jaken and Rin discover the carcass for him. He could smell the demon remains from across the forest, as well as the familiar yet unfamiliar scent. As soon as he caught that scent, he knew that he had to investigate. The other two stood before a collection of bones, torn flesh, and a head with deep gouges down the face.

"Who on earth could have done this?" Jaken asked, to himself or Rin, it was never very apparent.

"It was Inuyasha," Sesshomaru answered regardless as he walked up behind them. Because it was undeniable. "He did this, although I doubt he was able to escape unscathed."

The scent and traces of blood on the ground painted an interesting picture. He could smell Inuyasha's progression around the human village, his menagerie of companions, and the demon they fought. And then Inuyasha's scent had changed. Most of his blood which clogged the air was unremarkable, but a few drops here and there left a lingering scent of demon. Full demon. Inuyasha's very blood had transformed, and now carried almost an identical scent to their father's or Sesshomaru's own. At first he didn't understand it. Then, the scent clinging to the fangs in the slain demon's mouth provided some answers.

Sesshomaru leant down to pick up the severed head by one of its horns, examining it thoughtfully. The movement startled Rin, who began screaming shrilly. Sesshomaru tuned her out. The scent of the sword coated the demon's fangs. This creature must have broken Tessaiga in half. That settled it. Sesshomaru turned and walked away, head in hand. Rin was still screaming behind him.

"Enough of that, Rin," he ordered. "Stop it."

"Yes, my lord!" she said chipperly, immediately running after him. She had been speaking quite often recently, a stark contrast from how she acted when he first encountered her. He still didn't know what to make of her, but for some reason he couldn't explain, he had yet to leave her in a human village. No place they found seemed suitable for her, even if he had no desire to keep her around for much longer. It was a problem for a later time, for there were more pressing matters at hand.

He did not know what the transformation in Inuyasha's blood entailed, but one thing was certain – he needed to know more.

xXx

The swamp air was putrid with the smell of sulfur, rotting flesh, and marsh fire. Sesshomaru picked his way carefully across the boggy ground, not wanting to sink into the muck. Skeletons of demons, deer, and oxen alike scattered the ground, growing in number as they approached the small, unassuming hut. Sesshomaru cut through the cloth covering the doorway and stepped inside, instantly spying the figure lying on the floor. He was more human-looking than most demons of his class, though there would be no mistaking him for mortal. He had large eyes with slitted pupils, sharp pointed teeth, and the suggestion of horns atop his bald head. A necklace made of small skulls sat around his neck. He stank of sake, unsurprisingly based on the empty jug which lay on the ground next to him.

"Who are you?" the demon asked gruffly, sneering.

Sesshomaru tried not to sniff in distain. "You are Kaijinbo, I take it?" The demon raised a bushy eyebrow. "I have heard of your skill and the swords for which you were banished by your old master."

Kaijinbo grumbled. "Totosai, huh? I haven't thought of that old pisspot for a long time. His name still makes my blood boil. You'd better have a good reason for reminding me of his existence."

Sesshomaru threw the severed head of Inuyasha's kill on the floor. "Well, Kaijinbo? Would you like to forge a sword out of this demon's fangs?"

Kaijinbo's eyes narrowed and he crawled forward to examine the head, and scoffed. "Don't take me for a fool, you dog. I cannot make a sword from something that's already dead! Where do you expect me to find its power?"

Sesshomaru pulled Tenseiga from its sheath, and Kaijinbo instantly backed away. Sesshomaru ignored him soundly, focusing on the dead. Through the sword's aura, he could see the youkai from the netherworld crawling along the severed head, consuming its essence. He slashed through the head with Tenseiga, dissolving the small youkai. He watched in satisfaction as the deep gouges down the skull began to close and its eyes glowed red, its youki flaring back to life.

Kaijinbo cackled as he crawled over to investigate. "You've reanimated it!" he said gleefully.

"Allow me to explain something, Kaijinbo," Sesshomaru said coldly. "This sword, Tenseiga, was forged by your old master. The fangs of the demon who lies here before you broke Tessaiga, another sword forged by Totosai."

A slow smile spread across Kaijinbo's face as he looked up at Sesshomaru. "Incredible. Yes, these fangs will make a most powerful sword! Give me twelve days."

Sesshomaru sneered. "You have ten."

xXx

Inuyasha stared into the river, the sounds and smells of his companions fading away around him as they ate and talked amongst themselves. The broken pieces of Tessaiga lay at his feet, scattered across Sango's extra carrying cloth. He didn't know what to do. Yes, he'd survived for two hundred years without the sword, but he'd come to rely on it ever since he got it. They were facing enemies that were stronger than ever, Naraku being the primary one, and they needed to be getting _more _able to fight him, not _less._ He'd let down his pack once again, and now they were all in trouble.

Inuyasha stared at his claws, as he'd been doing a lot over the past few days. As hard as he tried, he couldn't remember much of that night. After Goshinki had broken Tessaiga and struck him down, there had been nothing but an inky black swirl of agony and despair. Then he'd heard Miroku cry out, and something had woken deep inside of him. It was like he was burning from the inside, a desperate desire to live pulsing through his veins. He knew on an instinctual level that he couldn't die yet – his pack had been in danger. The smell of Kirara's blood, of Miroku's pain, of Sango's fear, it sent him spiralling higher and higher until there was nothing but the bone-deep desire to kill.

He's come back to himself with satisfaction thrumming through his veins – satisfaction at killing Goshinki. He'd never experienced anything like that before, and it scared him. As a half-demon, he was weak, but at least he knew how to rely on himself. What to expect. That was gone. He had no idea why this particular fight caused him to transform when there had been _hundreds_ in the past. He didn't know if he would transform again. He knew that something had shifted inside himself. Not only the wounds from Goshinki, but all his other injuries had completely healed over the last four days. He felt _different _in a way he couldn't describe, and it had him constantly on edge.

He'd pulled away from the others, and he knew that they'd noticed. Miroku had been shooting him worried looks constantly, but what else could he do? Sango had been looking at him differently as well. She was a demon slayer. It was her job – her heritage – to hunt down dangerous demons and kill them. Well, he now firmly fit into that category. In a weird way, he was almost glad that she was keeping an eye on him, even if it killed him a little inside. He couldn't afford to hurt his pack. That would truly destroy him.

"Here," a voice said from beside him and he startled, not having noticed her coming up behind him. Sango pressed a grilled fish into his hand firmly, her mouth pressed tight but her eyes gentle. He took it gratefully.

"Thanks."

"Are you going to come eat with us?" she asked, and there was a slight stiffness to her words that hadn't been there before. Not since she first met them, at least.

"Nah," he shook his head. "I'm good here."

She nodded and placed a hand on his shoulder as he rose. A little of the lingering feeling of _wrongness _dissipated. Even if they were more careful around him, they were still his pack, and they still accepted him. He hadn't lost them yet.

As he took a bite, the sky darkened around them. Inuyasha shot to his feet, hand reaching for a sword that was no longer at his hip. Sango was back at his side, while Miroku and Kirara stood by fire. A lightning bolt struck the ground by their feet and Inuyasha and Sango jumped back reflexively. When their vision returned, it was bright daylight again, and a three-eyed ox stood in front of them. The ox mooed insistently.

"Is that Mo-Mo?" Miroku asked incredulously as he walked over to them.

"Looks like," Inuyasha grumbled, scrutinizing the demon.

"He came alone?" Sango wondered.

"Master Inuyasha!" a voice exclaimed, before a dark speck jumped from the ox's side onto Inuyasha's nose.

Inuyasha rolled his eyes and slapped Myoga off his nose, but not before the old flea had taken a bite. He snatched Myoga from the air as he fell and sighed.

"It _is _him!" Miroku said, leaning in to inspect the flea. "You were hiding out at Master Totosai's all this time?"

"How rude!" Myoga exclaimed, jumping up and down. "You make it sound like I'm some coward running away when I have been conducting important business on your behalf!"

"Well, you _did _run away," Inuyasha pointed out flatly.

"Nevermind that!" Myoga insisted. "Tell me what happened to Tessaiga! Tell me you didn't-"

He stopped, obviously seeing the bits of sword on the ground.

"This demon called Goshinki bit it in half when I was fighting him," Inuyasha said. "It's not my fault! The bastard is one of Naraku's incarnations."

"Incarnations?" Myoga asked incredulously, then shook his head. "Master Inuyasha, you must take the pieces of the sword and go to Master Totosai."

"You mean he can repair it?" Inuyasha asked hopefully.

"Yes!" the flea insisted, jumping up and down for emphasis. "There's no time to lose. Mo-Mo will take you right to Totosai's home. Now, hurry!"

Inuyasha nodded thoughtfully.

"Do you think he can carry us all?" Sango asked. "Kirara's side hasn't fully healed yet, so we can't ride her."

"Don't worry about that – I'm going alone," Inuyasha told them all decisively.

"You're what?" Miroku asked, incredulity and worried caution fighting in his voice.

"It'll be faster if I go alone," Inuyasha insisted, and when they all eyed him skeptically, he sighed. "It'll be safer for everyone if I go alone. I don't want to transform and hurt anyone."

"Yash-" Miroku started, but Inuyasha shook his head firmly.

"Are you sure about this?" Sango said. "If you're worried about transforming, wouldn't it be better if we came with you?"

"The sooner I get Tessaiga repaired, the better I'll feel," Inuyasha said, hopping onto Mo-Mo's back. "I only transformed because Goshinki almost killed me. Once I have a sword again, I'll be able to defend myself better and keep it from happening again." He gently nudged the ox in the side with his heel. "Bye for now!"

Miroku watched him go, a pit forming in his stomach. Mo-Mo walked a safe distance away before lightning crackled around him and he lifted into the air, taking Inuyasha out of sight.

xXx

Sango poked the fire with more force than was strictly necessary. Myoga said that Inuyasha could be gone for a number of days, and there was no way to know when he would be back. They had to stay where they were so that he could find them again, which meant that a nice spot by the river to have some fish had turned into their campsite until further notice – an open spot in the middle of a wide, grassy field. They were exposed, immobilized, and missing a key member of their group. Kirara had been pacing around nervously, while Miroku had been staring into the fire since Inuyasha left, unnaturally quiet.

"You said the demon was an incarnation of Naraku?" Myoga asked thoughtfully from his seat on Kirara's head.

"He got a hold of most of the Shikon Jewel," Miroku murmured, still not taking his eyes from the flames. "He's much stronger now, and he can create minions from his own flesh."

"And this demon broke Tessaiga?" the flea continued.

"I don't know if it was his plan from the beginning, or simply a lucky attack," Sango said. "He bit it in half."

"And you are certain that Master Inuyasha went through a transformation at this point?" Myoga asked.

"Yes, he was badly injured right after Tessaiga was broken," Miroku said. "Why do you ask? Do you believe that the two events are related?"

"I do," the flea said, closing his eyes and folding his arms. "Tessaiga may be Master Inuyasha's greatest weapon against his enemies, but Lord Tōga left it to him for an additional purpose – it keeps his youki at bay."

"What do you mean?" Sango asked suspiciously. "Is it like a sacred seal?"

"Is that why full youkai cannot touch it?" Miroku added.

"Not exactly," Myoga said. "As a hanyou, Inuyasha has a different youki from those in demons. His human and youkai blood are mixed, but they are not always in harmony – the night of the new moon is proof of that. In a situation where Inuyasha's life is in immediate danger, his demon blood will take over to keep him alive, thus causing the transformation you witnessed. His youki has awakened, and altered the very blood which flows in his veins. I could taste it earlier."

"How does Tessaiga factor into all this?" Miroku asked quietly.

"The sword is bonded to Master Inuyasha," Myoga said. "That much is evidence from his ability to access the Wind Scar. When he holds Tessaiga, his youki is channelled through the sword and will therefore not allow him to transform."

"So you're saying that when Tessaiga broke, that connection was lost, and Inuyasha's youki took over," Sango clarified.

"Why now?" Miroku asked. "He only found the sword a few months ago. The wounds he sustained were serious, but surely they couldn't be the worst that he ever had!"

"I believe it was more than simply grievous injury," Myoga sighed. "Dog demons are strongly bonded to their pack. That Inuyasha was wounded to the point of being unable to fight while his pack was still under threat most likely triggered the transformation. Now that his youki has been awakened in this way, it will happen again every time his life is in danger and Tessaiga is not at hand."

Miroku leaned back, closing his eyes as his brow furrowed. "Alright, so Inuyasha becomes something close to full-youkai when he doesn't have Tessaiga. Is that necessarily a bad thing? It's a part of who he is. Surely with some practice, he will be able to better control himself."

Myoga shook his head firmly. "Inuyasha's death is inevitable once the Tessaiga is broken. His youki will be harder than ever to control even with the sword, and without it, he will be lost. Inuyasha is hanyou – his body is not designed for youkai powers. When he transforms, his youki will take over his mind completely. He will no longer be who he once was."

"What does that mean?" Sango asked cautiously. "Is he dangerous?"

Miroku's eyes snapped to hers, and she held his gaze firmly. He frowned deeply and looked away.

"Master Inuyasha would be acting on pure instinct when transformed, with no room for rational thought," Myoga shrugged. "If his youki recognizes someone as not being a threat, then that is how he will respond. However, if he transforms when his life is in danger, as it most likely would be, then he may register everything as a threat, and react accordingly."

Miroku ran a hand down his face, swallowing hard. "We must tell him when he returns. He has to know to be more careful not to lose the sword."

"He must not find out!" Myoga said insistently. "You know of the Master's wish to become a full youkai. If he were to discover what Tessaiga was doing to him, he would abandon the sword to become a demon all the time!"

"We can't _not _tell him," Miroku said immediately. "He has right to know! Not doing so is manipulative and wrong, and I refuse to be a part of it."

"Think this through, Miroku," Sango said quietly, her eyes downcast. "You saw how he was when he was transformed. He almost struck you, and that was after Goshinki was already dead! Myoga said that the transformation would only be worse now that his youki has awakened. He would be unstoppable. He could kill."

"He's _Inuyasha_," Miroku said, a little pleadingly. "He's our friend! He saved our lives when he transformed, Sango!"

"I'm not denying any of that," Sango continued, though the words looked like they pained her to say. "I'm simply asking for us to be smart about it. Inuyasha will want to use Tessaiga either way as soon as it's repaired. Why tempt him with something he cannot have? Why worry him unnecessarily? It will be safer for everyone to carry on as normal, at least for the time being. If it looks like it will be an issue later, then we can reconsider."

Miroku turned his gaze back to the fire, pressing his lips together firmly. He could only imagine how dangerous Inuyasha could be when not in control, and he had refused to stop pursuing the Jewel to make him a full demon despite Miroku's repeated pleas. But not telling him felt wrong on a deeply instinctual level. It was Inuyasha's body. He had a right to make his own decisions on what happened to him, and it was wrong for them to keep it from him. But was it worth the risk? Miroku was reasonably confident that once they explained things to him, and he knew the danger than transforming would present to his pack, Inuyasha would reject the very thought of becoming youkai – at least by this method. But how certain was he? Was it worth the small chance that Inuyasha would ignore their advice, toss away Tessaiga, and go on a rampage? Could they risk the lives of others on their decision?

xXx

Inuyasha watched in distain as Totosai literally cried over the broken pieces of Tessaiga. The old demon's tears dripped onto the red-hot floor of his cave and evaporated with a sizzle. Inuyasha was safely on an elevated rock, though he was doing some fuming of his own.

"Such a fool, such a fool!" Totosai was wailing. "Only the most monumentally stupid fool would allow this to happen. Oh, what has he done to you, my precious Tessaiga?"

"Yeah, yeah," Inuyasha growled, crouching down on his rock. "Stop bawling and start fixing my sword, will ya?"

"Listen here, youngster!" Totosa snapped, his head whipping around to stare him down. "You think it's so easy!"

Inuyasha froze. "You mean you can't _fix _it?"

Totosai harrumphed and picked up the lower half of Tessaiga by the handle. "I'm a master swordsmith. I can repair anything! This should only take me the course of five days, but I'll require something to bond it."

"Like what?" Inuyasha asked.

Totosai picked up a pair of metal pliers. "Open up for me, would you?" he asked casually.

Inuyasha obediently opened his mouth, asking a garbled "How's this?"

Totosai struck, lightning fast, and pain shot up the side of Inuyasha's head. His hand clamped over his mouth and he tasted blood. When the red faded from his vision, Totosai was examining the fang which he yanked from his skull.

"Well, I guess this will have to do," he sighed.

"Whatcha do that for, you old fucker?" Inuyasha hissed, his hand still pressed over his cheek.

"Quit your whining!" Totosai said dismissively. "Your tooth will grow back in half a day, you ungrateful whelp."

"You're getting to be a real pain in the neck, old man," Inuyasha growled as he stood. "You've got five days to bring me my repaired sword. I'll be waiting for you where Mo-Mo found us."

Totosai's brows furrowed. "Why do I have just five days?"

Inuyasha's face snaked forward to a hair's breadth from Totosai's own, his ears flattening against his skull. "Because that's how long you said you'd need to fix it," he said in a deadly whisper.

"Ah…" Totosai nodded unconvincingly.

"Aw, hell," Inuyasha shook his head straightening. "I'm counting on you, old man. Don't mess this up!"

Totosai shouted a 'goodbye' after him as he left. Outside, Mo-Mo was waiting for him, apparently unfazed by the glowing red-hot ground. Inuyasha leapt onto the ox's back, more than ready to reunite with the others.

xXx

Miroku didn't bother to hide the enthusiasm with which he rushed to see Inuyasha upon his return the following morning. The hanyou didn't meet his eyes, and one of his ears twitched distractedly. Miroku tugged him closer for a quick embrace, trying to pretend that everything was fine. Inuyasha hugged him back, but it was a little stiff, and he still pulled away much too soon.

"What's the word?" Sango asked.

"He said he can fix it," Inuyasha reported. "It'll take five days and he'll bring it to me here. The bastard took one of my teeth to do it, too."

"Good," Miroku said firmly. "We can hold on for five days. I'm sure nothing else will attack us in that time."

They all chuckled incredibly half-heartedly, ending in silence as they all stared somewhere in the middle distance. Miroku and Sango ushered Inuyasha over to sit by the fire. He described Totosai's lair, the giant demon's skull which sat in the middle of a volcano, and then asked how they had fared.

"Uneventful," Sango shrugged. "Myoga disappeared just before you arrived."

"Good," Inuyasha said, stretching. "We got some food? I'm starving."

"Nothing yet," Sango said. "But there's plenty of fish in the river."

"Fair enough," Inuyasha nodded, climbing to his feet.

"I'll come with you," Miroku said rising as well.

He valiantly ignored Sango's glare, and he thought he had gotten away with it when she also pushed to her feet. "We might as well all go. Kirara can help fish, and I need to refill our canteens, anyway."

It was Miroku's turn to glare, but it was half-hearted at best. He didn't even know if he was _going _to tell Inuyasha about Tessaiga, but if he was, Sango was a fool to think that her presence would stop him. No, he just wanted a moment alone with the hanyou. They hadn't had any privacy since Goshinki, and Miroku mourned the loss of steady contact between them. Inuyasha had been distance over the past few days – there were no more shoulder bumps or sporadic embraces, no lingering touches as he redressed his own wound, and at night, he slept on the opposite side of the fire. It _hurt _as much as it worried him, and Miroku knew that a conversation needed to be had.

However, Sango seemed determined to keep them both in her sights at all time. They ate, washed their clothes, and took turns napping under the faint afternoon sun. Sango was able to walk around without problem now, though she still couldn't move too quickly. She also slept frustratingly infrequently throughout the day. It wasn't until that evening that Sango announced she wanted to have a wash in the river. Inuyasha nodded and turned back to the fire, but Sango's eyes were boring into Miroku's skull. He gave her a soft look and her shoulders sagged, defeated. She knew that if he was going to tell, she couldn't stop him. She gathered Kirara and disappeared down the river, giving them the privacy for whatever was going to happen.

"So," Miroku said softly as soon as they were out of earshot.

"So," Inuyasha agreed, staring into the fire.

"How are you feeling?" Miroku asked, a little awkwardly, fiddling nervously with a loose twig.

"M'fine," Inuyasha shrugged. "You? How's the belly wound?"

"It's healing fine," Miroku said. "No infection."

They fell back into uneasy silence, something standing between them that hadn't been there before. Miroku knew that he wasn't the only one feeling the sudden tension, but he also knew that he wasn't the only cause of it. They needed to get everything out in the open. He took a deep breath, steading himself, and then Inuyasha spoke.

"Miroku, we need to talk about something," he said, still not looking up from the fire.

Miroku swallowed. "We do."

"What happened with Goshinki…" he trailed off, picking a bit of bark off one of the logs and flicking it into the fire. "I still don't remember everything, but I'm piecing together what happened."

"Yeah?" the monk asked softly, warily. Maybe he wouldn't have to reveal anything, after all.

"I remember you talking to me after I killed Goshinki," Inuyasha said, staring hard at the ground. "I was still out of control and you were walking towards me."

Miroku's heart sank. This wasn't what he wanted to be focusing on.

"I told you to stay away," Inuyasha continued, his ears flicking back and staying there. "I _told _you. And you didn't listen."

Miroku looked away. "I knew that I needed to get through to you."

"I could have hurt you."

"I knew you wouldn't."

Inuyasha growled, and suddenly his eyes were blazing. "You couldn't have known that! You know why? Because _I _didn't know that! I was out of control, Miroku. I had no idea what I might do!"

"You had enough control to try to keep me safe," Miroku countered gently. "And nothing bad happened. You came back right away."

"I almost struck you," Inuyasha said in a low growl. "I don't remember it, but I don't have to. I'm not blind, you know. I can see the way you and Sango and Kirara all look at me. Sango looked _horrified _after I came back. You've all been on edge around me, and don't think I didn't notice Sango babysitting me all day!"

Miroku frowned. "That's not-"

"It is!" Inuyasha snapped, his voice getting increasingly louder. "I'm dangerous and she knows it. Kirara knows it. You're the only one who's not getting it!" Inuyasha sighed, took a deep breath, then continued in a softer voice. "I don't know if I'm going to transform again, but if I do, I need to know that you're going to keep yourself safe."

Miroku stared at the ground. "I'm not going to abandon you. If I think I can get you back, then I will."

Inuyasha growled and lunged. He clutched Miroku to his chest, one hand clenching tightly against the back of his head before softening to cradle it there. "I can't let you get hurt," he whispered into his hair. "Especially not because of me. I can't."

Miroku grasped at Inuaysha's robes as he held him close. "You won't hurt me. I'll make sure that _all _of us are safe. Sango's watching out for you, too, alright? She's worried about you – _for _you, not _of _you. We're all here for you." He wrapped his arms more tightly around the hanyou. "Just, please don't pull away from me. Please."

Inuyasha buried his nose in Miroku's neck and squeezed his eyes shut.

When Sango returned from her bath, eyes wary, Miroku shook his head. Not now. Not yet. If Inuyasha felt that he might be a danger to them, then Miroku wasn't going to feed his fears. After Tessaiga was repaired, and they all had a chance to calm down, he would tell him. For now, he just needed to hold him close.

xXx

"This is stupid," Inuyasha sighed. "How is this supposed to help us?"

"You can't use it if you don't know how!" Sango said, propping up her head with her hand. She was leaning against a rock by the edge of the river, Kirara on her lap, directing her two companions through a series of slow movements with their daggers.

"We're not even training on each other," Inuyasha pointed out. "We're just waiving them around in the air like a couple of idiots."

"That's because you _are _a couple of idiots when it comes to daggers," Sango shot back. "Once you actually know what you're doing, I'll feel comfortable letting you try some parries without stabbing each other."

"I still don't get it," Inuyasha grumbled, examining his weapon. "What's the point of a dagger when I have a big-ass sword?"

"You _broke_ your big-ass sword!" Sango exclaimed in exasperation. "What happens if you do it again? Or if you hurt your arm again and can't wield a two-handed sword?"

"I'll use my claws!" Inuyasha countered. "I basically have a dagger attached to each finger!"

"You can't throw your claws, and it hurts a lot more to block another weapon with your hand than it does using a blade," Sango coached patiently. "It doesn't hurt to have an extra weapon handy and to know how to use it."

"Fine!" Inuyasha rolled his eyes before turning to Miroku. "What do you have to say about all this?"

The monk was simply grinning back at them, carefully passing his dagger from hand to hand. "I'm having fun," he shrugged.

Inuyasha huffed dramatically, but he couldn't help but smile in return. He had to admit, he did feel a little better knowing that he would be able to protect himself over the next few days. He suspected that was why Sango had suggested this training. It also felt good to actually _do _something, to work his aching muscles and burn off the nervous energy simmering in his gut. Sango had them going at a slow but relentless pace, working through different positions and footwork, just getting a feel for the unfamiliar weapons in their hands.

By the evening, she had them alternating attacks and defenses on each other, moving at a quarter the speed that they would be normally. They laughed more often than not at how ridiculous they looked, and both Inuyasha and Miroku took the opportunity to touch each other's sides and arms more than was strictly necessary. All of them were in good spirits by the time they finished up, even though they were exhausted. Sango had shown them a few moves with her own dagger, but even that short burst had wiped her out. She fell asleep next to the fire with Kirara keeping watch. The other two were scarcely any better – Inuyasha hadn't slept for a few days, and Miroku's wound was still giving him some trouble. They left to go downriver and wash away the sweat that had been dripping from them by the end of their training.

"Since when did she get so scary?" Inuyasha asked, stretching out his arms as they approached a good spot. "I swear, she can bark orders like any general."

"You just noticed?" Miroku grinned tiredly. "She'll have us whipped into shape in no time."

"Yeah, or run us into the ground," he muttered, pulling at his suikan.

Miroku shed his robes quickly until he was in nothing but his fundoshi and tekkou. Inuyasha's hands stilled in his hadagi. The monk had stopped needing bandages the previous day, leaving his entire torso to be admired. Inuyasha's eyes travelled down his muscular back, swallowing hard. When Miroku dropped his fundoshi as well and stepped into the water, Inuyasha felt his face go red. A low keening sound escaped his throat and Miroku turned around, mildly alarmed. That only made it worse.

"I can't be here," Inuyasha said in a strangled voice.

Miroku watched, stunned, as he turned and ran. For a moment, he couldn't figure out what was wrong. When it hit him, the sound of his laughter followed Inuyasha across the field.

xXx

"So tell me again why you're here and Kirara's with him?" Sango said, sounding way too amused for Inuyasha's liking.

"He wanted a wash and I didn't!" he said defensively. "It's not like we're attached at the hip. Get off my back!"

"Alright," Sango said, holding up her hands peacefully. "I just think it's interesting that you've taken to bathing separately over the past few days."

"It's not that interesting," Inuyasha grumbled. "I took the chance to get you some fish! Say thank you and move on!"

Sango grinned as she skewered the last of said fish and placed it over the fire to roast. She still didn't know exactly what was going on between her friends, but she had her suspicions. Even if she was wrong, she was glad that they were getting along so well. Inuyasha huffed, his one ear flicking back to join the other. That was another thing that Sango hadn't failed to notice – whenever Miroku was out of sight, at least one of Inuyasha's ears was trained on him at all times. She could be wrong, but she didn't think he did that with her or Kirara.

"Sango," Inuyasha said softly, and his tone had turned sombre. "I need to ask you something."

"What is it?" she asked, instantly wary.

"If I transform again, I need you to make sure I don't hurt anyone," Inuyasha said quietly. "Whatever it takes. Miroku isn't thinking straight on this, but I know you will be."

"I won't attack a friend," Sango said. "No matter what the situation. I'll hold you back, but if you're looking for someone to fight you, you can look elsewhere."

"You can't let me hurt anyone."

Her eyes were hard. "No one's going to get hurt, and that includes you."

Inuyasha sighed and looked away. Sango stared into the fire. Maybe Miroku had been right after all – maybe telling Inuyasha was the best option. He had truly matured over the short time that she had known him. She thought that she could trust him to do the right thing.

xXx

The sun was setting, and Inuyasha was _fuming_. Five days. Five fucking days! That's what Totosai had said! And here they were, at the end of the sixth day, and no sign of the old codger. It was too late to get anywhere before sundown on foot, and Kirara's side still wasn't healed enough for them to ride on her. Miroku suggested that maybe she and Inuyasha go alone, but that would leave him and Sango out in the open. It was possible that they could at least make it to a forest for cover if they ran, but then what? Totosai was supposed to meet them in the same place that Mo-Mo found them.

So they were stuck. And this couldn't have happened at a worse time. Inuyasha was practically vibrating with pent-up energy as he sat in front of the fire. Miroku and Sango had taken up protective positions on either side of him, and it only served to make him feel even more like shit. He'd failed his pack over and over again recently, and he _hated _it.

Miroku scooted closer to him, pressing the length of their arms together. He sighed and closed his eyes, breathing in the monk's scent while he still could. Even as his senses dampened, his stupid emotions were running rampant. It was always like this on the new moon. He felt everything more keenly – fear, pain, and apparently, whatever this thing was with Miroku. His regular desire to be close to the monk had shifted into a desperate need, and he could barely stop himself from showing it.

It didn't help that his instincts were warning of danger. He was exposed, without his primary weapon, and more and more people knew about his secret – his most carefully hidden weakness. He glanced at the two humans on guard on either side of him, at Kirara pacing a slow circle around them, ears twitching and nose in the wind. He thought of Shippo and Kaede back home, the ease with which they had accepted the short explanation he was willing to give. Yeah, a lot more people knew about his weakness, and yet none of them had turned away. They all stood by his side and wanted to help him.

Damn.

He sighed heavily, and if there was a slight keening whine in the sound, that was no one's business but his own. He watched the sun dip below the horizon, felt the transformation taking hold. He felt the strength leech from his limbs, the power draining from him as his youki went dormant. The world was darker, dulled in all his senses, and he felt tired and sore. Miroku pressed even closer than before, and when he risked a look, the monk's eyes were shining with an expression of soft wonder.

Inuyasha pushed to his feet.

"Where are you going?" Sango asked instantly, reaching for Hiraikotsu.

"Not far," Inuyasha promised. "I just need some time to think."

Truth was, he needed to run away from all these feelings or he was going to drown. All the stupid things he felt when he looked at or touched or thought about Miroku were driving him out of his mind. All the affection, amusement, pride, guilt, frustration, lo- He shook his head. Mortal emotions were such a nuisance. He would be glad to be rid of them once he finally became a full youkai.

He glanced behind him, quickly catching the inquisitive violet eyes.

But how much of what he was feeling would stay after he shed his mortal half? If he was a true demon, how would he react to Miroku or the others? Would he still cherish them as strongly? Surely, he would feel the same about them. Kouga was a full demon, and he certainly cared about his pack. His youki was the part that always reacted when he felt strongly about something. His goodwill towards mortals couldn't just be from his mortal blood.

Then again, who was to say that his youkai self would be any different from the creature he'd become when he transformed? If he became a demon, he could be a heartless beast driven only by instinct and bloodlust. Or he could be like Sesshomaru, driven by the need to be a snarky, superior fucking asshole all the time and have no emotions whatsoever. He didn't know.

He startled when Miroku sat down next to him. Stupid human hearing.

"I missed you," the monk said quietly, looking out over the river.

"Yeah," Inuyasha murmured.

Miroku's hand casually dropped down on top of where Inuyasha's lay, a brush of cloth and fingers over the skin, feeling the blunt human nails.

"How does it feel?" Miroku asked. "To go so quickly between youkai, hanyou, and human?"

Inuyasha sighed, looking up at the stars. "It's weird. Everything feels so different each time. It's like I'm in a whole 'nother body, like I'm seeing the world a new way. Turning mortal is always rough, but after being so powerful after Goshinki? Forget it. I hate being so weak."

Miroku's lips tugged into a small half-smile, and his eyes were sad. "Is being human really so terrible?"

"You wouldn't get it," Inuyasha said. "You live as a human all the time. You know how to deal with it. I just have to sit here and be useless."

Miroku made a soft noise of acknowledgement and looked out over the water once more, at the reflection of stars dancing along the surface. He intentionally kept from glancing down at his right hand. Deal with it, indeed. Mortal lives certainly seemed like a weakness compared to some.

"Being a human doesn't mean you aren't still strong, you know," he said softly. "You've never been weak."0

Inuyasha's eyes snapped to his, and he frowned. Without the clues provided by Miroku's scent, he was lost, but he knew the monk well enough to feel when something was wrong. "I never said that _you_ weren't strong," he said slowly, cautiously. "You and Sango, you're the strongest people I've ever met – human or demon."

"So why do you not see the same in yourself?" Miroku prompted gently.

Inuyasha huffed and looked away. "It's not the same."

Miroku supposed he was right. He would never experience losing his powers and being utterly vulnerable on a routine basis – even if Inuyasha was still spectacular as a mortal. In the same vein, he would never see a dawn where strength came rushing back into his body, where his frail mortal coil was left behind in the wake of power and new life. When the sun broke over the horizon, Inuyasha would be reborn, and Miroku would remain merely human.

He cast the thoughts aside. It was a different transformation which weighed on his mind this night.

"Yash," he asked quietly. "Do you still want to become a full demon?"

He received only a guarded, brown-eyed glance in response. If his ears could still move, Miroku knew that Inuyasha's would be shifting back.

"You frightened me the other day," he continued, voice barely there.

Inuyasha growled, exposing blunt human teeth. "You should have been scared of Goshinki! I fucking saved your life."

"I know you did," Miroku said placatingly. "That's not what I meant. I was never frightened of you, but I was worried that I wouldn't be able to reach you. You were so different, your face…" He shrugged. "I felt like you weren't _my _Inuyasha anymore, you know?"

Inuyasha swallowed hard as he blinked up at the sky, where birds were circling amidst the inky blackness. His hand turned where it lay under Miroku's, and he wound their fingers together and clutched tightly.

"But I still was," he whispered hoarsely. "Yours."

Miroku pulled him closer from where their hands were intertwined and lowered them to the ground. Inuyasha's head came to rest upon his chest. It should feel demeaning, or patronizing, or like he was being coddled. Instead, with his ear pressed against soft fabric, listening to the steady beat of the monk's heart, and wrapped in warm, strong arms, he felt safe.

"We should head back to camp," Miroku murmured after a long while, and Inuyasha could feel the vibration through his chest.

"Mm," he said eloquently, grabbing a fistful of purple cloth and tugging him closer. Nimble fingers brushed through his hair and a soft sigh escaped him. He closed his eyes, forgetting where and when he was for just a moment and sinking into the sensation.

Miroku felt a soft smile tug at his lips as he continued stroking Inuyasha's hair. No matter how many times he saw it, the transformation was stunning. There was no doubt in his mind that Inuyasha was beautiful – the sharp cut of his jaw, the arrogant arch to his brow, the blazing intensity of his eyes… He had an ethereal grace often present amongst the more powerful youkai mixed with a familiar human loveliness. Even as a mortal, his attractiveness had far from diminished. Yet without the ears and the fangs and claws, with the more human eyes and hair, he looked softer, younger. Miroku knew little about how demon or hanyou ages translated into human years, but Inuyasha looked like an exquisite youth, no older than Miroku himself, if not a little younger. It made Miroku want to explore those features, to trace them with his fingers and lips. He thought, with a small thrill, that someday he might be able to. The notion still felt unreal, and he couldn't believe his good fortune.

"What?" Inuyasha asked softly, startling him from his thoughts, and Miroku realized that the hanyou was watching him with warm eyes. "You were staring."

"Looking at you," Miroku said, and there were other words on the tip of his tongue, words that he knew could not be spoken.

They looked at one another for a long moment, getting lost in each other's eyes. Then Inuyasha shifted, and his expression closed. "I'm worried about transforming again," he said very quietly, as though he hadn't yet admitted it even to himself. "I'm worried about what that will mean for all of you. I didn't care too much for humans before I met you, and I don't want to lose what I got."

"You won't," Miroku murmured. "You never treated humans the way that some demons do. You always saw them as people, even if you may have missed their value. And you're a caring soul, as much as you try to deny it. And you're constantly improving." He smiled proudly, ran his fingers through Inuyasha's hair. "It's not just that you're good – you're doing better, _so much _better. No one can deny that."

Inuyasha huffed and looked away, though he couldn't keep the smile from his face. "Your judgement might be a little biased where I'm concerned."

"I'll have you know that my judgement is impeccable in all things," Miroku told him firmly. "It's why you keep me around."

"Ah, well, I always wondered why I did that."

Miroku grinned, closing his eyes as he fought off the urge to smother the hanyou. "Come on. Sango and Kirara will be worried."

xXx

Sesshomaru stood at the other end of the swamp, letting Jake traverse its dangers to retrieve the sword. Ten days had passed, as promised, and he was eager to see what creation the master had forged. He waited, growing increasingly impatient, as time passed with no word. Then, there was the faint smell of blood on the air. Familiar blood. He started forward, following the trail to Kaijinbo's hut. The scent was joined by that of the demon himself, and a strange new presence that Sesshomaru couldn't place.

He stepped into the hut and found it empty other than the corpse of Jaken, cut cleanly in two. It seemed that Kaijinbo had completed the sword, but had a different opinion regarding to whom it should belong. He pulled Tenseiga from its sheath, focusing on the youkai from the netherworld crawling along Jaken's body. He slashed through them in a blaze of blue-black light, and Jaken gasped.

"How am I alive?" he asked weakly, before catching sight of the lower half of his body, which lay some distance away from the top half. "I knew it!"

"Let's go, Jaken," Sesshomaru said, already turning to the doorway. "Pull yourself together, quickly."

"My lord!" Jaken stuttered, stumbling after him as his body slowly reattached itself.

"Has Kaijinbo completed my sword?" he asked with mild interest.

"Yes, Lord Sesshomaru," Jaken rushed to explain. "He forged a masterful sword from the fangs of that demon, but his face and presence has changed. It is almost as if he has been possessed by the sword itself."

"I see," Sesshomaru said faintly, the path ahead slowly forming in his mind.

xXx

Inuyasha absolutely refused to get some sleep, claiming that he had never once slept while he was mortal and he wasn't about to start. Miroku was the opinion that he was a stubborn fool, and let him know as much in so many words.

"Do you have any idea how many enemies are after me?" Inuyasha growled. "If any of 'em attack me when I'm human, I don't stand a chance in hell."

"Odd," Miroku intoned, casually grabbing Inuyasha by the shoulders and pulling him down towards him. "It's almost as though we're fighting the same enemies. And – now don't get me wrong – it's _almost _as though you have people around you who care about you, and will do anything to protect you."

Inuyasha harrumphed and side-eyed him as Miroku took his head between his hands and none-too-gently pushed it down into his lap.

"Is this what we're doing now?" Inuyasha asked, trying to sound annoyed.

"Yes."

He scoffed and closed his eyes and tried not to moan at the feeling of Miroku's fingers brushing through his hair. He soaked in the sensation, leaning more and more firmly into the monk, his limbs growing heavy. Especially when Miroku's fingers began gently massaging his head, leeching the tension from his bones and the fear from his mind. Inuyasha hummed quietly, the world starting to slip away.

Miroku's hand stilled quite suddenly. Kirara growled. Sango lifted Hiraikotsu over her shoulder, her eyes flashing around.

"You sense it?" she asked quietly, her body tensing. "A very powerful aura."

Miroku glanced at the horizon, where the sky had taken on a significant red glow. A series of loud screeches sounded through the air as a flock of birds scattered, startled by _something_. A line of red power shot across the ground, racing towards them. They all leapt to their feet, Miroku immediately stepping between Inuyasha and the red light. The line stopped just short of the monk and shot into the sky, dissipating to reveal a demon wielding a large, double-edged sword. His eyes were glowing an eerie red, the same colour as the aura flowing around the sword's blade.

"Which one of you is Inuyasha?" he asked in a thundering voice.

"Why?" Inuyasha snapped from behind Miroku. "Who wants to know?"

"I am Kaijinbo," the demon said. "And this is my Tokijin. I forged this sword, and now it cries for a taste of the blood of Inuyasha."

They all stiffened, Miroku's arm and staff slowly coming out to the side to block the demon's view of Inuyasha. His mind was racing. Somehow, this Kaijinbo had come looking for them without the knowledge of what Inuyasha looked like. If they played it out just right, they might be able to get Inuyasha away without revealing his human state.

Kaijinbo hummed thoughtfully, his sword swinging through the air, and it came to a stop pointing directly at Inuyasha.

"Well, then," the demon grinned. "You are he? The sword has taught me so. Disappointing. I expected a demon, not a mere mortal!"

Miroku clenched his jaw. "Inuyasha, do you know this man? Have you wronged him in the past?"

"No."

"You heard him," he said firmly, eyes hard as he stared down Kaijinbo. "Leave now and be done with this."

The demon cackled. "As I told you, it is the sword who thirsts for his blood. The fangs in this blade tasted your sword when they wrought it in two."

"He used Goshinki's fangs?" Inuyasha gasped, taking a step back.

"That sword is filled with Goshinki's hatred of you," Sango said.

"Keh!" Inuyasha spat, reaching to his hip for his dagger. "I've heard everything I need to. Prepare yourself, Kaijinbo! I'll hack you to pieces!"

Miroku's staff shot out in front of him, while Sango said "Stay back, Inuyasha!"

"Let me and Sango handle this," Miroku said, already running forward with her.

Inuyasha watched them go, a sinking feeling in his chest. Kirara bounded in front of him, growling ferociously. Shit. How was he supposed to help them now? He watched Sango throw Hiraikotsu at Kaijinbo, the weapon flying past his right shoulder before returning, on the path to strike him from behind. Kaijinbo whipped around and, with a swing of Tokijin, cut straight through Hiraikotsu. Sango gasped as the two pieces clattered to the ground. Then Miroku was running, reaching into his robes and grabbing a handful of sutras. He threw one at the sword, which stuck to the blade and dispelled some of the angry red aura. Another landed on Kaijinbo's head. Miroku swung his staff down hard, slamming it down onto Kaijinbo's face with a flare of spiritual power. Light shot from the sutra and Kaijinbo fell back, his skull cracked open like an egg.

Inuyasha shook his head in disbelief. Of course he knew that his companions could fight, but he rarely just sat back and watched them at it. These humans, these brave, remarkable humans were his pack, and he couldn't believe it. Normally, such displays would have made him feel even weaker – he wasn't only stuck as a human, but a useless, weak human at that – but instead it filled him with a quiet hope. If two humans were able to face down these demons alone, then just maybe, he could learn to as well.

Miroku turned around and their eyes met. Inuyasha was hit with such a strong wave of affection that it almost knocked him off his feet. Then Tokijin pulsed. The sutra on the blade dissolved. Kaijinbo's hand clenched around the hilt.

"Behind you!" Inuyasha shouted, panic lacing his voice.

Miroku spun around as Kaijinbo stood, seemingly dragged to his feet by Tokijin. He began running clumsily at the monk, who dodged his blow easily and danced out of reach. Kaijinbo laughed, raising the sword into the air.

"Tokijin is invincible!" he proclaimed boldly. "No sword can match it!"

It suddenly made sense. The enemy here wasn't Kaijinbo – it was Tokijin. Inuyasha could almost sense the power radiating from the sword even as a mortal. Kaijinbo rushed at Miroku again, swinging wildly. Miroku jumped back, moving a little to the side each time, drawing Kaijinbo back away from Inuyasha. When one strike came too close, he slapped a sutra on the head of his staff and sparked a barrier to life. Kaijinbo grinned and stabbed Tokijin forward. The point of the blade tore through the barrier and would have plunged straight through Miroku's chest had he not jumped back.

And then Sango was there, striking at Kaijinbo's back with her own sword, causing him to turn around. Just like Miroku, she avoided crossing blades with Tokijin, knowing that the sword would cut straight through her own weapon as it had Hiraikotsu. She glanced up at the sky, just as Inuyasha had been doing frantically since the fight began. The pink glow of dawn was creeping up from the horizon. But even when Inuyasha transformed back, he still wouldn't have a weapon to stand against Kaijinbo.

The demon staggered past her, Tokijin lifting to point straight at Inuyasha. "Come for me, Inuyasha!" he goaded. "Or are you so afraid that you can't move? Hiding meekly behind these humans!"

Miroku and Sango exchanged a wary look, silently pleading for Inuyasha to not take the bait.

"Hah!" the hanyou laughed, crossing his arms. "I'm not that stupid! It's me you're after, and yet you're the one waiting your time." He threw his arms open wide. "I'm not gonna run or hide. Come at me, Kaijinbo!"

Kaijinbo growled and ran for him. Inuyasha gently pushed Kirara out of the way, lifted his arm, and threw his dagger at the demon. It landed solidly in his chest. Kaijinbo didn't stop running. Inuyasha's face paled – he may have miscalculated, slightly. Kirara butted in front of him and he grabbed onto the fur around her neck as she took off into the air. Kaijinbo swung wildly but Tokijin missed her as she soared overhead, landing safely beside Miroku and Sango. Inuyasha ignored the incredulous look Miroku shot him as Kaijinbo spun back around, grabbing the dagger from his chest and dropping it carelessly to the ground.

The demon ran once more. Miroku raised his staff. Sango reached under her armour for a box of poison powder. Then a lightning bolt struck the ground between them and the charging demon. When the blinding light faded, a moo filled the air. Totosai eyed them all curiously, sat atop Mo-Mo with a sheathed Tessaiga leaning over his shoulder.

"Totosai!" Miroku called immediately. "Have you repaired the Tessaiga?"

"Oh, dear," the old demon shook his head, tutting. "I should have known that you lot had something to do with all this commotion."

Inuyasha leapt onto Mo-Mo's back, growling as he snatched the sword. "You're late, old man."

He jumped back to the ground, his hand on Tessaiga's hilt.

"Master, don't do it!" a voice sounded in his ear. He eyed Myoga incredulously. "Tessaiga will not transform when you are in your human form!"

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "You came back here just to tell me _that?_"

Meanwhile, Totosai had turned to Kaijinbo. "It's been a long time."

The demon grinned. "I took you for dead, Totosai. What a disappointment."

"You've been busy crafting another wicked sword, haven't you?" Totosai asked, his eyes narrowing. "I could feel its evil all the way from my forge."

Kaijinbo chuckled, holding Tokijin out in front of his face. "Totosai, I shall prove to you once and for all which of us is the better swordsmith."

"Master Totosai, you know Kaijinbo?" Miroku asked, coming to stand beside Inuyasha.

"He was once my apprentice," Totosai said somberly. "I banished him a long time ago, after he killed ten innocent children to create a wicked sword. What a wretched beast! He covered the blade with human blood and oil in order to make it seethe with hatred."

Kaijinbo pointed Tokijin at Inuyasha. "Draw your sword, Inuyasha!" he growled. "I'll crush Totosai's creation before his very eyes."

Inuyasha scoffed, unsheathing Tessaiga. "I won't waste any time!"

As he launched himself forward to face Kaijinbo, Miroku and Sango stepped closer to Totosai.

"I hope you've bade the Tessaiga even stronger than before," Miroku said, watching the still-mortal Inuyasha nervously.

Totosai hummed thoughtfully. "Perhaps a little."

"A little?" Sango exclaimed. "Kaijinbo's sword is forged from the fang of the demon that broke Tessaiga."

"Ah…" Totosai said, glancing over to the fight. Inuyasha leapt at Kaijinbo, the untransformed Tessaiga meeting Tojikin with a clash of blades. Sparks of energy flew from the two swords, their auras competing for dominance, and Inuyasha was flung back by the force of it. He stabbed the tip of Tessaiga into the blade, surprised to see blood dripping from the blade. He glanced up at Kaijinbo, but there wasn't a mark on him other than the blow to the head from Miroku, and Inuyasha himself wasn't injured. It took a moment for him to realize that the blood was coming _from _Tessaiga. Was it from the way it had been repaired? Or was Tojikin so evil that it made his sword bleed?

Kaijinbo was running at him, Tokijin lifted above his head. Miroku was running from the opposite direction, but Inuyasha threw out his arm to block him. A red aura was seeping from Tokijin, trailing through the air behind it. Inuyasha blocked the next swing with Tessaiga, and spurts of blood shot from the blade. He pushed back against Tokijin with all his strength, but it he was _weak_ and _mortal _and it had never been so hard. He shoved Kaijinbo away with a growl and climbed to his feet before jumping back. He eyed Tessaiga which, even in its untransformed state, hadn't broken or even chipped from its encounter with Tokijin.

Kaijinbo was grinning. "Your body will give in long before your sword does!"

"Sorry to disappoint, Kaijinbo," Inuyasha drawled, and he could feel the power thrumming beneath his skin. The sun was rising. "That sword of yours may be pretty strong, but you're not nearly skilled enough to wield it. You shoulda killed me while you had the chance!"

Claws sprang from his nails, the world sprang to life with bright sounds and smells, and his youki swirled around him. Kaijinbo shrank back, eyes wide. Inuyasha grinned, all teeth, and lifted Tessaiga as it transformed with him. He held the blade upright, glad to see it whole once more. Then it tipped sideways before the blade crashed to the ground. Inuyasha stared. What the _fuck? _He tried to lift it again, but it didn't budge. Inuyasha caught sight of Totosai out of the corner of his eyes, and his newly reformed ears flattened against his skull.

"Hey, Totosai," he called, deceptively calm. "What the _hell_ have you done to my Tessaiga?"

The old demon scratched his head in apparent confusion. "Are you having some kind of problem?"

The sound Inuyasha made was somewhere between a scoff, a growl, and a whine. "As if you hadn't noticed! Why is this thing so heavy? What'd you _do?_"

Because he couldn't even lift up the blade with both hands. He'd wielded trees like clubs before and even they weren't as heavy as this thing. He should have known that the old fool would mess it up somehow!

"Oh, it must have something to do with that fang I used as a bond," he shrugged. "Don't worry about it."

Inuyasha shot an exasperated look at Miroku, who was behind him. Determination, wariness, and a hint of amusement were playing about on the monk's face as he raised his staff questioningly. Inuyasha shook his head – he'd kill Kaijinbo his own damn self!

Kaijinbo was laughing again. "No use having a sword you can't even hold!" he mocked. "I'll slice you in half, Inuyasha, along with your pathetic sword!"

He ran, Tokijin angled dead ahead. Inuyasha heaved with all his might, bringing Tessaiga up over his head before it fell back against his shoulder. He yelled at he ran, using all his forward momentum to propel himself at Kaijinbo. He swung Tessaiga forward as Kaijinbo did Tokijin. The blades clashed together with a pulse of power which shot from them like a wave, slamming into everything around them, scattering the birds which still circled overhead.

* * *

Miroku: I  
Inuyasha: I  
Miroku: Am  
Inuyasha: Am  
Miroku: Valid  
Inuyasha: Valid  
Miroku: I am valid  
Inuyasha: I must complete the Shikon Jewel and use it to become A FULL-FLEDGED DEMON! THAT IS THE ONLY WAY I'LL EARN RESPECT AND BE STRONG, WORTHY, AND GOOD ENOUGH

A couple of notes from Sesshomaru's end: firstly, I definitely don't want to imply that Tenseiga magically cured Rin's trauma to make her speak again, because that's not how life works. Rather, I think she's just learned to trust her definitely-not-dad and feels safe talking around him. Secondly, I absolutely hate when someone's like "I can do this thin in X amount of time" and the other person is like "You have less than that." Like, no? If they could do it in less time, they would have told you that? And Sesshomaru is absolutely the kind of pompous asshole who would pull something like that


	45. Chapter 45: s2e18

Warnings for this chapter: mild gore, loss of self, injury caused by a loved one, threats of violence from a loved one, discussions of autonomy and self-determination, angst

* * *

Inuyasha pushed back against Tokijin as hard as he could, but he could barely hold Tessaiga upright, and Kaijinbo was holding his ground. Sparks of energy shot from Tokijin as the aura around the sword pulsed, sending waves of power through Inuyasha. It made him feel sick to his stomach, and he couldn't imagine how the rest of his pack was faring. He growled and threw all his weight into blocking the blow, but neither sword budged. Instead, he pulled back – there was no use exhausting himself like this. Kaijinbo immediately swung Tokijin, but it was a slow, uncoordinated attack and Inuyasha easily leapt out of the way. The weight of Tessaiga dragged him down, however, and the sword tipped over onto the ground, wrenching his arm along with it.

Inuyasha snarled. It was infuriating! Kaijinbo barely knew how to handle a sword, for all his skill in making them. This wouldn't even be a real fight if Tokijin wasn't so powerful, and if Tessaiga wasn't so damn heavy! He should have finished that demon off already, but instead he was barely managing to keep up. What the hell had Totosai been _thinking?_

"Pathetic," Kaijinbo sneered. "You don't even have the strength to hold up your own sword!" He laughed, and Inuyasha swore. "Prepare yourself!"

He charged holding Tokijin out in front of himself. Inuyasha yelled as he ran, lugging Tessaiga behind him. He swung his sword forward so hard that it almost threw him off balance, and the two blades clashed once more. Inuyasha glanced over the demon, Sango's training flashing in his mind. Kaijinbo's stance was wide open for attack, but he couldn't let go of Tessaiga with either hand or even move his feet to sweep the legs. He was stuck!

Tokijin was shooting bursts of power all around them, into the sky and ground and even back at Kaijinbo. Tessaiga was glowing with golden light, the sword itself fighting off against its opponent's aura. Inuyasha could feel his youki swirling within him and he desperately tried to shove it back down – there was no way he could transform again now! He could also feel Kaijinbo's youki, which was flaring ever brighter as it mixed with Tokijin's aura. Inuyasha grunted as Kaijinbo took a step forward, forcing him back – his muscles were shaking from the strain of holding off against the overwhelming force. Kaijinbo was laughing again.

"Pathetic, Totosai!" he grinned. "I would have expected-"

He cut himself off mid-sentence, and his eyes widened. The angry red aura around Tokijin flared once more and began climbing up Kaijinbo's arms. Some of the pressure against Tessaiga eased off and Inuyasha drew back, eyes wide. Kaijinbo's skin was slowly dissolving as pulses of red energy shot out from inside of him. Inuyasha backpedalled wildly, Tessaiga dragging along the dirt. In a flash of light, Kaijinbo was gone, and Tokijin fell tip-first into the ground. The sword glowed even brighter than before, with Kaijinbo's severed hand still clinging to it before it turned to dust.

"My, my," Totosai shook his head, standing beside the horrified humans. "Tokijin held up, but Kaijinbo himself was unable to withstand its power. The very sword he forged!" He tutted softly. "The wretched fool deserved it."

Tessaiga transformed quietly into its smaller state and Inuyasha growled as he turned around and charged at Totosai. "I wanna talk to you," he snarled, landing in front of the old demon. His breath was coming in sharp gasps from the exertion of the fight.

"Something about the sword you don't care for?" Totosai asked mildly.

Inuyasha let out a slightly hysterical whine and shoved Tessaiga right into the demon's face. "How in the hell do you figure I can carry around such a heavy sword? One thrust and I need to stop and rest."

Totosai made a soft noise of understanding and stared up at Inuyasha with wide, unblinking eyes. "Do you wish to know how to handle the heavy Tessaiga?"

"You mean there's a way to do it?" he asked cautiously, shooting a skeptical glance at Miroku and Sango.

"And it's simple!" Totosai proclaimed.

Inuyasha closed his eyes and thumped a heavy hand onto the old demon's shoulder, squeezing tightly as his mouth stretched into a toothy grin. "You're not gonna tell me to build up my strength, are you, old man?"

Totosai hummed thoughtfully. Inuyasha groaned, his hands curling into fists. He raised one threatening before spinning on his heel and stalking away. Miroku sighed heavily, while Sango shook her head.

"What now?" she asked, walking over to the severed halves of her Hiraikotsu which lay on the ground. "We can't just leave Tokijin lying in the field for anyone to find."

Miroku stepped closer to examine the sword and frowned. "Strange – the aura around the sword still hasn't dissipated. Shouldn't it have disappeared when Kaijinbo died?"

"Indeed," Totosai muttered, moving past Miroku and reaching for the hilt of the sword. He froze and gasped, throwing his arm out in front of his face and backing away. "The aura is too strong – it's preventing me from extracting the sword! Who could have commissioned Kaijinbo to forge such a weapon?"

Miroku shared a worried glance with Sango and Inuyasha, who had come back to see what all the fuss was about. "We'll have to construct a barrier around Tokijin to contain the aura, else it might spread."

"Can't you purify it?" Sango asked.

He shook his head. "The aura is too strong. I don't know if any of my spells would be able to even seal it off completely."

"And a barrier?" Sango pressed. "How long will that take?"

"We'll need to hire men to build it, and that requires money," he smiled wryly. "Which we're sadly lacking."

Sango eyed him thoughtfully. "Can't you just con some lord for us?"

Miroku gasped and placed a hand on his chest. "I am shocked and appalled that you'd even suggest such a thing!"

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "You've corrupted her, is what you've done."

Miroku smiled, but it quickly fell from his lips when he glanced back at the sword. "It would still take some time to make as much as we need, and even longer to find a town with builders capable of constructing a suitable barrier. Can we afford to leave the sword here that long?"

Inuyasha huffed and shouldered his way past Totosai, unsheathing Tessaiga with a grunt. "I've heard more than I need to. I'll just smash the stupid thing to bits!"

He lifted Tessaiga over his head, almost falling back from the weight, and leapt at Tokijin. A barrier formed around the sword, shooting red sparks out in all directions when Tessaiga struck it. Inuyasha was thrown backwards and skidded along the ground, his sword falling to the ground with a hollow _thunk_.

"The hell?" he grimaced. "Is Tokijin unbreakable?"

Miroku knelt beside the sword and reached into his robes, holding out a sutra experimentally. The paper began to sizzle and quickly shrivelled and burned in his fingers. He looked up at Inuyasha and shook his head.

"It's almost as though it has a life of its own," Sango muttered. "Who would want to wield a sword like this?"

It was a good question, one which Miroku feared he might have the answer to. Whoever commissioned the sword must have felt that they were powerful enough to handle it, while also holding a significant grudge against Inuyasha. They had to have known that Goshinki had broken Tessaiga as well. Sending out an incarnation of himself just to have it defeated, all so he could make a powerful weapon for himself did seem like just the kind of thing Naraku might do.

"It doesn't matter," Miroku found himself saying. "We can worry about that later. Right now, we need to distance ourselves from this place and make a plan."

Inuyasha scoffed incredulously. "You mean you want us to run?"

"Anyone capable of drawing out a sword of such evil will have enormous power," Totosai advised. "You are no match at present."

Inuyasha harrumphed in indignation and turned away, folding his arms pointedly before plopping down to the ground. "I'm not going anywhere."

"Inuyasha…" Miroku started, but he hanyou growled.

"I'm not gonna let some power-hungry bastard show up and become an even bigger problem! You all can sort this out yourselves, but I ain't moving!"

"Tokijin's aura is too powerful to be around for too long," Sango tried. "It's wiser to leave now and find a solution."

Inuyasha lifted his nose into the air, eyes closed and ears back, pointedly ignoring them all. Miroku sighed softly and motioned with his head for Sango to follow. They stepped a safe distance away and glanced back.

"Tomorrow morning, once he's had a chance to calm down," Miroku murmured. "I'll try to get through to him."

Sango frowned tightly. "Can we wait that long? What if the aura affects his youki?"

Miroku shrugged. "Then I'll use my sutras or we can knock him unconscious if we have to."

They shared an uneasy look as they returned to the others. Totosai was glancing around in apparent confusion before looking up at the sky, watching the clouds and the birds. "I wonder if I said something that I shouldn't have."

Far across the field, at the edge of a forest, Kagura smirked.

xXx

Sesshomaru followed Rin's scent to where she and his two-headed dragon mount were waiting by the campfire she had built. Jaken was yammering behind him, distraught at how Kaijinbo could have taken the sword. Sesshomaru was resolutely ignoring him. Rin gasped in delight when she saw them, immediately running towards them. Another scent followed her on the wind – a familiar scent.

"Stop, Rin," he ordered. "Do not move."

Rin immediately froze in place. Sesshomaru leapt over her head, over the fire, to the trees behind. His claws flashed, slicing through two of the trunks. The figure hiding behind them shot into the air, lit by the crescent moon. She flipped through the air and hovered there for a moment before floating slowly to the ground. She was obviously youkai, but her scent sparked anger in his bones. It was the same scent as the demon that Inuyasha had killed.

"I am familiar with your scent, but not with you," he said, eyes narrowed, trying to comprehend the connection between the two demons.

The woman smirked. "I can say the same for you, Sesshomaru. I am familiar with your brother."

"Indeed?"

"I am Kagura the Win Sorceress. I, and that beast you found slain by your brother's hand, are incarnations of Naraku. I believe you're familiar with him."

Sesshomaru's jaw clenched ever so slightly. Naraku. He recalled the demon who had given him the human arm to claim Tessaiga, the insect hive to drive off that human monk who followed after Inuyasha. He had been used by this demon, and that was an unforgivable insult. That demon had had no scent.

"Incarnations?" he asked, interest piqued.

"I know about the fangs you gave to Kaijinbo for a sword, from my fellow incarnation named Goshinki," she continued.

Sesshomaru kept his voice flat. "All very interesting, but did you search me out simply to tell me this?"

Kagura's fan snapped open as she passed it over her face. "Can you not detect its scent? Tokijin reeks of Goshinki's aura. It is closer than you think."

A gust of wind swirled around her. Her eyes locked with his as she plucked a feather from her hair and jumped on it as it expanded, riding it up into the air.

"You are that sword's rightful owner," she called down to him before she disappeared.

Sesshomaru watched her go. Jaken ran to his side, muttering about her arrogance, but Sesshomaru wasn't convinced. He knew that he was being manipulated once more, but that was how things were in demon society. No one spoke without serving their own needs. So long as he could claim his sword – a sword even better than Tessaiga – then he would follow her advice. If she was part of Naraku's pack, then he did not know how this would benefit that bastard. If she wasn't acting on his behalf, then so much the better. He respected those who sought out what they wanted and made it happen.

He almost smiled when he saw Rin out of the corner of his eye, still frozen mid-stride. "Rin, you are free to move."

"Yes, my lord!" she chirped, stretching blissfully before flopping onto the ground. Sesshomaru glanced back up at the sky, watching the stars.

xXx

Sango sketched swirls into the dirt with a twig while Miroku meditated beside her. Inuyasha had refused to so much as look at them all day, and was now to the point of refusing the fish they offered him. Sango had no idea whether there was something going on or if he was simply sulking. Myoga was firmly planted on Inuyasha's shoulder and had been speaking to him quietly all day. None of them felt comfortable going off to the closest village and leaving Inuyasha alone with Tokijin, but neither of them wanted to leave the other alone with Inuyasha while they travelled with Kirara, either. It could take several days to get money, gather builders, and bring them all back to the sword, and there was no telling if Inuyasha would transform from Tokijin's aura during that time.

Totosai had refused to leave as well, claiming that Kaijinbo had been his apprentice and therefore his responsibility, though he sent Mo-Mo off around noon. He sat some distance from the group, down by the river, as he blew another wave of fire over Hiraikotsu and tapped along the weapon with his hammer. He had been rather intrigued by Sango's weapons, listening intently as she explained the process by which the slayers purified and converted demon parts into their armour and tools. He'd agreed to repair Hiraikotsu for them at no charge, so long as he could study it for possible replication in the future. It saved her having to make a trip back to her village, but she still didn't know if she trusted the old demon.

"Would you get off my back?" Inuyasha's angry voice broke through the quiet of the evening. "Stop saying the same thing over and over!"

Sango glanced over at the hanyou, catching Miroku's gaze as she did so. Myoga was bouncing up and down in vexation. "I will not stop until I have your promise! You must not abandon Tessaiga again!"

Inuyasha scoffed. "What do you care? If I can't lift the fucking sword then I'm not going to _use _the fucking sword!"

Sango suppressed a sigh and shrugged at Miroku, who looked grim. For one who didn't want to tell Inuyasha about Tessaiga's control over his youki, the flea was sure drawing suspicion. Sango could see the conflict in Miroku's eyes, knew that it was mirrored in her own.

"Should we just tell him and get it over with?" she asked quietly.

Miroku frowned. "I can't say. He doesn't know, which is why he sometimes abandons the sword, but if he can't wield Tessaiga, then will he be drawn to his youkai form as an alternative?"

"You said it was wrong not to tell him."

Miroku closed his eyes. "I did."

"You must not tell him!" Myoga hissed as he hopped over to them. "You know what Master Inuyasha is like. If he learns of the secret, he will surely abandon the sword and come to rely solely on his transformed claws and fangs."

"You think that he will find them addictive?" Miroku asked warily.

"He has always sought greater power," Myoga said in a hushed whisper. "If he relies on his transformation, then it will become more than a habit – it will be his primary defense, and each time he uses it, his youki will take over more and more."

"So we _tell_ him this!" Miroku snapped, and Sango nodded slowly in agreement.

They glanced over to Inuyasha, surprised to see Totosai walking towards them. Miroku and Sango exchanged a look and crept forward towards the pair, intent on hearing what the old demon was going to say.

"You certainly keep yourself busy," Totosai said, plopping down beside Inuyasha. "Changing into a human one minute, a monster the next."

Inuyasha growled softly. "I'm not a monster – don't say that! It's not exactly like I have any idea what's going on here."

Totosai blinked at him. "Don't you know? You really are stupid!"

Inuyasha's growl was louder this time, and he bared his teeth. Sango and Miroku watched intently – whatever Totosai was going to say was out of their hands, despite Myoga's shrieking protests.

"Myoga told me that you transform into a full demon when you're on the verge of dying. That's not too surprising, really, seeing as you are a half demon," Totosai shifted, looking over at Tokijin. "But if you ask me, your strength doesn't lie in your demon nature. As I explained to you, the weight of your repaired Tessaiga comes from the fang I used to forge it. Originally, Tessaiga was forged from your father's fang alone – you were relying on your father to protect you. But now, Tessaiga is different. Now, you must master your own fang, and you must protect yourself! Once you manage to freely wield this new Tessaiga, you will have truly discovered your own strength."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes, rejecting the words out of instinct. But in doing so he glanced behind him, and saw Miroku and Sango looking at him with shining eyes. Miroku offered him a small, encouraging smile. Inuyasha's ears flicked back and he looked down at the sheathed Tessaiga. He supposed Totosai was right – Tessaiga had given him the strength to fight against any of the opponents they'd met thus far. He needed to be able to master it again. His pack was counting on him! He'd figure out how to wield the sword, even if it meant rigorously building up his own strength like Totosai had suggested.

"We believe in you," Sango's voice washed over him. "If you set your mind to it, you can do it. We're right here with you."

Inuyasha ducked his head as his cheeks burned and his eyes stung. He still had the lingering feeling that they weren't telling him everything – she and Miroku had been whispering all day, even if they were far enough away that he couldn't pick out most of the words. But he trusted them. If they thought that working on Tessaiga was the right thing to do, then so be it.

Black clouds rolled overhead, blocking out the setting sun. Inuyasha leapt to his feet, instantly wary. Lightning crackled through the sky above them in an ominous display, thunder travelling over them in rolling waves. A flash of green light pierced the clouds right above them, an emerald beam shooting down to the earth. Inuyasha yanked Sango and Miroku back by the collars of their robes as Kirara darted to their side. When the light faded, Sesshomaru was there, riding his two-headed mount. One of the heads shot another bolt of lightning down at Tokijin, striking the sword, and Sesshomaru jumped off their back and to the ground beside it. The blade was crackling with red energy, but the swirling aura around it had dissipated.

Inuyasha stepped forward, placing himself between his brother and his pack, while Totosai yelled in fear and scampered behind Inuyasha to hide.

"What the hell're you doing here?" Inuyasha asked flatly.

"Just what I would ask you," Sesshomaru said coldly. "I've merely come for the sword – it seems the demon you killed was so bitter that it desired revenge after its remains were forged into a sword."

Inuyasha stiffened.

"How does he know about Goshinki?" Sango asked quietly.

Miroku was staring at the inu-youkai. "It must mean that…"

The faint hint of a smirk appeared on Sesshomaru's face. "I am the one who commissioned Kaijinbo to make the sword."

Totosai poked his head out from behind Inuyasha, and though he trembled, his voice was insistent. "Sesshomaru, you must not touch the Tokijin. Even _you _will be possessed by the sword's evil aura. Heed my warning, I implore you!"

Sesshomaru scoffed, immediately walking forward and grasping Tokijin's handle. He held on for a moment as his youki flared around him, and then he pulled it effortlessly from the ground. "Pathetic fool," he intoned. "Just who do you take me for?"

The remnants of the aura surrounding Tokijin vanished like mist into the air.

"He's overtaken the aura," Totosai muttered, frowning. "I don't care much for him!"

Sesshomaru hummed, examining the blade. "The sword has chosen me as its master." He looked up at his brother commandingly. "Draw your sword, Inuyasha. There is something I wish to verify."

"Something about me?" Inuyasha asked, instantly suspicious. He could hear Miroku and Sango's hearts pounding behind him.

"Do you honestly think you can defeat him?" Totosai asked him doubtfully, tugging on his sleeve.

Inuyasha scoffed. "Keh. I can't exactly tell him to come back once I've finished training."

"Precisely," Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed. "Come at me, little brother, or I shall come for you."

Apparently the scant heartbeat of hesitation was enough, because then Sesshomaru was charging at him with youkai speed. Inuyasha swore and took off towards his brother, reaching for Tessaiga. "You're gonna regret this!"

He snarled as he unsheathed his sword and it transformed, immediately slowing him down from the weight of it. The thing was _way _too heavy! He could barely face Tokijin before, and now it was in the hands of someone who actually knew how to wield it. Damn! Sesshomaru lifted the sword, and his own aura had melded with the sword's, leaving a trail of green light through the air. Inuyasha lifted Tessaiga across his body like a shield, blocking the blow, but even he knew that it was a testing strike. Sesshomaru hadn't even gotten started yet!

The power from the strike continued as a wave of green energy which blasted at him, almost throwing him from his feet. It was all he could do to stay put as he dropped to a crouch.

"Is there no chance that Inuyasha can defeat him?" Miroku asked Totosai, not taking his eyes from the fight.

"Well," the old demon hummed. "He still doesn't know how to handle the reforged Tessaiga. Besides, he's up against a formidable team – Tokijin is formidable on its own, and Sesshomaru is skilled with any sword."

"Damn it to hell!" Inuyasha snarled, climbing stiffly to his feet. Sesshomaru's face was utterly expressionless, but his eyes were keen.

It was interesting. Inuyasha's scent was no more than a mere hanyou's, as he had suspected, but that had not been the story etched into the blood surrounding Goshinki. Even now, there was a tinge of something more to the blood which pumped through his brother's veins – something had had not been there before. Sesshomaru stepped back, passing his sword in front of his face. He must witness the transformation within Inuyasha with his own eyes.

Inuyasha locked eyes with his brother, snarling. Sesshomaru was as fast as he was strong. He had to finish him off with one blow, or else he wouldn't stand a chance! Tokijin would slice right through him.

"What, have you altered your combat strategy?" Sesshomaru mocked. "Usually you're charging at me recklessly by now."

Inuyasha heaved Tessaiga over his shoulder as he growled. "Whatever you say."

He yelled as he ran. Sesshomaru seemed utterly unfazed – that didn't bode well for him. He knew that Sesshomaru was goading him, but he didn't have a choice! If he hung back for too long, the asshole would figure out that something was wrong. He leapt into the air, using all his strength to swing Tessaiga over his head. Sesshomaru blocked the strike with Tokijin, one-handed, at an awkward angle. The bastard was just showing off at this point. Sparks flew from the blades, golden and green light mixing from the weapons. Slowly, the aura faded from both swords, and Tessaiga was resting on Tokijin as much as it was pushing against it. Inuyasha was gasping for breath.

Sesshomaru hummed, his head tilting slightly to the side. "I see that Tessaiga has become a touch heavier."

Inuyasha snarled, not bothering to hide the exasperation and frustration from his voice. "It's a _lot_ heavier, you stupid, pompous jackass!"

"If the sword is too heavy for you, then you're better off without it!" Sesshomaru announced, pushing back with Tokijin and almost knocking Inuyasha off his feet. He struck from above and Inuyasha dodged, crouching low to keep his balance. So Sesshomaru swung from below, ripping the sword from his hand and sending it flying up through the air. Tokijin's blast sent a wave of youki through him, flinging him back. Inuyasha tumbled along the ground a few times before rolling to a stop. Tessaiga struck the ground not far from him, the blade transforming down from the power of Tokijin.

Miroku grasped his staff, while Sango's eyes darted to where Hiraikotsu lay by the river. Kirara was already creeping towards it, almost unnoticeable in her smaller form. Meanwhile, Myoga was hopping frantically at Inuaysha, landing on his shoulder.

"Master Inuyasha, hurry and take a hold of Tessaiga!" the flea implored.

"You again?" Inuyasha snapped. "I don't need it!"

He ran at Sesshomaru, claws bared.

"Stop! I'm warning you!" Myoga shrieked. "Don't be so rash!"

"I can't use that lug of a sword, now can I?" he snarled, not slowing down.

"Please, I'm begging you!" Myoga continued, pulling at his hair with all his might. "Stop!"

"Shut up!" Inuyasha snapped, slapping the flea off his shoulder mid-jump.

Sesshomaru hadn't so much as flinched. Inuyasha didn't care. He launched himself off the ground, shouting "Iron Reaver, Soul Stealer!"

Sesshomaru raised Tokijin and the sword pulsed, the red aura returning to the blade. It crackled like lightning around it, while a line of green power shot forward towards Inuyasha. It struck him hard and flung him back, the combination of Sesshomaru's power and that of Tokijin biting into his youki and refusing to let go as pain ripped through him. Inuyasha dug his feet into the ground as he landed, curling into a low crouch. Sesshomaru raised his sword, Miroku began to run, and Totosai snagged him back with a hand on his robes.

Inuyasha had fallen to his hands and knees and was breathing raggedly. There was a distinct red tinge to his vision as he looked up at Sesshomaru, baring his teeth. His brother looked back coldly, calculating. The bastard. Inuyasha pressed to his feet, his muscles screaming in protest.

"Inuyasha, run!" Miroku shouted from behind him.

"I've seen all that I needed," Sesshomaru murmured, pointing Tokijin at him before charging forward. "Die!"

Sango snatched Hiraikotsu from Kirara's jaws and flung it at Sesshomaru, but he jumped over the weapon without so much as a glance. She turned her attention to Tessaiga, which stuck from the ground only a few paces away. Miroku tried to run, to put up a barrier between Inuyasha and Tokijin, but Totosai was holding him back once more. He thrashed in the old demon's grip. Inuyasha hadn't moved, head bowed where he stood. Slowly, he dropped back into a crouch, and his youki pulsed. Ever so slightly, Sesshomaru slowed. Miroku kept his eyes fixed on Inuyasha as he felt the transformation take hold.

Sesshomaru stopped. That scent again… The wind blew in great gusts across the field, whipping Inuyasha's hair to and fro. There was the flash of his eyes, but they were no longer amber. The whites had turned a deep, bloody red, and a slim ring of indigo surrounded his pupils, which narrowed as he focused on his prey. His claws and fangs extended, and faint purple markings slashed down his cheeks. He snarled, saliva dripping from his fangs, his fingers digging into the ground.

He crouched lower to the ground, ready to spring forward. Sesshomaru started again in turn, lifting Tokijin above his head.

"Take him and flee from here!" Totosai said earnestly, shoving Miroku and Sango behind him before taking in a deep breath. He spewed a wall of fire across the field, which shot in between Sesshomaru and Inuyasha. Sesshomaru halted and glared angrily, his eyes flashing at Totosai. Miroku ran. Inuyasha stood, looking for a way to reach his opponent. Miroku grabbed his arm and pulled, trying to get him away from the fire which played dangerously near his hair. Inuyasha whirled on him, snarling, and his claws flashed. They dug into Miroku's shoulder.

The scent of pain and blood shot through Inuyasha's mind like an arrow, clearing away the red fog. His vision snapped back into place, in a whirl of purple and black, and then there was movement, a whispered apology, and pain shot through his head. He cried out and stumbled back, clawing at the piece of paper slapped on his brow. His youki shrank back inside of himself from the pulse of spiritual power.

"-asha!" a voice was shouting over the wind and fire and rush of blood in his ears. "We need to go!"

He shook his head, disoriented. There were hands on his shoulders, more on his legs, and he was being hoisted into the air. His face hit something warm and furry and then he was moving. A hand fell firmly between his ears, holding his head down, and he shut his eyes. His mind was still having trouble connecting the pieces, but all the scents surrounding him were warm and familiar – safe.

Sesshomaru lowered Tokijin. If he truly wanted to, he could jump over the rapidly spreading flames. He could pursue them. He watched Instead he turned, calling upon the storm which had brought him here, and summoned the rains. Lightning crackled along the sky and poured onto the burning field, reducing it to smouldering ashes. A bolt of lightning that wasn't his own struck the ground, and a demon ox stepped out. Totosai emerged from the last of the flames and regarded Sesshomaru warily, eyes narrowed. He climbed onto the ox's back and tapped its haunch with his hammer, sending it flying back up into the sky. Sesshomaru walked away.

Jaken appeared beside him, fetched by his dragon mount. "My lord," he asked at once. "Why did you not kill him? His scent lingers in the air still!"

Sesshomaru ignored him and climbed onto the back of his mount. He had no desire to linger, and he didn't like leaving Rin unattended for too long. Jaken continued to yammer behind him, but he block out the grating voice. To think that his little mongrel of a brother could produce such a fearsome sight. Sesshomaru did not enjoy battles that he could not win, and there was a good chance that, as wild as he was, Inuyasha may have gutted him alive.

He glanced across the field, a now familiar scent sweeping away the cinders. He caught red eyes watching him, and pointedly looked away. He didn't care to speak with that Kagura anymore. At least, if nothing else, he had ascertained the cause of the change in Inuyasha's scent, and had proven that his new sword could easily defeat Tessaiga.

Kagura smirked. This one was strong, and that sword made him even stronger. He might just be able to kill Naraku – a potent mix of stubborn inu-youkai and a sword indirectly forged from Naraku's own flesh could be enough. She leapt onto her feather and ascended, still deep in thought. She knew that there was a good chance that Naraku was watching her, with his spies hidden all over the land. She couldn't face him directly, not while he held her heart in his hands. But he could not hold her captive indefinitely. She was the Wind itself! One day, she would be free. And Naraku would pay.

xXx

They eased Inuyasha off Kirara's back as he blinked owlishly up at them. He wasn't bleeding, which was no small mercy, but Sesshomaru's final blow had done some damage.

"Is he following?" Miroku asked Kirara, and she shook her head.

He caught Sango's eye, his own worry mirrored there. They both doubted that escape would be so easy. Once Inuyasha was up and moving once more, they would find a storehouse or some village to spend the night.

"At least we don't have to worry about containing Tokijin," Miroku said, and Sango shot him a dry glare.

Inuyasha shifted into his arms, his claws digging into his robes, though this time they didn't pierce the skin. "Sesshomaru?" he murmured, his words slightly slurred.

"Gone," Miroku reported, tugging him more firmly into his arms. "Totosai drove him off. You're safe – we're safe."

Inuyasha glanced up at him warily before he sighed, squeezing his eyes shut. A moment later he tensed and his eyes snapped open, and he was looking over Miroku frantically. His gaze settled on the five dark smudges leaking through his kesa and he sucked in a sharp breath.

"They're nothing," Miroku insisted quickly, and Inuyasha shook his head firmly.

"I hurt you," he whispered in a mangled voice. "You said- I didn't mean-"

"Breathe," Miroku instructed gently. "It was my fault for startling you, but we needed to get out of there quickly."

Inuyasha growled softly, dragging them closer by a hand tangled in his robes. "Don't you dare. Don't you try to take the blame for this, you asshole."

"Can I cast my vote for it being no one's fault?" Sango suggested tiredly, cutting off Miroku's response. "No one's but Sesshomaru's, that is."

Inuyasha huffed and sat back, his ears twitching. "That bastard. Did he really just want to provoke me into transforming?"

"It's possible," Miroku shrugged. "If he was the one to discover Goshinki, and commissioned Kaijinbo to make Tokijin specifically because he knew that Goshinki's fangs broke Tessaiga, then it's more than likely that he smelled your first transformation. He wasn't just testing Tokijin's strength against Tessaiga in this battle – he wanted to test you as well."

"Fuck."

"I agree," Sango said wryly. She caught Miroku's eye, and sighed softly before nodding. She stood, and pulled Tessaiga from where it was tucked into the obi around her waist. "I threw my furoshiki with my travel clothes in it off to the side when Sesshomaru arrived. Kirara and I are going to grab it, then we'll look for a place to spend the night. Scream really loudly if you need anything."

Inuyasha snorted in surprise at this, and took the Tessaiga with a grateful nod. He watched them take off uneasily before looking back at Miroku, his ears twitching warily. The monk offered him a lopsided grin and scooted closer to him, pressing their sides together. Inuyasha lowered his head to rest on Miroku's shoulder, even though he was still tense. He knew when something bad was coming, and this was it. Miroku's fingers combed through his hair, brushing lightly along his ears before settling between them. Inuyasha closed his eyes and leaned into the touch, holding on for just a moment longer before their fragile peace was broken.

"There's something I need to tell you," Miroku said reluctantly, and Inuyasha nodded, shuffling away so that he could look the monk in the eyes. "It's something we've been keeping from you, and that was wrong."

Inuyasha's brows furrowed and he frowned, his mind racing. Was this what they'd been whispering about over the past several days? What on earth could they be keeping from him?

"You no doubt noticed how insistent Myoga became about using Tessaiga," Miroku continued slowly.

"Yeah, that was weird," Inuyasha agreed. "But he's not wrong. I thought a lot about what Totosai said, and I _do _want to master the Tessaiga, even if it is stupidly heavy now. I'm stronger with it than without it. I want to be able to protect you and the others. Until I can handle it, though, I'll need to fight hand-to-hand more. That's why I thought it was odd that Myoga tried to stop me – it's not as though I would win against Sesshomaru when I can't even lift the sword. It was just bad luck that he caused me to transform."

"That's what I want to talk to you about," Miroku said quietly. "It's no coincidence that you transformed the first time after Tessaiga broke, and with Sesshomaru, it only happened after you were no longer holding the sword." He paused, and Inuyasha's frown deepened – he didn't like where this was going. "Myoga told us that your father left you the sword not only to use as a weapon, but because it could stop you from transforming."

"What?" Inuyasha gasped, eyes wide. "How? What- How?"

"Your demon blood means that your youki can take over when your life is threatened. Tessaiga channels you youki and prevents that from happening."

Inuyasha shook his head, standing and beginning to pace. He took a few steps before he whirled on Miroku, eyes blazing. "How long have you known?"

"Since you left to ask Totosai to repair Tessaiga," Miroku said evenly, holding his gaze. "We thought that it would only cause problems to tell you. We were wrong."

Inuyasha shook his head and continued pacing. Hurt welled up inside him but he pushed it down. Because he didn't know if they were wrong. Because Tessaiga suddenly felt less like an heirloom and more like a muzzle. Because it meant that he could have tapped into this strength of him at any time, to save himself and those around him unimaginable pain. He froze. Wait, why hadn't he been able to do it before?

"How is that possible? I had my ass handed to me hundreds of times before Goshinki, and I only had Tessaiga for a few months!"

"Myoga says that it was a combination of Tessaiga breaking, your injury, and the threat to your pack."

"So why did it happen again?" Inuyasha asked. "Tessaiga was only just out of reach, and Sesshomaru didn't even hit me that hard. Yeah, it hurt, but _damn_."

"Myoga says that the first transformation awakened your youki," Miroku said. "It will be harder to control each time you transform."

Inuyasha sat down heavily and looked at Miroku hopelessly. "So, what? I'm just going to change more and more until I can't stop?"

"Not if you have Tessaiga," Miroku said firmly. "You just need to keep the sword close at hand, even if you're not using it." He frowned. "I'm sorry."

Inuyasha huffed and looked away. "Feh. Don't be. It's a shitty thing to keep from me, but I get it. It's kind of a lot to put on a guy." He glanced back at the monk thoughtfully. "You were going to tell me before, weren't you? When we talked about what happened with Goshinki?"

"I didn't want to make it seem like we were forcing you to it," Miroku sighed. "You can still choose to fight without Tessaiga, and to use only your own strength. And I know that you'll be able to adjust to your youki over time – it's a part of you, after all."

Inuyasha growled. "There's no way in hell I would take that risk."

Miroku looked at him enquiringly, his eyes a little sad. "Even if it means not becoming a full demon?"

That pulled him up short. Even now, he could feel the power simmering under his skin from when he transformed, just waiting to burst out again. He'd been able to tear apart Goshinki with only his claws, and he could smell the fear in Sesshomaru's scent as they left. He'd searched his whole life for a way to be strong enough, and it turned out that it was within his grasp the whole time. He wouldn't even need to hunt down the remaining shards of the Jewel. He would be able to defeat Naraku, he was sure of it!

His eyes darted down to his hand, where dried blood coated the undersides of his nails. Miroku's blood. What the hell kind of good would it do him to have power if he went after those closest to him? Maybe once, back before he even met Kikyo when all he could focus on was surviving, he wouldn't have thought twice. But he'd changed since then. Kikyo had changed him. Kaede, back when she was just a nosy little brat, had changed him. And Miroku, well, he'd reached deep inside of him an altered some fundamental part of his being. He had a pack now. He had people that he would lay down his life to protect.

"Not like this," he whispered. "I can't tell you that I don't want to become a full demon, because I do, but I won't let it happen like this. I'm not going to put any of you in danger." He glanced up, catching Miroku's eyes. "And I'm not going to let this threaten what I have with you."

Miroku swallowed hard, but stayed silent.

"So much has happened since we decided to try, but it hasn't changed how I feel about you," Inuyasha said, his voice wavering slightly. "I'll stay a half-demon for as long as I need to if it will keep you safe. Because Miroku, I don't want this thing between us to end."

A broken smile slid across Miroku's lips, and his eyes were shining. "I don't, either," he whispered, and there was so much weight to his words, the shadow of what was left unspoken. "What I said before hasn't changed. I don't know if there will be a future with us until Naraku is dead, but I don't want to stop."

Inuyasha tipped himself forwards into Miroku's waiting arms. He pressed his face into the side of Miroku's neck, clutching at the back of his robes. His youki shifted within him and settled with a satisfied rumble. It was a part of him, a part that cared for Miroku just as much as he did. He recalled the flash of sheer panic that shot through him when he smelled Miroku's blood on his hands. His youki had reared back in revulsion and rejection of the act, had backed off even before the sutra stunned his power. Maybe Miroku was right – maybe he could learn to adapt to his youki better. But that same force was what had hurt the monk to begin with. And that couldn't happen again.

He closed his eyes and tried to shove the swirling thoughts from his mind. They didn't matter. He had Tessaiga back, he would get strong enough to wield it, and he would do whatever was necessary to keep his pack safe.


	46. Chapter 46: s2e19

Warnings for this chapter: mild injuries, aggressive behaviour, discussions of sex, mushiness

* * *

Sango sat across from Inuyasha and Miroku in the old storehouse, eyeing them both warily. Miroku had said that they needed to speak with her, but now he was just staring at a piece of straw on the ground. Inuyasha was tapping rapidly on the floor with his claws, his ears shifting nervously.

"Will you spit it out?" she asked finally, and they both startled. "Who died? What new enemy do we have to face? What's going on?"

Inuyasha glanced at Miroku, and the monk took a deep breath. "It's nothing like that. Inuyasha and I simply wanted to inform you of a development in our relationship."

"We're courting each other," Inuyasha said, then frowned. "Or, we have been for a while now. After we first met Kagura. It's more than just courtship at this point. I dunno. We care for each other, and we wanted to tell you because you're pack, and we care about you, too."

"Huh," Sango said, glancing between the two of them as everything slid into place.

"I know that some humans think it's wrong for two men to be together," he continued. "And pretty much everyone isn't okay with a human and a youkai or hanyou, but we're not asking permission or anything. We're telling you, and if you have a problem with that, you can say it to my face."

Sango's eyes snapped from Inuyasha to Miroku, eyebrows lifted in silent question as he refused to meet her gaze. Obviously, he hadn't shared the conversation they'd had in Kaede's hut all those weeks ago. Not that it was strictly Inuyasha's business what had passed between them, but it would at least have calmed some of his fears.

"I should hope that you would know me well enough by now to know that I'm not going to pass judgement on you for being together," she said, gently but firmly, and Inuyasha's shoulders sagged with relief. "I'm happy for you. So long as it doesn't cause any problems in battle…"

"It won't," Miroku promised. "All of our lives are far too intertwined to let _any_ of us get hurt. As far as we'd go to keep each other safe, we'd do the same for you or Kirara or Shippo."

Sango smirked. "So what you're saying is that we've all got problems being overprotective."

Miroku shrugged lightly, unable to hide the smile that tugged at his lips. Inuyasha glanced between them both, but he was grinning as well. Miroku pushed to his feet and dusted off his lap casually. "Well, that's all I had to say. We should be off."

Sango watched him step out of the open doorway of the old storehouse, but Inuyasha didn't move. His ear flicked to the side and he looked at her thoughtfully. "So, you're really okay with this?"

"Of course! Why wouldn't I be? You and Miroku are both my dear friends, and it gladdens me that you've found happiness in each other." She grinned. "It'll also be a lot safer for the entire female population now that you're keeping him in check – though now I'm just surprised that the male half didn't receive the same treatment."

He sighed, his expression soft. "Thanks, Sango."

"No need to thank me. You two are good together." She stood and picked up Hiraikotsu before glancing at him pointedly. "Oh, and if you hurt him, just know that I will hunt you down and destroy you."

Inuyasha looked caught somewhere between indignant, amused, and maybe a little frightened. "Why're you threatening me? Miroku can look after himself."

"Of course he can," Sango said easily, running her fingers along the edge of her weapon. "He's been doing it his whole life, and that's why I'm sure as hell going to be here for him now."

He grinned, gesturing for her to step out of the hut before him. "We're lucky to have you as a friend."

She winked as she passed him. "Yes, you are. And remember, I sleep with a sword."

"_Such_ a good friend."

As he walked past her to rejoin Miroku, Sango turned to look down at Kirara, who was intently grooming herself on a rock just outside the storehouse. "You knew about them, didn't you?" she asked accusingly.

Kirara suddenly found the sky to be very interesting, and surreptitiously got up and walked away.

"Traitor," Sango called after her.

xXx

They began at a lazy pace with no particular direction. After the stress of the past few days, and with no real injuries to speak of, they were happy to wander. They had no idea how many Jewel shards were left scattered across the countryside, and none of them could sense any nearby. It always made sense that the last few would be the hardest to find, but so long as they kept a hold of the entire two shards that they had and any more they scraped up along the way, at least they could stop Naraku from completing the Jewel.

The air was crisp with impending winter, and it was pleasantly refreshing. Miroku smiled up at the birds which darted overhead, the clouds painting the sky, and the determined cheeriness which had descended amongst the group. Even without Shippo darting around their legs as they walked, they were in high spirits. Kirara chased a butterfly, and Sango was so distracted by the sight that she tripped over a rock and almost fell. After Inuyasha dove to catch her, they spent the rest of the morning chuckling at her bright red face and gently teasing her. Then Inuyasha laughed too hard and snorted loudly, and instantly became the new target for their mirth.

By the late afternoon, when they stopped by a river to fish, they all had wide smiles plastered across their faces. Inuyasha tugged Miroku into a quick embrace before wandering off with Kirara to inspect a pool downriver. The monk felt heavy eyes on him and turned to see Sango watching him with a gentle expression.

"You're really enjoying this, aren't you?" he asked softly, washing his hands in the cold water.

"Immensely," she shot back instantly. "You have no idea how amusing this will be for me."

"Glad we could entertain," Miroku muttered, flicking a drop of water at her from his finger.

She wrinkled her nose and shoved him none too gently, but the smile refused to leave her mouth. "Seriously, you two are good for each other. You work well as a team, you can get through to him when he's being stubborn, and it'll be so much safer for all the women around you."

Miroku waggled his eyebrows at Sango. "What makes you think that?"

"Because Inuyasha will rip your head off if you misbehave," she shrugged. "But hey, what do I know? It's your funeral."

"I'll have you know that I have all intentions of being the epitome of virtue when I'm with him," he said loftily, and she rolled her eyes.

"Naturally. I don't think you even know the meaning of the word."

He pressed a hand to his heart as though grievously offended.

"So, how's the sex?" Sango asked dryly. "This is the one and only time you're allowed to share that kind of information with me, so do what you must."

Miroku blushed and looked away. "We, uh, haven't quite gotten there yet."

Sango's eyebrows raised in surprise. "Really? I thought you would be all over him. He's sustaining your horny self on kisses alone?"

Miroku turned a deeper shade of crimson, and Sango gasped in disbelief.

"No."

"Shut up."

"No! You haven't even kissed him yet? What the fuck, Miroku?"

"We're going at his pace!" Miroku told her firmly. "Sango, he's new to all of this! The only person he's ever kissed was Kikyo, and you know how that went! I don't-" He cut himself off and looked away, glaring hard at the ground. "I don't want to ruin this, especially by pushing before he's ready."

"Alright," Sango said, unconvinced. "But you're in the relationship, too. Remember that."

"I can be patient," Miroku said defensively, before his shoulders sagged. "Up to a point. Look, I'm going to do this right, and later, once he's comfortable, we're going to have non-stop sex for a year."

"Gross," Sango informed him emphatically. "But really? You've been in a relationship for a _month_ and you haven't even kissed?"

"You were there the whole time!" Miroku shot back before he sighed. "Besides, it hasn't really been a month. We were only truly together when there was no one else around, and then everything happened with Koharu and Goshinki, and he pulled away from me after the transformation. It's been maybe a few days put together."

"Why, though?" Sango pushed. "I understand the other things getting in the way, but did you feel that you had to hide your relationship? You didn't think that Kirara and I would accept you?"

"We mostly wanted to figure things out together first. And the world isn't always as friendly as the people I choose to surround myself with," Miroku said, and there was the weight of experience behind his words. "I didn't want to risk it."

"You're an idiot."

He threw his hands in the air. "Yes, we're both idiots. I know! We've already established that, Sango!"

His voice had raised in volume enough to attract the attention of Inuyasha and Kirara, who were looking back at them warily from the pool they'd discovered downstream. Miroku pointedly ignored the curious glances, while Sango waved them off, letting them know that everything was alright.

She tried not to look too smug as they ate that evening, casting the occasional glance to where Inuyasha and Miroku were leaning against each other. Now that she knew, it had been rather obvious. Inuyasha kept on sending these soft-eyed, glowing looks at Miroku whenever the monk wasn't paying attention, and Miroku seemed to gravitate to Inuyasha no matter how far apart they initially started. They seemed intimately comfortable with one another in a way they hadn't been before, even the previous night. It touched her deeply to realize that her blessing played some part in that.

As darkness fell and they settled down for the night, Sango had to hide her face in the crook of her elbow to keep her smile from showing. Miroku had sat down first, back against a tree, and Inuyasha had unceremoniously tipped him over and into his arms. The best part was that the monk didn't complain – didn't even look particularly surprised – as he curled up against Inuyasha's chest and nuzzled against his shoulder. _Nuzzled_. Sango didn't know if she was going to survive this.

xXx

The next day began as peacefully as the last. Inuyasha was quickly learning to ignore the frequent glances, chuckles, and occasional happy sighs being thrown at them from Sango whenever they so much as stood next to each other. Kirara was no better, as she'd been purring absolutely non-stop since the previous morning. Inuyasha shook his head. He'd been worried that his relationship with Miroku might distract _him and Miroku_, but _no_…

"It's a beautiful day," Sango sighed, stretching her arms above her head luxuriously.

"I'm worried about her," Inuyasha whispered loudly to Miroku.

A boot connected with the back of his head and he whipped around to glare at the slayer, who was reaching into her carrying cloth to pull out the other one. Miroku heaved a dramatic breath and held up his hands placatingly. And then he tensed, eyes darting behind Sango.

"There's a Jewel shard approaching," he murmured thoughtfully, and Inuyasha instantly stepped closer to him.

A dust-cloud shot past them, followed by a torrent of wind that dragged at their clothing. They covered their faces with their leaves, their free hands all reaching for their weapons. The small twister dissipated, revealing a smug wolf demon with crossed arms. He raised one hand in greeting, calling out "Yo!"

Miroku sighed as the peaceful day before them was dramatically yanked away. Inuyasha was already bristling beside him, his hand on Tessaiga's hilt. Kouga was walking towards them, absolutely dripping cockiness with a swagger in his step.

"Miroku!" he smiled, walking towards him. "I picked up your scent, so I came to see you. You've been well, I hope?"

Inuyasha deftly stepped in front of Miroku, coming face-to-face with Kouga. "Whaddya want, you mangy wolf cub?"

Kouga's eyes narrowed as he bared his teeth, a low growl rumbling from his chest. Miroku sighed softly and gently maneuvered Inuyasha out of the way.

"Let's try to hold off on the fighting, shall we?" he asked dryly. "Kouga, what brings you here?"

"I'm going to kill him," Inuyasha grumbled, his ears flicking to the sides.

"Ha! You haven't changed one bit, you mutt," Kouga scoffed. He shifted away slightly, adopting a casual posture as he scratched at his ear with his little finger. "You always were trying to pick a fight. Try losing the arrogance once in a while."

Inuyasha snarled. "Do I have to remind you who was trying to kill who the last time we met?!"

"So aggressive," Kouga tutted. "Miroku, don't you get tired of being with this guy?"

Inuyasha froze, and Miroku's gaze hardened. "Tell us what you're after, Kouga."

The wolf demon huffed, his eyes darting between the two of them. Something had shifted between them since last they met, but he couldn't place exactly what. He closed his eyes and stuck his nose up in the air. "You really need to grow up, dog-breath, or poor Miroku is going to have to keep putting you on a leash."

"Kouga!" Miroku snapped. "What do you want?"

Kouga stepped back a few paces, looking in the direction he came from. A small party of wolves and wolf demons were running after him, all panting heavily. Sango reached for Hiraikotsu nervously, but Miroku waved her down.

"Hello Ginta, Hakkaku," he greeted the demons. "Nice to see you again."

"Miroku!" Ginta smiled as he leaned heavily against Hakkaku, trying to catch his breath. "How you been?"

"We're out on a hunt," Kouga cut in smoothly. "For Naraku. That bastard needs to be taken care of, and we need you to tell us where he is."

"What now?" Miroku asked mildly.

"His castle," Kouga clarified. "Or wherever his hideout is."

Inuyasha's face twisted into a mixture of exasperation and fury. "If we knew that, we wouldn't be wasting our time gallivanting around Musashi, you idiot!"

Kouga's brows pulled up in surprise. "What, does that mean you don't know? How? What the hell have you been doing all this time?"

Inuyasha sighed, scrubbing a hand down his face at Miroku's quelling glance. "It's almost impossible to find! Naraku's placed a barrier around his castle. We've never come across the real one, because he keeps it hidden through some sneaky-ass magic."

Kouga visibly sagged, and Inuyasha almost felt sorry for the guy. As much as he hated his guts, he was still a victim of Naraku's deception, and the sight of Kouga frantically trying to avenge his pack was still fresh in his mind.

"Look," he said, softer. "Let us avenge the deaths of your packmates. We're going to find Naraku eventually. All I ask is that you hand over the Jewel shards in your legs."

Kouga's eyes narrowed. "What did you say, puppy?"

"I said hand 'em over!" Inuyasha growled, unsheathing Tessaiga. "And scurry on back to your den!"

He swung Tessaiga over his head and it crashed into the rock where Kouga had been standing. The wolf demon landed easily some distance away, folding his arms and surveying Inuyasha thoughtfully. "Something the matter, muttface? You seem awfully clumsy today."

Inuyasha swore softly, holding Tessaiga still so that Kouga wouldn't see how much effort it took to lift it. He could feel Miroku and Sango's eyes on him. Damnit! The stupid sword was still almost impossible to wield.

Kouga's eyes flashed to Miroku's, and he held his gaze levelly. The wolf demon continued scrutinizing him for a moment before he shrugged. His wolves picked themselves up off the ground around him and Ginta and Hakkaku stopped bracing their hands on their knees. The entire party followed Kouga as he turned and began to walk away.

"Hey!" Inuyasha shouted after him in indignation. "Come back here and fight!"

Kouga waved a hand casually over his shoulder. "Sorry, dogbreath, but I don't have any time to waste sparring with you. Take good care of Miroku for me while I go handle Naraku!"

"_What?_" Inuyasha spluttered, watching as Kouga took off at top speed.

Sango shot Miroku a questioning look, but the monk was pinching the bridge of his nose and didn't seem to notice.

"He sure is cocky for a guy who just ran away from battle," she commented, glancing between Miroku and Inuyasha.

"Arrogant bastard," the hanyou snarled, dragging Tessaiga up before sheathing it. "Who the hell does he think he is? Naraku will chew him up and spit him out just for kicks."

"Well, we'd better go after him," Sango sighed. "On the off-chance that he does actually find Naraku, he'll need our help."

She took the lead and Miroku began to follow after her, but was stopped by Inuyasha's frown.

"Problem?" he asked gently.

"What business of ours is it what that asshole does?" Inuyasha muttered. "Why do we have to go running after him?"

Miroku closed his eyes briefly, keeping his face neutral. "As Sango says, there's a small chance that he might be able to find Naraku when we can't. We need to work together."

Inuyasha eyed him warily. "Do you believe all the garbage he's spewing?"

This time, Miroku couldn't hide his huff of frustration. "Do we have to have this conversation again? He's a potential ally against Naraku, and we could use all the help we can get. I thought you agreed to work with him!"

"That was before I saw his stupid face again," Inuyasha growled softly.

"You two need to learn to get along," Miroku told him flatly. "I can't keep jumping in to mediate what could be a civil conversation."

Inuyasha stared at him, eyes wide. "What's that supposed to mean? Was he right? Are you really tired of being with me?"

Miroku briefly considered either swearing or screaming before he gently took Inuyasha's hand. "Let's clear things up right now," he said firmly. "As a general rule, you should ignore everything that Kouga has to say about you or me, or us. He's being an asshole to get a rise out of you. If I'm unhappy with some aspect of our relationship, or with your behaviour, I will tell you so. For example, I would appreciate it if you would try not to get so riled up when Kouga's around, but he's definitely not helping matters by insulting you constantly. Trust that I would not keep something like this from you, and trust me to not leave you for a snarky wolf with an attitude problem."

Inuyasha's shoulders sagged and his eyes dropped to the ground as he nodded silently. Miroku gave his shoulders a quick squeeze before releasing him, and following after Sango. She was watching them cautiously, but thankfully didn't say anything. They followed the trail of wolf scent, wanting to keep close but feeling no particular need to hurry. So much for their collective good mood.

xXx

Kouga growled to himself as his pack milled around him on the cliffs. Ten days they'd been searching for Naraku, and nothing! He'd finally swallowed his pride and asked that stupid mutt for help, and all he got was a sword waved in his face. How the hell was he supposed to track down someone without a scent to track? As he glared, the ears on one of his wolves twitched, and she lifted her head to look out at the forest below them. Soon, all the wolves were looking in the same direction.

"What _is _that?" Hakkaku asked, the demons also picking up the strange buzzing in the air.

A dark swarm moved over the trees, moving too quickly to be smoke but too dense for most flocks of birds. Kouga squinted, peering through the night.

"Looks like insects," he muttered.

He sniffed the air, and froze. That smell! He was off and running down the cliff before the rest of the party even had a chance to react. He heard Ginta calling after him, but he ignored them. The faint trace coming from deep in the forest was the same scent as Kagura's. He was sure of it! Inuyasha had said that she had the same scent as Naraku – and even if it turned out to be only her, he'd still get half his revenge.

A flash of white caught his eye as he followed the scent. He skidded to a stop in front of the figure, who wore a white fur pelt and the hollowed-out head of some ape demon. A carriage stood behind him, pulled by a skeletal horse and covered by thick sheets of red fabric, hiding the insides from view. The air was thick with the scent, and Kouga narrowed his eyes.

"Ah, the young leader of the Yorozoku," the figure purred in a low voice. "You picked up my scent even before Inuyasha could."

"I know you," Kouga whispered fiercely. "You're Naraku! Prepare to die, you murderer!"

Naraku laughed. "Pity for you, but I'm afraid that you shall become fodder for my new incarnation."

Kouga's eyes darted to the covered carriage behind Naraku, where a light gust of wind had pushed back some of the fabric. Another figure was hidden in the darkness, one eye visible as they stared back at him for a heartbeat before the cloth lowered once more. Iron bars stood before their face, and it took a moment for Kouga to register what they were.

"A cage?" he gasped, before recovering his bravado. "Hah! I don't know what kind of beast you brought over, but your timing couldn't be better! I'll fight whatever I have to in order to take you down."

Another low chuckle came from the masked figure. "Kouga, meet your opponent." He reached behind him and pulled on the cloth, revealing the crouching man to the cold moonlight. "Come on out, Juromaru."

He lifted the door to the cage, and the incarnation walked forwards on his hands and bare feet. Heavy shackles bound his wrists and ankles, connected by a long chain. He was deathly pale, and his human-looking face was covered by his long light pink hair. When he glanced up, his eyes meeting Kouga's solidly, the wolf demon could see the iron mask clamped around his mouth and nose. What the hell was with him? The dead-eyed glare that he was shooting at Kouga was making him nervous.

"Have if your way, Naraku!" he shouted. "I'll take him out first, then I'll rip you both to shreds. What's the wait? Release his shackles so I can get my hands on him!"

Because even if he was another of Naraku's incarnations, he wasn't going to fight a bound opponent.

"No," Naraku said, and there was a smirk in his voice. "He'll be enough of a challenge for you just as he is."

He glanced between the two of them, disgust curling in his gut. The incarnation – Juromaro, Naraku had called him – hadn't stopped staring at him. Whatever. He ran forward, and Juromaro didn't so much as flinch. He stayed low to the ground and planted one hand down, using his forward momentum to hurl forward and kick at the incarnation's head. Juromaru ducked, Kouga's head passed over his head, and in a flash of movement, his hand closed around Kouga's neck, nails digging into the skin. He slammed into the ground and growled. Juromaru pressed against him, a cold chill gusted over him, and Kouga lifted his leg and kicked him hard in the gut.

Juromaru landed easily in a crouch, hands on the ground, apparently unfazed. Shit. This guy was fast – maybe even faster than he was! His hand came to press against his neck, where deep gouges were torn through the flesh from Juromaru's hand being wrenched from him. His skin tingled from the strange freeze that had passed over him. His eyes darted to the mask clamped to Juromaro's face, and the small collection of frost crystals spreading over his mouth. What the hell…?

xXx

"I can smell him!" Inuyasha shouted back to them.

Sango grabbed onto Miroku's sleeve and swung him onto Kirara's back behind her as the twin-tail charged after Inuyasha. Miroku swung his staff in front of her abdomen and hung on, the Hiraikotsu awkwardly in the way. He tensed as Inuyasha disappeared through the trees ahead of them.

"Wait, Yash!" he called out, but was ignored.

"He still can't wield the Tessaiga," Sango pointed out, as though Miroku needed reminding.

Inuyasha pressed forward, one hand sliding to the hilt of Tessaiga. It wasn't just Naraku's scent floating through the night air – that stupid Kouga was somewhere nearby, and there was no way in hell he was going to let that pesky wolf get to Naraku before he did! Besides, Kouga had no idea who he was dealing with. He got pummelled by Kagura, and that was before he even knew that Naraku existed!

There was a rustling in the underbrush off to his right and then Kouga burst out from between the trees, not even glancing his way before turning sharply to run in front of him.

"Kouga, what the hell are you doing?" Inuyasha shouted after him, not slowing down.

"Leave me alone!" Kouga snapped over his shoulder. "Can't you see I'm busy?"

The trunk of one of the trees behind them exploded into a shower of debris and Kouga swore loudly. Inuyasha followed his gaze to the figure quickly approaching from behind, some weird-looking human-like demon with pink hair, green robes, and an iron mask over his face. He was moving fast, faster than anyone Inuyasha had ever fought outside of Kouga, even with heavy iron chains weighing him down. He quickly caught up to Inuyasha, but his gaze was fixed on Kouga. The wolf demon threw another wide-eyed glance behind him, and he looked almost afraid. Inuyasha ran alongside him, not knowing what else to do. The demon smelled exactly like Naraku – this must be yet another incarnation.

The demon's eyes snapped to Inuyasha's face, and the hanyou instinctively veered out of the way as his hand shot out, grasping at his robes. He leapt back and landed a safe distance away, sparing a moment to shoot a hot glare after Kouga.

"Nice job running away!" he jeered after the wolf, but Kouga simply put on a burst of speed and disappeared through the trees in a whirlwind of motion.

Inuyasha swore and turned his attention back to the incarnation, who lunged at him. He leapt back, uneasy. The demon crouched where he'd struck the ground utterly still. Something felt wrong in the way he moved – the unnatural motionlessness following his extreme speed.

A laugh came from behind the demon, and Inuyasha growled – he knew that voice. "So you've finally arrived, have you, Inuyasha?"

A figure dressed in a white baboon pelt emerged from the darkness behind the demon. Inuyasha bared his teeth and seethed. It was almost impossible to tell, since their scents were identical, but he was pretty sure that this wasn't the real Naraku. If it was just another trap laid for them, then that slimy bastard wouldn't have put himself in danger. This was probably just another demon puppet. Then again, maybe not.

Kirara touched down behind him and he could hear three heartbeats hammering as they saw their opponent.

"Kouga fled when he saw that he had no chance of victory," Naraku said, and chuckled. "He's more intelligent than I took him for – then again, I'm used to dealing with you lot."

Inuyasha spat on the ground. "Who cares about him? Don't put me in the same class as that coward!"

"An incarnation and a puppet," Miroku warned Sango quietly behind him, mirroring Inuyasha's thoughts.

"Juromaru," Naraku addressed the incarnation. "I shall remove your shackles. Go forth and fight to your heart's content."

Crackling lines of energy shot across the mask and shackles, cracking all of them and sending them shattering to the ground. Juromaru's expression didn't change, but his eyes shifted up to look at the fur-clad figure beside him. His arm struck in a flash, and his claws severed Naraku's head cleanly from his body. The baboon mask fell to the earth with a soft thud.

Inuyasha gasped and took a few steps back. Even if that was just a puppet, what the hell? He thought the incarnations had to obey Naraku! They were part of him, weren't they? Or at least made from him! Juromaru was starting at him, a strange frost-like force spilling from his blue-tinged lips. It looked almost like shimmering ice, his breath puffing out in clouds. But how? Everything about him made Inuyasha's skin crawl.

The puppet's head laughed from where it was lying on the ground, even as it dissolved. That didn't exactly make Inuyasha feel any better about the situation. Every fiber of his being was telling him to get away, and he suddenly sympathized with Kouga a lot more. The last thing he wanted to do was spend any more time around this demon, but currently he was the only thing standing between this incarnation and his pack.

"I don't like this," Miroku muttered. "Even if that was just a puppet, it's hard to believe that Juromaru just beheaded his own ally. Is it that Naraku can't control him?"

"That would explain the shackles," Sango said. "Maybe the mask, too, if he has some power in his mouth."

Juromaru darted forwards, slashing at Inuyasha, who dodged to the side. He punched the demon in the face, sending him sprawling to the ground, where he lay motionless. Inuyasha's guts twisted at the sight. What the _fuck? _He hadn't even tried to dodge or counter the attack! And he knew that this creature had the speed to do so. This had to be some kind of trap.

He watched as the incarnation climbed slowly to his hands and knees, staying low to the ground. It couldn't be a ploy – this demon didn't have the brains for it. There was no way he could think up an elaborate scheme, even if he was part Naraku. Inuyasha growled and flexed his claws. The sooner he finished Juromaru off, the better! He leapt at the demon, striking out, shouting "Iron Reaver, Soul-"

A flash of Juromaru's claws cut him short, slapping his hand away. Inuyasha landed unevenly, and didn't even have the chance to wonder what the hell just happened before another strike caught him under the jaw, sending him tumbling back as his vision went blurry. Inuyasha pressed his hand to his cheek, where something had sliced along the skin. The _hell? _How had Juromaru managed that? From his position, it shouldn't have been possible! Had his arms elongated, or something? Could he transform? The small mercy was that he didn't think it was some prehensile tongue like a toad demon – he didn't want this thing's mouth anywhere near him.

xXx

Kouga came to a stop deep into the forest, where his useless pack was still stumbling around looking for him. The wolves whined and wagged their tails as they picked up his scent, but Ginta and Hakkaku looked nervous.

"Did you find Naraku?" Hakkaku asked carefully.

"Yeah, how come you came back so soon?" Ginta added, slightly less tactfully. "Did you run away?"

Kouga growled, flicking Ginta on the ear for his trouble. "No chance! That Naraku brought another stupid-looking minion along with hi, but that guy gave me a bad feeling. I left the puppy to deal with him – though I bet he's getting beaten to a pulp as we speak! The idiot should've followed my lead."

Hakkaku frowned. "Wait, Inuyasha? You saw him there?"

"Yup."

Ginta and Hakkaku exchanged a look, and Kouga frowned.

"Uh…" Hakkaku started, looking increasingly uncomfortable. "This could be way out of line, but…"

"If he's in danger, and Miroku's with hi, doesn't that mean that Miroku's in danger as well?" Ginta blurted out.

Kouga froze, gasped, punched them both in the head, and ran. Shit!

xXx

Inuyasha swore as he dodged another attack. He wouldn't be able to keep this pace up forever, but Juromaru showed no sign of slowing. Both Miroku and Sango had stepped forwards to help, but he waved them off fiercely. Neither of their weapons would be enough to face against Juromaru's speed, and he didn't want them drawing the incarnation's attention. The demon seemed pretty unaware of anything outside of his immediate target, and Inuyasha was resolved to keep it that way.

Juromaru's next attack caught his left forearm as he flung it out to protect his face. He twisted his hand around to grab a hold of the claws embedded in his flesh and grabbed Tessaiga with his other hand, unsheathing the sword and slicing in a single movement. The sword fell heavily to the ground. Whatever was in his grasp fell away as Juromaru retreated in the opposite direction. Inuyasha frowned, eyes scanning the undergrowth around him. He'd thought he just cut off Juromaru's arm, but it hadn't felt like Tessaiga actually hit anything, and it didn't feel like an arm when he was holding it, and now he couldn't see it- Had it separated on its own? Did Juromaru have the ability to form new monsters from his flesh, just like Naraku did?

He was distracted as Juromaru ran at him, claws flashing. Inuyasha jumped high into the air as the demon barrelled under him, but his suspicions were confirmed – he still had both arms firmly attached to his body. His sleeves weren't even ripped, though his pale skin was badly bruised. Inuyasha's instincts were screaming at him that something was badly wrong, his entire body on edge.

The faintest sound in the ground behind him was all the warning he got before ripping hot pain shot through his abdomen. He stumbled, his hand clutching at the wound as the scent of blood filled the air, looking around wildly for the culprit. A blur moved across the ground, too fast to track, and Inuyasha fell to his knees. When the creature finally stopped in front if Juromaru, Inuyasha's stomach slammed somewhere around his knees. Another demon, another incarnation, but this one was barely bigger than a cat and other than a miniature human-like head, his body was unrecognizable. It was long and tapered like an eel, white-grey skin stretched over bones which protruded under the skin, and with two thin arms with blades instead of hands. The demon lifted his head, hidden under a mop of light-pink hair, and licked his lips.

"Thank you for the meal," he purred in a low voice. "Juromaru, this fellow's guts are simply delicious. You should try."

"Shoulda known there were two of you all along," Inuyasha growled. "Just what are you? An insect?"

"I am Kageromaru," the demon answered politely. "I have been dormant inside Juromaru's belly for far too long."

"The mask was the only thing keeping him inside," Miroku whispered. "Naraku didn't want him getting out too soon."

Kageromaru's eyes snapped to the monk, and he smirked. "Juromaru obeys no one but me."

Inuyasha growled, creeping forward, his hand reaching for Tessaiga. His vision had turned red around the edges, his youki prickling along his skin, but so long as he kept his hands on his sword…that's what Miroku had said… There were hands on his shoulders, then Miroku was in front of him, shielding him.

"Come, Juromaru," Kageromaru urged. "Let us feast on the others! We'll gorge ourselves!"

Hiraikotsu flew at them. Juromaru leapt easily to the side, and the weapon crashed into the tree behind him. Kageromaru launched through the air, towards Miroku. The monk reached for his mala beads, pulling them from his hand. Kageromaru was faster. He bounded from the ground by Miroku's feet straight up into the sky, one of his dagger-like arms slashing straight through Miroku's tekkou. He cried out, both in pain and fear, but thankfully he hadn't cut through the mala beads as well. Sango immediately pushed past him, wielding her sword, eyes darting for any sign of Kageromaru. Instead, Juromaru rushed at them.

Sango blocked him with her sword and pushed him back, and Kirara jumped forward, slicing at him with her claws. He leapt back, and Sango ran, reaching for Hiraikotsu. Out of the corner of his eye, Miroku saw a flash of movement in the night sky. Realization hit and he dove forwards, throwing himself on top of Sango as Kageromaru shot down from above, slicing down the shoulder and the length of the arm that Miroku had flung out to catch her. They landed on top of each other, while Kageromaru settled lightly on the ground, licking his lips.

Miroku climbed to his knees, shoved Sango behind him, and pulled off his mala beads. Dirt and rocks immediately flew into his hand, and the trees started creaking. Miroku strained to peer through the swirling vortex but he couldn't _see_. A menacing laugh came from his left. He swore, sealing off the wind tunnel as he searched for any sign of the demon, but there was nothing. Sango was hauling him to his feet as she snatched the Hiraikotsu. Their backs were pressed together as they spun in a circle, but neither opponent was anywhere in sight.

"Too late," Kageromaru's voice called from their right.

Then Juromaru lunged from the darkness on their left, and he bit onto Miroku's forearm. His teeth, which were alarmingly sharp, tore through the fabric of his sleeve and his tekkou. The force of the impact knocked him to the ground, with Juromaru pressing down against him.

"Miroku!" Inuyasha shouted, and his eyes flashed red.

He sprang to his feet, lifted Tessaiga, and swung. Juromaru pushed off him and flipped through the air before landing in a crouch. Inuyasha fell to one knee from the momentum as Tessaiga swung wide, and the blade skidded along the ground. Miroku was gasping for air, staring at him with wide eyes as his mind registered just how close the sword had come to him – the blade had barely passed over his chest.

"You alright?" Inuyasha asked, panic lacing his voice.

"Yeah," Miroku wheezed as Sango helped him upright, though he sounded wildly unconvinced. His heart was pounding. Inuyasha felt the first wave of guilt and angrily cast it aside. How the hell was he supposed to use Tessaiga properly when it still weighed as much as a boulder?

"Stand back," he advised, turning to glare at Juromaru. "Way back. He's mine."

Miroku's eyes darted to the dark red stain dripping down Inuyasha's robes from the hole through his abdomen. "Wait, your wounds-"

"I'm fine!" he snapped, shooting him a glare. "It's not like I've never been-"

His voice died and icy dread filled his veins, because Kageromaru was hurling through the air behind Miroku and Sango, heading straight for the monk's exposed back. As though time itself had slowed, he saw Kirara's eyes widen from where she stood, but she was too far away, and so was he, they wouldn't make it-

"_Miroku!_" he screamed, because there was nothing else he could do.

Kouga burst through the trees and punched Kageromaru from the air. They both landed on the ground, the wolf demon rolling from overreaching in his haste, while Kageromaru hissed and disappeared again in a flash. Inuyasha gaped, the air frozen in his lungs, and all he could feel for a moment was soul-crushing gratitude before he remembered who he was looking at.

"Are you alright, Miroku?" Kouga asked courteously, climbing to his feet.

"Kouga?" Miroku blinked, glancing between him and the spot where Kageromaru had disappeared.

"You're hurt!" the wolf demon explained, catching sight of the blood dripping from Miroku's arm as though it personally affronted him, before turning an accusatory glare at Inuyasha. "What the hell do you think you're doing, dogface? How dare you put Miroku in danger!"

He stalked towards Inuyasha threateningly, and the hanyou growled viciously, pouring all his fear and helplessness into the sound. "Who are you to talk? You _ran away!_ This is your-" He cut himself off and closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. "I will thank you for saving Miroku, you mangy wolf. Now scram."

"I'm not going anywhere!" Kouga snapped. "Obviously, you can't be trusted to take care of things! Miroku, stay back while I handle these demons."

"Yeah, stay back while I handle _all _these demons," Inuyasha snarled.

Sango glanced at Miroku, eyebrows raised and an indescribable look on her face. Miroku looked like he'd very much like to be somewhere else for a while. Somewhere where he could punch something. Or scream.

Kirara growled, drawing their attention up one of the trees. When Kageromaru leapt for her, she batted him to the ground and pinned him there. He slashed at her paws and she reared back with a roar.

"What's the story with the strange-looking demon?" Kouga asked, watching Kageromaru disappear through the trees.

"He came out of Juromaru's gut," Inuyasha said, casting a glance over at the other demon to make sure he was staying put.

Kouga nodded slowly. He must be the source of the strange coldness he felt from Juromaru – the little monster sent a chill up his spine.

"Kouga, he's fast," Miroku warned from where he was leaning against Sango. "Even you won't be able to keep up with him."

The wolf demon grinned wildly and shot him a wink. "You think so? Just watch. There's nothing that can get away from me!"

A laugh came from under a bush behind Kouga, and Kageromaru slithered out. "Words are your only true weapons. All you have is talk."

"We'll see who's talking after I twist your head off!" Kouga snarled, lunging at the demon. His fist hit the earth where the incarnation had been a heartbeat earlier. Kageromaru landed safely on a tree and sneered.

"You're not half the warrior you claim to be," he goaded. "Is that as fast as you can go?"

Kouga swore and started forward, when movement from beside him caught his eye. Juromaru was running at him, but Inuyasha was right on his tail.

"Juromaru, _I'm _the one you're fighting!" the hanyou called, swinging with Tessaiga and driving the demon away just as he landed behind Kouga.

To his astonishment – and vexation – Juromaru leapt onto the blade and used it to spring forward at Inuyasha. His hand closed around Inuyasha's jaw, claws digging into the skin. Miroku grabbed a sutra and threw it at the demon, slicing through his back and forcing him to pull away.

"Shame on you!" Kouga called as he glanced around for Kageromaru. "That sorry excuse for a demon should be easy prey!"

Inuyasha almost choked on his indignation as he punched Juromaru away from him. "_What?_" He leapt to his feet and stalked towards Kouga, barely stopping himself from stabbing the wolf before he spun around so they stood back-to-back.

"I don't see Kageromaru lying face-down," he pointed out through clenched teeth.

Kouga scoffed. "Don't compare yourself to me!"

He looked up and jumped back as Kageromaru dropped from above and landed at his feet, barely standing still long enough for the eye to see before speeding off again. Kouga grinned and began a hot pursuit. He lunged and struck, hitting only dirt. But he was back in a run in a heartbeat, racing alongside Kageromaru as he flashed through the air, and cut off his path. Kageromaru slid to a stop, hissing, then tried to dive past Kouga's legs. The wolf demon wasn't having it – he kicked the incarnation out of the air. He took a step, and threw a punch so hard that it cracked the ground.

When the dust cleared, there was no sign of Kageromaru.

Inuyasha rolled his eyes and held up Tessaiga towards Juromaru. At least _he _could be trusted to take care of his opponent!

Sango's eyes snapped to a line forming along the ground, shooting towards Inuyasha. "Look out!"

Kageromaru burst from the earth and Inuyasha barely had enough time to block the demon's path with his forearm.

"He came out of the ground!" Kouga exclaimed, with almost a petulant tone as though he thought this was cheating. The others were inclined to agree.

Juromaru's fist struck Inuyasha's chest, throwing him back. The hanyou crashed hard against a tree, splitting bark and cracking wood. He gasped in pain and slumped to the ground. Miroku ran for him, spared a moment to make sure he was still alive before spinning back around, holding out his staff protectively.

Kouga avoided the flashing blades of Kageromaru's arms as he attacked. The incarnation shot just out of his grasp and disappeared into the ground. Kouga growled and looked around, but there was no sign of him. Until he burst from the earth beneath his feet and slashed a deep cut through Kouga's thigh. Kageromaru cackled and pulled up to his full height, but Kirara pounced at him and drove him off. Miroku caught Juromaru's hand reaching for Inuyasha from the side and jabbed at his face with his staff, barely missing him.

He caught Sango's eyes and clenched his jaw. They both knew that this was not good. There was no way that Kouga could fight properly with an injured leg, Inuyasha was unconscious, and the rest of them were tiring and bloodying-up fast. Sango dropped Hiraikotsu to the ground, knowing that it was too slow, and drew her sword once more, pulling out a knife with her other hand. Juromaru leapt at her and she drove him back, Kirara coming to her aid. His claws flashed and caught the slayer on the shoulder before Kirara drove him off. Kageromaru jumped down from a tree branch and Miroku saw him coming, slamming his staff down to bring up a barrier. The demon bounced off it and landed on the ground, momentarily dazed. Miroku swore, dropped the barrier, and threw his staff. Kageromaru barely got out of the way, landed just out of reach and hissed.

"Maybe I should kill you slowly," he said, narrowing his eyes at Miroku. "I was planning on eating your liver, but I can still do that once you're dead!"

Kouga gasped and struggled to his feet. Kageromaru launched forward, but Miroku held out a sutra in his path and he was forced to veer away. Then Kirara jumped to his side and batted him into a tree. Kouga took a step forward to help and was met with Juromaru, who blocked his path. Kageromaru appeared at Miroku's back, rising into the air with his limbs outstretched. Sango swore and lifted her knife. And then Inuyasha jumped, swung Tessaiga forward with one hand and cut through one of Kageromaru's blade-like arms. He pulled on his youki but it was too late to pull back, and he crashed solidly into Miroku.

All the air was driven from his lungs as Inuyasha landed on top of him, and he wheezed. Sango threw her knife, which landed where Kageromaru had been, but it drove him away for a moment. She then grabbed Hiraikotsu off the ground and hurled it at Kouga, trusting that he would be fast enough to avoid it. He was, and so was Juromaru, but it broke them apart.

Inuyasha propped himself up on his elbows as he scanned Miroku frantically for any signs of broken bones. While still unable to pull air back into his body, the monk patted his shoulder reassuringly and tried to get up. Inuyasha helped him for a moment before deciding against it and dragging him into a quick embrace instead.

Sango shouted a warning to Kouga as Juromaru appeared from the trees once more. He dodged the attack, and each one after that, but he was moving noticeably slower than before. Miroku's hand tugged insistently on his robes and Inuyasha reluctantly looked up to watch the fight. He grudgingly picked Tessaiga up from where he'd dropped it, frowning at the weight as it tipped him sideways.

"How-" Sango started to ask, before deciding it wasn't worth it. It seemed like Inuyasha had been able to wield the sword perfectly well from time to time during the battle. If it had suddenly become heavier again, then she needed to focus on stepping in, not theorizing as to why.

Inuyasha heaved Tessaiga over his shoulder and ran after Kouga and Juromaru. He was cut off by Kageromaru. He was forced to let go of Tessaiga with one hand as he slashed through the air with his claws, knocking the demon away. The smaller incarnation shot past Kouga, who gave a half-hearted attempt at catching him before he was forced to jump into the air to avoid Juromaru. The larger incarnation barrelled past, straight towards Inuyasha. The hanyou swung Tessaiga at him, but Juromaru jumped onto the blade and leapt away, just in time for Kageromaru to bust from the ground in front of him. Inuyasha stumbled back, and the weight of Tessaiga caused him to fall. Juromaru leapt at him again, and Kouga tackled him out of the air.

"Don't expect me to thank you," Inuyasha gasped as he heaved himself back to his feet, using Tessaiga like a crutch.

"Fuck you, you ingrate!" Kouga panted, also climbing upright.

He dodged Juromaru's attack, who bounced off the tree behind him and sprang at Inuyasha.

"Sango," Miroku wheezed, beckoning the slayer over to him. "We need to think of something. They can't go on like this much longer. We have to stop at least Kageromaru from being able to disappear into the ground like that."

Sango hummed before her eyes lit up. "Got it! We can restrain him. Miroku, give me your staff."

He snatched it from the ground and held it out for her. "You have a plan?"

She lifted the plate of armour off her shoulder, grabbing a small shell from underneath. She flipped it open and dug the base of Miroku's staff into the eggplant-purple paste sitting inside. "This poison won't last very long, but it will keep him out of the ground."

She rose and threw the staff between Inuyasha and Kouga, the metal length digging deep into the earth. A deep maroon hue began spreading across the ground. A heartbeat later, Kageromaru shot out from the soil, gasping for air.

"He's going to be slowed down by the poison!" Sango shouted for whoever was listening.

Kageromaru swore and landed on a tree branch, but Kouga was right behind him. The incarnation hurled himself away, to the ground, where Inuyasha was waiting with Tessaiga. Meanwhile, Miroku drew his dagger from his robes and flung it into the darkness, where he could sense Juromaru lurking. The blade struck wood, but Juromaru was forced to move, which took the form of careening into Inuyasha. The hanyou was flung forward mid-swing and crashed into Kouga, knocking them both to the ground. Kouga swore and leapt to his feet. Inuyasha tried, but his body was trembling from pain.

"Nice moves," Kouga snarled, dragging him up to a seated position. "You gonna die this time?"

Miroku landed on his knees beside them.

"Don't worry," Kouga assured him brazenly. "I'll take it from here. Now that bastard can't do his underground trick, he's dead!" His eyes snapped to Juromaru. "But you, first!"

Inuyasha gasped for breath, leaning heavily against Miroku's chest as his eyes darted around. He tried desperately to pin down Kageromaru's scent, but there was nothing! Not in the trees, or the sky, or the underbrush – where the hell- His eyes snapped to Juromaru, who sat unflinchingly as though waiting for Kouga to reach him. Inuyasha could just see the hint of frost at his lips.

"Stay back, Kouga!" he shouted, clambering to his feet.

The wolf demon completely ignored him. Inuyasha wrapped one hand around Tessaiga, but it was too heavy! His other hand landed on the dagger tied to his hip. He pulled out the blade and threw it before he could even think about what he was going. It whizzed past Kouga's face and embedded itself in Kageromaru's tail, just as he emerged from Juromaru's mouth. The weapon pinned the incarnation to the ground. It certainly got Kouga's attention, who swore loudly and skidded to a stop.

Juromaru shot forward, and Kouga grabbed him by the shoulders and dragged him out of the way. Inuyasha grabbed Tessaiga with both hands and jumped, swinging the sword over his head as he passed over Kouga's. Kageromaru ripped his tail free from the dagger, but Tessaiga was already there. The blow cut straight through him and dug a deep gouge through the earth below.

Juromaru screeched, an unearthly sound, and shoved Kouga away. Sango threw Hiraikotsu, which clipped the distracted incarnation on the shoulder and flung him to the ground. Kouga tackled him again and held him down. Inuyasha lifted Tessaiga up and plunged it down, into Juromaru's back. The incarnation began to writhe, his limbs flailing everywhere. Inuyasha swore and stepped back, pulling Tessaiga free. Kirara landed next to him and he jumped onto her back without question, dragging Kouga by the arm behind him. She took off, and Miroku opened the wind tunnel, dragging the dying demon into the void.

When the sound of whistling wind faded, all that was left was an eerie quiet filled only with their ragged breathing. Inuyasha dropped Kouga's arm and slid off Kirara's back, making some token effort to land on his knees before giving up and flopping to the ground. Kouga scoffed before falling on his ass. Inuyasha shot an assessing glance over at Miroku and Sango, just to make sure they were relatively still intact, before he closed his eyes and concentrated on remembering how to breathe.

"It's over," he sighed eventually. "Despite _someone_ getting in my way."

"Say _what?_" Kouga squawked, clambering upright. "You fiend! You almost killed me with that strike, you know!"

Inuyasha held his gaze and pointedly shrugged.

"That's it!" the wolf demon snapped. "You and me, right now!"

Inuyasha snarled. "Bring it on!"

"Don't you dare," Miroku said, pushing tiredly between them. Inuyasha rolled his eyes and looked away defiantly.

"You're so pig-headed that you can't even pay attention when you're swinging that thing around," Kouga sneered.

"He saved your life, Kouga," Miroku pointed out flatly.

"I'm not explaining myself to that mangy wolf!" Inuyasha grumbled. "Pesky cub! If you get in my way again, I really _will _kill you!"

"I'd like to see you try it, you pathetic excuse for a canine!"

Inuyasha growled, drawing out Tessaiga. Miroku grabbed hold of his arm and shoved the sword back in its sheathe. "None of that! Everyone just take a breath and _think things through_."

"Yeah, listen to Miroku!" Kouga jeered, only to take a startled step back when the full brunt of the monk's glare turned on him.

"We're grateful for what you did here today, Kouga," Miroku told him in a calm, even, diplomatic voice even though his eyes were blazing and his arms shook where they held onto Inuyasha. "We'll remember it the next time we see you. But for now…"

"Miroku," Kouga said slowly, his eyes darting from the monk to Inuyasha, scrutinizing. "Why don't you come back with me? You saw how things went today. With the two of us working together, we'll catch Naraku in no time!"

"That's not going to happen, Kouga," Miroku said firmly, but Inuyasha was already elbowing past him.

"You sleazy low-life!" he practically shouted accusatorily. "Do you have no sanctity for pack? Stop trying to steal mine just because they're better than yours!"

"Miroku's part of my pack whether you like it or not!" Kouga shouted right back. "I claimed him as mine! All of my wolves know that he's one of us! Do you really think I'd leave his safety in the hands of someone as incompetent as you?"

"He's already told you 'no', so get it through your thick skull!" Inuyasha yelled. "I can't believe you'd-"

A small sigh cut them off. In unison, they glanced over at Miroku, who had taken a few steps back and was patiently bleeding in the background. They both shrank back, shoulders hunched. Inuyasha stumbled towards the monk, silently apologetic. Kouga glanced between the two of them, and backed away.

"I'll see you again soon," he called over at Miroku, his voice oddly gentle, and turned to walk away.

"That went well," Sango said, coming over with Kirara.

Miroku closed his eyes and leaned heavily against the tree behind him. Inuyasha's hand touched his arm gently, cautiously. He sank slowly to the ground, and the others joined him.

"We need to see to your wounds," Sango said. "We'll need to find a clean source of water to wash them."

Miroku opened his eyes just long enough to give her a withering look. "Counter-offer," he said quietly. "We bandage ourselves up just enough so we don't fall apart, and we go back to Kaede's so she can fix us."

They were all quiet as they considered. It was risky, but temping. They had no food, no money, and no place to spend the night. The decision was made when Miroku pulled the last roll of bandages from his robes, barely enough for one person.

"Right," he said decisively. "Sango, Kirara, how much are you bleeding?"

Kirara's paws had stopped bleeding already from the cuts received from Kageromaru. Sango had some claw marks down her left shoulderblade, but her armour had shielded her from the brunt of Juromaru's attacks. The other two were a different story. They could all see the dark stain which had spread from Inuaysha's abdomen all the way down his robes, and Miroku's left sleeve was still dripping blood.

"You stitch up Inuyasha's wounds while I bandage yours," Sango told Miroku firmly, and he dutifully passed over the roll of cotton.

He sat behind Inuyasha and shrugged off his kesa and koromo while the hanyou shed his own robes. A long line ran from the top of his left shoulder to his elbow. Sango swore softly, poked at his head good-naturedly, and set to work. Miroku threaded the needle with some difficulty, trying to keep still for her, and began to stitch Inuyasha's wound. Once he was done, the hanyou turned around so that Miroku could get to his front. From the awkward angle, the monk was pressed flushed against his chest, his head ducked under his chin. No one so much as blinked when Inuyasha took the opportunity to bury his nose in Miroku's hair.

"All done," he finally announced, tying off the silk thread. "Sango?"

"I still need to get at your arm," she said, and there was an odd note to her voice.

Miroku followed her gaze to his tekkou. Inuyasha stiffened, suddenly keenly aware that he had never once seen Miroku without the sheath of cloth the whole time they'd known each other. For his part, Miroku only swallowed and pursed his lips as he gently eased the mala beads more securely over his hand and tugged the tekkou carefully – very, very carefully – overtop. The result was startling. The skin underneath was so incredibly pale compared to the rest of his body. Inuyasha wondered how long it had been since it saw the light of day. He was quickly distracted by the two arcs of teeth marks from Juromaru and the long slash down his forearm from Kageromaru.

Sango hummed softly, pulling out the last strip of cotton. It was barely long enough to tie around Miroku's wrist. Inuyasha didn't bother to say anything as he tore the sleeve off his left arm and began tying it around Miroku's wounds himself.

"What?" he asked when the others were staring at him. "You said yourself that this was a temporary solution. Kaede can mend it after she's done stitching up the rest of you."

None of them had the energy to argue. After Sango fetched the weapons scattered around the forest, they climbed wordlessly onto Kirara's back and hung on to each other more tightly than was strictly necessary. The twin-tail lifted carefully into the sky and veered towards Kaede's village. Inuyasha wrapped his arms tighter around Miroku's waste and pressed his face into the monk's shoulder. It felt good to be going home. Even if, with Miroku in his arms, he was always home.

* * *

_SnEaKy_ little bit of mush right at the end there. Inuyasha and Kouga hurling insults at each other while aggressively having each other's backs is peak aesthetic. Miroku and Sango acting like an old married couple while they do this is also peak aesthetic.

Warning that this chapter is even more unedited than usual, because it's almost midnight and I just finished it and I need to go to bed. Trust that I'll get around to making it better sometime soon


	47. Chapter 47: s2e20

Warnings for this chapter: threats of violence from a loved one, emotional manipulation, toxic masculinity, angst and whoops, more angst

* * *

Kaede was glaring at them in contemplation. She picked at the fresh stitching on Inuyasha's suikan and finally spoke in a flat voice. "When Aiko came bursting into my house with the news that you all had returned battered and bloodied and in need of my assistance, I was picturing something rather more…dire."

Inuyasha shot her a toothy grin from where he lay the floor, while Miroku flailed his unbound arm dramatically. "Kaede, we're _injured!_"

Shippo squeaked and clung tighter to Inuyasha's shoulder, where he'd been attached like a limpet ever since they sat down. He'd given them a suitably tearful greeting upon their return, and then absolutely refused to leave their sides. They'd had to pass him around like some strange adornment whenever any of them had to do anything.

"Some of us can be useful, at least," Sango said wryly, pushing to her feet. "I'll help you fetch some food, Lady Kaede."

"Shippo, you go with her," Inuyasha ordered gently. "She's the least damaged."

He lifted the kit off him by the scruff of the neck and handed him over to Sango, where he firmly attached to her arm. She absently patted him on the head as she grabbed Hiraikotsu. As much as they were all intent on relaxing, none of them so much as sat down without their weapons nearby. Whether they were eating, sleeping, or bathing, they remained armed and alert. Sango was especially cautious, knowing that with Inuyasha in a great deal of pain from his gut wound, Miroku unable to use his left arm properly, and Kirara still limping from the damage done to her paws, it was her turn to act as their front line of defense.

The shadow of Naraku's incarnations also hung over them, keeping them all on edge. Each had strange new powers and posed a different kind of threat. Miroku found it impossible to view Kaede's village as a safe haven, knowing that Naraku could be watching them, and plotting to destroy it. They could take their chance to recuperate, to gather supplies and heal, but they would have to leave again in a day or so. They couldn't afford to linger.

"We need to plan out our next move," he said to Inuyasha, propping himself up on one hand.

"Don't we always?" the hanyou sighed. "We don't have any trace of Naraku or the Jewel shards. There's not much we can plan around."

Miroku made a soft noise of agreement and scooted over to lie on Inuyasha's shoulder. Fingers absently brushed the hair from his eyes, but he could sense the hesitation there.

"You're worried about Kaede?" he asked quietly, looking up at the rafters.

"We only just told Sango," Inuyasha murmured. "I want to, eventually. It's just a lot."

"There's no rush," Miroku said, and then he smiled. "We can tell her as we're leaving, if you like. So that we can run away."

Inuyasha snorted, and he cupped the side of Miroku's face with a gentle hand. "You know she would hunt us down."

Miroku chuckled and winced, the motion pulling on his stitches.

"You alright?" Inuyasha asked softly, his eyes tracing the wounds which he knew were hidden under the robes.

"Just a little stiff," Miroku admitted wryly. "What about you? You have yet _another _whole in your gut."

Inuyasha shrugged absently. "S'no big deal. It stopped bleeding this morning."

"Remarkable," Miroku said, and there was a tinge of awe in his eyes.

Inuyasha blushed lightly and buried his nose in Miroku's hair.

xXx

"Naraku's incarnations," Miroku started conversationally as he shredded herbs for Kaede's stew with his right hand, the other still in a sling.

"Juromaru and Kageromaru?" Sango asked, passing a cup of tea over to him and Inuyasha.

"Yes, but not only them," Miroku sighed. "That Naraku made an incarnation in Juromaru who he couldn't control makes me worry. Was it intentional? The idea that he can't plan out exactly what he's creating almost concerns me more."

"Kageromaru said that he would obey only him," Sango said. "But did _he _obey Naraku? It seemed as though Juromaru was only interested in battle, regardless of his opponent, and I can't decide whether Kageromaru was following Naraku's plan or his own desires."

"The other three were obedient enough," Inuyasha grumbled. "When I got to the village with Goshinki, he was saying something about following Naraku's orders. And we saw Kagura and Kanna with him."

"There is no telling what kind of enemy may attack next," Kaede said somberly as she passed out bowls of stew. "Ye must be even more careful and keep your wits about ye."

Miroku hummed thoughtfully as he accepted his bowl, and the others looked at him questioningly. "Perhaps, if we can discern some kind of pattern in Naraku's incarnations, we can try to predict whatever will come next."

"The hell kind of pattern is there?" Inuyasha asked. "You got a wind sorceress, a dead-eyed little girl, a giant mind-reader, another vaguely-human-looking guy, and then whatever the hell Kageromaru was."

"What about their powers?" Sango suggested. "At least the first three had unique abilities."

"Just what I was thinking," Miroku nodded, grimacing slightly. "Naraku said that Kagura and Kanna were Wind and Void respectively, so I have to assume that Goshinki was Mind."

"He's centering them around an idea?" Sango asked, interest piqued. "Do those three things relate to anything?"

"Nothing I can think of," Miroku sighed. "I thought that maybe he was aiming for godai, but Mind isn't one of the five elements. Goshinki could be Water or Fire, but then what? Are either Juromaru or Kageromaru the Earth incarnation?"

"Inuyasha, you said that there was a strange chill that came from Juromaru's mouth," Sango said, looking over at the hanyou.

She frowned. Inuyasha's ears had flicked back and his muscles had tensed. He was staring at Miroku, but seemed to shake himself out of it at Sango's questioning look. "I think that was Kageromaru lying dormant inside him. That would make Kageromaru Water, or Ice, or whatever."

Miroku nodded slowly, looking concerned but pushing it aside. "If Naraku was aiming for godai, then five would be a complete set, but that makes no sense for him. If he can make as many incarnations as he wants, then why bother stopping? Especially when only two have survived!"

"We should examine the old legends for any sign of these ideas," Kaede said decisively. "It may prove useful in determining Naraku's plan."

They ate in relative silence, weighed down by their own thoughts. Even Shippo was quiet, though he still polished off two bowls, so he couldn't be feeling too poorly. Miroku kept on sending nervous glances at Inuyasha, who had his eyes fixed firmly on the floor and didn't seem to be tasting his food. When they finished, the hanyou immediately stood and volunteered to clean the dishes. He took them outside before any of them could protest.

"He seems grumpy," Shippo observed sagely from the sweet bun Kaede had given him.

Miroku caught Sango's eye and shrugged before casting a forlorn glance out the doorway of Kaede's hut, and the woven mat hanging there was still gently swinging in the breeze.

xXx

Inuyasha's mind was a blur. Wind and Void. It couldn't be a coincidence. And Miroku knew, he was sure of it – he'd looked like he was going to be sick when he spoke about the different incarnations. So why hadn't he said anything? After the battle with Naraku, Kagura, and Kanna, Miroku had told him what had happened after he was hit with the Wind Scar. He had conveniently forgotten to mention that particular part. It was possible that he'd just forgotten…but that rang false.

To Inuyasha's mild surprise, the initial thrum of panic that came from someone so close to him lying didn't force him down the path he was anticipating. It didn't make him question everything the monk had ever said, or make him wonder if he had been lying about their relationship – because he knew why he'd done it. It was the same reason that he'd disappeared off to Mushin's in the middle of the night without a word. The same reason he'd lied about where he was going that day in town. Miroku didn't deceive with malevolence – not with them, anyway. The conning of innkeepers and rich lords was another matter. But in a few short months of travelling together, Inuyasha had forgotten how easily Miroku lied. He'd gotten so used to seeing the monk as open, charming, optimistic and joking, with occasional moments of painful sincerity or fear. He'd thought he'd learned to see past the mask, but now he thought that maybe Miroku had simply stopped hiding.

And he _trusted_ Miroku – there was no doubt there. As much as Kouga scared him, and the memory of Kikyo still haunted him, the tiny voice in the back of his head – the one that insisted that every good thing in his life was going to be violently torn away from him one way or another – had quieted slightly. Which was why it still hurt. Which is why it pushed him into a _new _kind of panic, because how the hell was he supposed to approach this with Miroku? Simply stating 'I know you hid a small detail from me because it was hurting you, never lie to me again' wasn't going to work. Miroku wasn't going to stop hiding – if anything, it would make him more careful with what he revealed. It might make him pull away.

No, he had to go about this the right way. He had to convince Miroku that he would stand with him no matter what – that he could _help_. That he wasn't alone. The irony of the fact that he was taking this position with Miroku wasn't lost on him. Neither was the fact that he was hiding something in the monk's interest. His youki was thrumming beneath his skin, telling him that he needed to find a faster solution – to hunt down the problem and rip it to shreds with his claws. He told it to be quiet.

xXx

As they gathered around the irori to sleep, Miroku knew that something was wrong. Inuyasha was holding him close, as he had done the night before, but there was a kind of urgency written into the force with which his hands grasped Miroku's robes, the tension lining his body. Miroku shifted in his arms so they were face-to-face and brushed his fingers through Inuyasha's hair, a silent question in his eyes. Inuyasha shook his head and pressed his nose into Miroku's neck. The monk frowned but didn't push – Inuyasha would talk to him when he was ready.

But the unease had settled into his mind like a disease. He could feel Inuyasha's heartbeat reverberating against his ear, knew that he wasn't asleep. It made it impossible to settle down. Once the others were asleep, their soft breathing filling the hut, Miroku reached out a hand and brushed his fingers down Inuyasha's cheek. The hanyou's eyes opened, surprised, but he didn't move. Slowly, he traced the lines of Inuyasha's nose, his lips, his eyes. The tips of his fingers brushed along the soft ears, through the strands of hair before coming to rest under his jaw. Inuyasha's eyes were shining in the light of the embers, the smallest crease between his brows, holding unnaturally still.

As though offering up something within himself, Miroku eased back, tangled their hands together. Still, Inuyasha didn't speak, didn't move. The sense of wrongness hovered in the air around them, but it was dampened by their intimacy and the fragile peace of the night. Miroku let out a soft breath, not quite a sigh, and Inuyasha tugged him slightly closer. It was his turn to explore Miroku's features, to follow the motion of his jaw, to brush a thumb along his cheek. There was a quiet, earnest force to his movements, even as he appeared to be holding himself back.

He shifted, wrapped his arms securely around Miroku and pulled him flush to his chest. Miroku tried not to feel disappointed, and instead pressed incrementally closer. He closed his eyes and forced himself to relax, to take comfort in the embrace and warmth and sweet, musky scent surrounding him. Because even if something was wrong, Inuyasha was still here. He would still be there in the morning, and they would work things out together. It was hard to convince himself that the good would last, and it wouldn't walk away once a need was met. They had decided to stay, both of them, together. That would have to be enough.

Throughout the night, he dreamt of grasping claws and faceless voices, of something following him that he couldn't see. He woke time and time again, but every time he fell back asleep, it was there once more. There was a faint pain in his chest and a catch in his throat. Inuyasha held him tightly, his nose buried in his hair, and Miroku tried to quell the feeling of being pursued.

xXx

They had scoured the village and shrine for every bit of writing they could find, in the hopes that some old record would have information about what kind of incarnation Naraku might create next. They were about to settle down and start reading when Kaede was summoned by one of the villagers to attend to a sickly man. Sango, Shippo, and Kirara went with her, to bring herbs and provide assistance. They left Miroku and Inuyasha to begin their search. Miroku was fairly sure that wasn't going to happen.

Inuyasha was moving agitatedly from one chest of scrolls to the next, refusing to meet Miroku's eyes.

"Yash?" he asked gently. "Is something wrong?"

"No," Inuyasha said dismissively, his ear twitching. "It's fine. Everything's fine. Just trying to figure out where to start."

Miroku leaned back on his heels, brows furrowed and eyes scrutinizing. "I can tell something's bothering you – it has been for a while now. What is it?"

Inuyasha's eyes were sharp for the heartbeat that they met Miroku's before he looked away. "I'm just stressed about Naraku. Nothing new."

Miroku's frown deepened. "You didn't seem like this before. Has something changed?"

"It's nothing!" Inuyasha snapped, and he began pacing through the hut. "I just want the bastard dead, like always!"

"That can't be all there is," Miroku pressed, standing. "Please, tell me what's going on."

"Aren't you listening?" Inuyasha's voice was rising in pitch and intensity. "I'm fine! Outside of being pursued by an all-powerful demon who wants me and my pack dead, I'm fine!"

"Don't do this."

"I'm not doing anything!"

"Please, just _talk _to me!" Miroku begged.

"There's nothing to fucking talk about!" Inuyasha snapped, his pacing increasing.

"I know there is! If you don't want to discuss what's bothering you, then I'm not going to force you, but at least admit that you're not alright! Tell me what I can do to help. Tell me what you need!"

"I don't _need _anything because there's nothing _wrong!"_ Inuyasha snarled.

"Don't lie to me!" Miroku almost shouted. "I can see that you're hurting and I need to be there for you! Don't shut me out!"

Inuyasha whirled on him, taking a step forward. He didn't know what his plan was – to shove the monk aside, to push past him to the door and escape, maybe – but what ended up happening was very different. His youki was swirling around him, agitated beyond belief, and when he took that step, it jumped. A wave of his demonic power shot towards Miroku. The monk instantly froze, curling into himself slightly as his eyes went wide. Inuyasha froze in turn, horror crashing into him. Because Miroku didn't look _scared_, not exactly, but there was more than just concern in his eyes. His heartbeat was calm – the opposite of Inuyasha's – and his breathing was even, and there was no real pain in his scent. Inuyasha let out a shuddering breath, almost going limp with relief for the scarce heartbeat before guilt ripped through him.

"Yash-" Miroku started, a hand held out as though trying to calm a wild animal. Inuyasha leapt past him and out the door.

He didn't stop running for a long time – out of the village, across the rice fields, and deep into the woods. By the time he slowed, his whole body was shaking and his breath came in shuddering gasps. He sank to his knees, bracing himself against the forest floor. Fear pulsed through him with every beat of his heart, hard-edged with horror at what had happened. At what he had almost done.

Fuck.

He curled into himself, digging his claws into the ground. Fuck, fuck, _fuck_. He squeezed his eyes shut and tried not to be sick as nausea rolled over him in waves. He couldn't- Fuck. Everything was wrong. He was supposed to be keeping Miroku safe, making him feel more secure, and he'd almost- He didn't know what. He hadn't seen the monk as a threat, not for a moment, but his instincts were pushing him to get away and his youki had reacted. He'd almost hurt Miroku. He'd frightened him.

He was dangerous.

He swore viciously, but the words got stuck in his throat and he almost choked. He was a danger to his pack, to everyone he cared about. He should have known, should have been more careful, but after Juromaru and Kageromaru he'd gotten careless. He still couldn't control his youki – if anything, it was worse than ever. He couldn't afford to let his guard down even for a moment. He couldn't let anyone get hurt because of him – or _by _him.

Vaguely, Inuyasha could hear Miroku calling out for him. He squeezed his eyes shut tighter and tried to ignore the world. Then there was a tug at his neck, the nenju beads pulling him back, and because he was a gullible fool, he went.

Miroku stood outside Kaede's hut, looking distraught. Inuyasha felt all his decisions and intentions drop away as his instinct to comfort and reassure pushed to the forefront of his mind. He reached out and barely stopped himself, his hands hovering uselessly in the air.

"Please," Miroku said brokenly.

Inuyasha crashed into him, embracing him with a fierce desperation. "I'm sorry," he gasped into Miroku's neck. "I'm so sorry. I'm so fucking sorry-"

"Shh," Miroku hushed him, his hands winding into his hair. "Breathe, Yash. I'm fine. Nothing happened. I shouldn't have pushed, I'm sorry."

Inuyasha tried for a "no" but it came out as a whimper instead. He clutched the monk to him and breathed.

"Come inside," Miroku whispered, and Inuyasha nodded.

They knelt on either side of the irori, Inuyasha staring hard at the floor. He could feel all of Miroku's questions swirling unspoken in the air between them. He knew that it would be impossible to deny that anything was wrong. He didn't know how he could explain what happened.

"What do you need?" Miroku asked gently.

Inuyasha shook his head, blinking rapidly. "Don't."

"Don't what?"

"This isn't about making me feel better! I'm not the one needs- You don't get to-"

Miroku's lips twitched into a small smile. "Believe it or not, I care about how you're feeling. When something's wrong, I want to help fix it, even if I am also having trouble."

"And that's the problem, isn't it?" Inuyasha said stormily. "You want me to talk about my feelings but you hide yours."

Miroku blinked, taken aback. "What do you mean?" he asked cautiously.

"I mean the mantis and Mushin's temple. I mean the money. I mean Wind and Void! I mean the fact that you're sitting there worried about me instead of yourself!" He cut himself off, but the damage was done. Miroku looked struck. So much for his plan. He took a deep breath and continued in a softer tone. "We're both hypocrites, I get that. But if you want me to open up, then you need to as well. We can't hide things from each other. You want to see me for who I am, then please, don't lock yourself away."

Miroku's lips pressed together, his jaw clenched, and he nodded once. "Deal."

Inuyasha's shoulders sagged and he ran a hand down his face. "In that light, I almost hurt you and that scared the shit out of me."

"But you didn't hurt me," Miroku reminded him firmly, earning him a slight glare. "Yes, you frightened me – startled me – but no harm was done."

"Is this what it's going to be like?" Inuyasha asked. "My youki jumping in whenever I get upset?"

"I don't know," Miroku admitted softly. "Myoga seemed to think that it would only get stronger, but just like you've trained to handle Tessaiga and the Wind Scar, you should be able to wield your own power the same way."

Inuyasha sighed. "Whatever. That's something to deal with later. For now, we need to talk about the incarnations."

Miroku swallowed hard, and he looked pained, but to Inuyasha's surprise, he offered an explanation without prompting. "I didn't think it made any difference. Naraku taunted me with it, but he does the same wherever he can – you with Kikyo, Sango with Kohaku, myself with the wind tunnel."

"If it makes a difference to you, then it makes a difference to me," Inuyasha said sternly.

"Fair point," Miroku shrugged, offering a half-smile.

Inuyasha scooted over to sit behind him, wrapping him in a side-hug. "This whole situation is shit."

"I'm inclined to agree with you."

xXx

As they returned across the village, Sango could feel Kaede's eyes on her. She had stoically ignored all the questioning looks from her and Shippo since they arrived, but now she was cornered. She didn't know if Inuyasha and Miroku were simply letting the others figure out their relationship for themselves, or if they truly didn't know how obvious they were. But they weren't volunteering any information, and she was left to confront the suspicious miko. At least Shippo hadn't realized what he was seeing yet.

"It has been an eventful time for you, has it not?" Kaede prompted none-too-subtly.

"New incarnations, new problems, but the same mission," Sango shrugged. "Things have simply gotten a little more complicated."

"And yet you are persisting," she pressed. "Working well as a team…?"

"Yes."

"And Inuyasha and Miroku, they are continuing to treat each other well?"

Sango barely resisted rolling her eyes. "They are good friends, yes."

"Good…friends. Good. That's good."

"We should get back and help with the scrolls," Sango said with forced enthusiasm.

"Indeed," Kaede said thoughtfully. Sango thought she may actually have gotten away with it when the old miko fixed her with a comforting look. "Ye know that any of ye, be it you, or Inuyasha, or Miroku, may come to me with anything and I will listen."

Sango smiled despite herself. "Thank you, Lady Kaede. I'll let them know."

When they entered the hut, Miroku and Inuyasha were sitting quietly on the floor, looking through scrolls. They appeared for all the world to be merely studious, but Sango could see Inuyasha's red-rimmed eyes, the tension in his posture, the way Miroku was practically in his lap. Something had happened, but that was between them, and they seemed to have worked things out. She knew by Kaede's sharp eye that she had also seen it – but again, not her problem.

She knelt down beside them and Miroku gave her a warm smile, slightly tight around the edges. "Were you successful?"

"The man should be fine," Kaede said. "It is merely the cold returning."

"What about you?" Sango asked, looking over the piles of scrolls and scraps of paper around the place. "Anything interesting?"

"Well, I've learned the entire history of that rock outside the shine," Miroku sighed softly. "And Inuyasha is becoming an expert on sweet yams."

"Thrilling," Sango grinned humourlessly. "Hand me whatever's next."

xXx

By evening, it was obvious to everyone that they would be staying in Kaede's village another day. They had worked their way slowly through about half the available texts, and still found nothing. While they discussed their next move, which might involve travelling to a city to search for more information, Kaede pulled her large cooking pot over the irori.

"I can cook tonight, Kaede," Miroku offered mildly. "I haven't had the chance for a while."

She looked a little surprised but told him to have at it. She recruited Inuyasha to help her clear away the scrolls that they had already looked through. As they did so, Shippo eagerly volunteered to help Miroku however he could.

"How come you never really cooked when we were travelling together?" the kit asked as Miroku had him wash some yams.

"We were always eating roasted fish or the food was provided for us," Miroku shrugged. "Back at the temple with Mushin, I cooked most of the time."

"Can you teach me?" Shippo asked eagerly, and Miroku instantly agreed.

Sango watched them out of the corner of her eye as she tended her weapons. The monk's face was warm with an old fondness that she didn't think just came from Shippo. He rearranged the ingredients several times, a slight eagerness to his movements. The sight made her smile. When she glanced over at Inuyasha, she could see the hanyou shooting repeated glances over at Miroku, his expression soft and eyes shining. She grinned to herself and continued her task. She was so focused on not staring at them too much that she almost missed what Miroku was making.

"Curry?" she asked, as the food began to warm over the fire.

"Indeed it is," Miroku grinned excitedly.

Sango watched him suspiciously. "You're not going to put an obscene amount of chillies in again, are you?"

"No," he said patiently. "I'm going to put in the _correct_ amount of chillies, which is all of them."

"Are you trying to kill me?"

He hid his smile behind the large wooden spoon he was holding. "If I was, this would be the way to do it."

"What are you saying?"

He gestured theatrically. "Sango, masterful and terrifying demon slayer, can't handle a little heat!"

Her eyes narrowed dangerously. "You'd better watch your back."

Despite her complaining, the meal was delicious, even though she was lightly crying the entire time. Shippo continued describing all the things he had done while they were away, which largely consisted of helping Kaede and playing with the village children, who were becoming increasingly fond of him. Once they were done, they continued reading scrolls in the light of the fire, but Inuyasha and Shippo were soon fidgeting.

"I think that's enough for the evening," Miroku sighed, rolling up the scroll one handed and starting to get up, but Inuyasha grabbed it from him and put it away for him. He caught Sango's eye and blatantly ignored her broad grin.

They lay down around the fire, not quite ready for sleep, but done with the day. Miroku hummed a soft tune as he played with Shippo's hair while Kirara butted them all with her head for pets. Gradually they settled down more. Inuyasha sighed contentedly, tugging Miroku slightly closer and nuzzling against his neck. Miroku hummed and rested his hand on the side of his head, holding him close. For a moment he simply rested there, breathing in his scent contentedly. Then he heard purring, and opened his eyes to see Kirara nuzzling her way into Sango's neck. Inuyasha's ears flicked back and he frowned. Sango didn't seem to notice, busy sharpening her sword, but Kirara blinked warmly at him. Inuyasha huffed and buried his head deeper into Miroku's side. So what if he acted like a demon cat? He was part dog demon, after all. Miroku could deal.

xXx

There was something after him, he was sure of it. It wasn't so much an immediate threat, more of a presence in the back of his mind. Miroku glanced over his shoulder but there was nothing, just swirling darkness with sparks of pink, blue, and amber. He shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts. His hand pressed against his chest, at the clawed hand which pulled against his heart.

When he opened his eyes, Inuyasha was still asleep beside him, so he knew that he hadn't reacted too strongly to the dream. Shippo was kicking his arm agitatedly, chasing something in his mind's eye. Everyone else was quiet. Miroku closed his eyes and willed himself back to sleep.

xXx

It was almost noon and they were coming to the end of the scrolls. Still nothing. Miroku's eyes skimmed over the paper, looking for any relevant information. Normally, Inuyasha would be buzzing with frustrated energy at this point, but instead he simply sat by Miroku's side, completely relaxed. His eyes roamed over Kaede, who was mending his suikan, and Sango, who was sharpening Hiraikotsu. He sighed contentedly and rested his head on Miroku's shoulder. Miroku smiled softly and did the most natural thing in the world – pressed a quick kiss to the top of Inuyasha's head before returning his attention to the scroll.

Inuyasha's face was on fire as his entire body went rigid. Miroku didn't seem to have noticed, but Sango was watching them from across the hut as though they were the most amusing thing in the world. Inuyasha curled his lip at her and her smile broadened. Yet despite everything, Inuyasha had no desire to move. He leaned a little more into Miroku and was rewarded by a hand running up and down his back before moving to sit heavily between his ears. Inuyasha shut his eyes and breathed it all in.

Some time later, he was pulled back to reality by a slight tug on his ear. Miroku's fingers were playing absently with them, alternating between caressing and massaging the delicate skin. Inuyasha squeezed his eyes shut and tried not to moan. He leaned into the touch, bumping his head further into Miroku's hand. The monk's keen eyes were soon drawn from the scroll, darting from the silky ears to Inuyasha's increasingly red face.

Miroku smiled broadly, warmly – maybe a little wickedly – and tucked the information safely away for later.

It was technically unnecessary for all of them to bring back the baskets and chests of scrolls together, but that didn't stop them. After returning them to the shrine and various huts, they took a stroll around the village. Shippo ran after falling leaves and leapt on them when they touched the ground, trying to find the ones with the best crunch. Kirara found a fly and immediately made it her mission to capture it at all costs, bounding off windows and roofs and the occasional human in her increasingly aerodynamic chase. Miroku leaned heavily into Inuyasha's side, their arms fitting easily around each other's waists. At one point, Sango rolled her eyes playfully at them, so naturally, Miroku tackled her into a pile of leaves. She burst out laughing and smashed a handful of leaves into his face, which caused him to splutter and fall back. Then Shippo jumped on them, wanting to join in the fun, and they were somewhat rumpled when they returned to Kaede's hut.

They agreed to leave the following morning. Kaede decided to take advantage of them while she still could, and summoned Inuyasha to tend to the various problems around the village that could benefit from the use of his hanyou strength. Sango and Kirara took Shippo to the river for some fish, as they were steadily eating through the village's food supply. With nothing else pressing to do, Miroku decided to take a walk in the forest.

He was still full of a pleasant warmth from being with the others – it was hard to deny how much he had missed Shippo and Kaede. And despite having only been in the village a few times over the course of several months, it felt more like home than any place he had ever been outside of the temple. Yet it still felt good to spend some time alone, to have the chance to cast his mind outwards rather than focusing on specific people around him. Though being wrapped in Inuyasha's arms was perhaps the perfect state of being, he hadn't had the chance to meditate in quite some time. He turned his path towards a sunny forest glen, where the chirp of birds met the murmur of a stream and the whisper of the winds.

The presence of youki pulled his senses upwards. He peered through the trees, eyes straining. The long, serpentine body of a giant demon slid through the air above him. It twisted around, dipping its head to survey him before swinging back in the direction from which it had come. Miroku took in the six skeletal arms, the fanned fins framing the head, the pointed teeth… The soul collector was a hundred times larger than any he'd seen before, its body blood red.

Miroku glanced over at a patch of forest, following the faint tug on his heart. He didn't know whether this was some new scheme of Kikyo's, or whether the demon was after her, but there was no doubt that she was involved.

She crashed through the underbrush not a moment later, leaning heavily against her bow like a crutch. Her own soul collectors flew around her like guards.

"Kikyo!" he called out to her, catching her attention.

She didn't exactly look pleased to see him. A tight grimace of pain marred her face, only deepening as he approached. She trembled and collapsed, and he barely caught her in time. The impact jarred along his arm and shoulder. She roughly pushed away from him. He was going to ask her if she was alright, or what was going on, but the giant soul collector began to crash through the canopy above them. Kikyo's soul collectors rushed in between them and the demon, mobbing its face and trying to draw its attention, but it ignored them.

"I see you've been keeping busy," Miroku said dryly as he wrapped a sutra around his staff.

With the advantage of a moment to concentrate, he was able to construct a proper spirit shield around Kikyo and himself. She glared at him, but there was a question in his eyes. Miroku avoided her gaze and instead watched the demon, waiting to see what would happen next.

xXx

Inuyasha heaved the log off the road, sending it tumbling down the rocky banks and into a ditch. The villagers thanked him, saying that the path was too narrow for horses to maneuver easily, and it would have taken many of them to lift the fallen tree on their own. Inuyasha shrugged, still uneasy whenever humans expressed any kind of gratitude for his presence. Earlier, he'd fetched some child's plaything off the roof of one of the houses, and she'd actually _hugged _him. He shuddered at the thought.

He turned to Kaede, waiting for their next task. Instead, he caught something ominous on the breeze. He inhaled deeply, practically tasting the demon's scent. He followed its trail to the horizon, where he could see what looked like a large red worm diving into the forest. Wait- He knew that youkai! He ran, ignoring the shouts of the villagers calling after him. Kikyo had to be nearby!

He burst through the trees, where the demon was being harassed by a flock of smaller soul collectors. Beyond them, Miroku and Kikyo knelt, covered by a spiritual barrier. Seeing them together sent a thrum of fear through Inuyasha's heart – he remembered the last time they had been in contact.

A buzzing through the air directed his attention back to the darkening sky, where a hoard of Saimyosho were gathering. He knew it! This had to be another of Naraku's plots. He must be trying to get rid of Kikyo. Well, Inuyasha wasn't going to let that happen!

He aimed for the Saimyosho first, knowing that if he got rid of the insects, then Miroku could use the wind tunnel if he had to. But the giant demon broke through Kikyo's soul collectors, was diving at her and Miroku. It bounced off the barrier and looped back into the air.

Miroku winced as he was jarred from the impact, but the barrier held. Kikyo was breathing harshly beside him, and he could feel her pain like some strange echo. The demon was coming for them again, its jaws open wide. It slammed into the barrier, its teeth raking along the surface, sending crackling energy running along the surface. Miroku grimaced as the force of the attack tore at his mental walls. Then Kikyo was moving, struggling to sit upright. There was something deeply wrong – he could feel it. It was like her very presence was fading away.

As the giant soul collector clamped its jaws around the half-sphere of the barrier, and Inuyasha drew Tessaiga, Kikyo grabbed Miroku's arm. He gasped as pain shot through him, an ethereal white light emerging from his chest. No! He shoved her away, but his focus was shattered, and the barrier dissolved around them. Miroku lifted his staff just in time to block the demon's attack, wedging it between the gaping jaws. He rolled to his feet, and Inuyasha was beside him. He pushed the hanyou towards Kikyo, seeing the conflict in his eyes. Inuyasha gathered her up in his arms and leapt safely out of the reach of the flailing demon. Miroku followed close behind.

The demon dove for them and Inuyasha jumped, clutching Kikyo tighter to his chest. He could smell the pain rolling off her in waves. He ran just far enough and spun around, desperate eyes immediately seeking out Miroku. The monk was retrieving his staff, which had fallen from the demon's jaws, and easily avoiding the erratic movements of his opponent.

Inuyasha gently placed Kikyo on the ground, leaning her against the sturdy trunk of a tree. His eyes were sharp with worry as he surveyed her. "You're hurt," he murmured, though he couldn't see where. "Just stay quiet here. I'll take care of that monster."

He moved before she could answer, drawing Tessaiga once more. Miroku darted under the demon's belly and ran to his side, and they shared a solemn glance. Inuyasha stepped in front of the monk, lifting his sword above his head.

"You picked a fight with the wrong guy!" he shouted.

As the demon flew at Inuyasha, Miroku stepped out of the way, seeing where this was heading. He almost smiled to himself at the ease with which Inuyasha wielded Tessaiga now – and with no real training since its repair, and a gut wound slowing him down. Sango had joked with him, after Juromaru and Kageromaru, that Inuyasha was so stubborn that he didn't notice the sword's weight when those he loved were in danger. It would seem that she was right.

Inuyasha yelled wordlessly and shifted to the side as the demon flew at him. He swung Tessaiga out, slicing through the demon's jaws and carrying the motion through the rest of its body. Miroku reached for the wind tunnel, and froze. Where the two halves of the demon fell at his feet, souls lifted from its flesh and floated up into the air. Dozens of them. Kikyo's soul collectors sprang into action, snatching them from the air and depositing them in Kikyo's body.

Inuyasha sheathed Tessaiga, unease rippling along his spine. He'd known that Kikyo needed souls to sustain herself, but seeing her like this… She couldn't stand, couldn't even lift her head up on her own. Yet as more and more of the souls were placed into her body, she blinked and looked around wanly, lifted a hand to brush the hair from her face.

"Kikyo," he murmured, stumbling towards her.

Her eyes snapped to his. "Inuyasha?" she asked edgily, warily. "What are you doing here?"

He dropped to one knee in front of her. "That's what I was gonna ask you."

There was a slight rustling to his right, and Inuyasha's heart clenched. Miroku's eyes were steady as he nodded his head, took a step away. A small whine escaped from Inuyasha's throat. Miroku's eyes softened.

"It's alright," he whispered, just loud enough for hanyou ears to catch.

Inuyasha watched him as he disappeared through the trees. His gut twisted uneasily, but the scent of pain from Kikyo drove his attention back to her.

"Why did you come here?" he asked softly.

Kikyo shifted, grimacing in pain. "That demon was chasing me."

Inuyasha nodded. "And you led it here knowing that I would rescue you."

"Don't be a fool!" she snapped angrily. "I was running wildly for my life and happened to come upon you."

He reeled back. "Kikyo?"

The collectors continued to feed her souls. Inuyasha looked away, feeling somehow that this was a private event, not to be seen. It was why his eyes came to rest on the tree that Kikyo was leaning upon. Huh. What were the odds, that of all the trees in the entire forest, he would have brought her here?

"Fifty years," he murmured, thoughtfully.

"What?" Kikyo asked suspiciously. "What are you thinking?"

"We haven't changed all that much, seeing as fifty years have passed," he said softly.

Kikyo shifted, turned away and closed her eyes. "Don't talk nonsense. I have changed." Her gaze cast upwards, to the tree she leaned against. "Since that day, all those years ago and yet not so very long ago."

"It was because of Naraku that we hated each other," Inuyasha said mournfully. "So much that you trapped me here. And you died, and I couldn't do anything to save you. I don't think I would have wanted to, if I even knew you were hurt," he admitted quietly. His eyes locked to hers earnestly. "Kikyo, be honest – have I changed since then?"

She looked back at him wordlessly. Her eyes shone.

"I was so angry back then," he continued. "When I woke, I burned with resentment for what you'd done to me."

"Though not anymore," she said softly. "You have changed, Inuyasha, in more ways than you are aware."

There was a hard edge to her voice, something he couldn't quite decipher. He needed to make it right.

"It doesn't matter," he insisted, leaning closer to her. "We're here now, and we're still in each other's lives. Your last words to me," he swallowed hard. "The last time we saw each other, you told me that my life was yours." He crept closer, a hand reaching out for her. "And yours is mine."

Kikyo's eyes flashed and she leaned back slightly, then she looked away and sighed. And laughed. "You sound just like Naraku."

"What?" he reeled back as though struck. "You're saying I'm the same as…as that monster?"

"Deep within Naraku, Onigumo's heart beats with earning for me, for my touch." She smiled coldly. "Having me kill you with my own two hands was something that he dreamed about, for he was driven by petty jealousy. His desire has yet to fade."

"Jealousy?" Inuyasha spluttered. "He did all that – caused all that pain – for something so ridiculous?"

"Yes, ridiculous," she smiled. "But, that's what mortals are."

He stepped away, shocked by her coldness. He didn't know which mortals she was referring to – Onigumo, Miroku perhaps, or maybe his own human half. Or maybe it was herself. He shook his head, casting aside the very thought. But Onigumo…

"Does that mean Naraku has feelings for you, too?" he asked.

"He is reluctant to admit it, but it is in an effort to quell these feelings that he wants me dead."

"He won't!" Inuyasha snarled, his fingers curling into fists. "I won't let him!"

"Enough talk," she hissed, pushing to her feet. "The souls have replenished me. I no longer require your aid."

"Kikyo," he shook his head. "You aren't planning to confront Naraku alone, are you? You can't! You're not strong enough!" He looked away. "And the thought of that monster in love with you, what he might do… I can't stand it!"

He reached for her, taking halting steps towards her.

"I don't care you feel about me now," he said, low and dark. "But I swear, I won't let Naraku have you!" He grabbed her shoulders. "I can protect you from him!"

He squeezed his arms around her. She struggled, only for a moment, before her arms wound around him. He pressed her closer, squeezing his eyes shut.

"I will slay Naraku myself," he swore. "So you won't have to fight anymore. I will protect you."

He meant it. He really, truly meant it. But the words weren't only for her.

"Inuyasha," she sighed.

"Kikyo…"

She pushed away from him, eyes flat. "You fool. You think that once you embrace a woman, she belongs to you – you and Naraku, both. Pathetic."

"Listen-"

"No!" she said firmly, and he obediently stepped away. "I've learned something from you, Inuyasha. As long as the heart of Onigumo beats within Naraku, there will be an opportunity for me. That chance will be all I need."

"Kikyo…"

He could see the coldness in her, the vengeance. Was she really still Kikyo?

The soul collectors surrounded her, lifting her into the air. He called after her, but got no response. She was gone. Again. And once again, he was left with a hollow emptiness aching in his chest.

Inuyasha closed his eyes, waiting as her scent faded away. A quiet breeze brushed past his face, holding a different scent, sweet and warm and familiar. He peered through the low evening light, where he could just make out a pale face against dark robes and trees. Far away enough that he couldn't hear what they were saying, close enough that he could come to help if need be. Inuyasha stumbled towards him and then he was running, drawn by an invisible force. He caught Miroku in his arms and held him close. Miroku's own arms were warm and strong around him, yet there was hesitation there.

Inuyasha couldn't find the words to reassure him.

He was still reeling from Kikyo, still burning with the intensity of the emotions he felt whenever he was with her. He wanted so badly to protect her, to keep her safe… But with Miroku in his arms, he felt only more confused. How could he face himself, drawing comfort from Miroku's embrace, when he had run straight from Kikyo's? He was trying to ease his mind _about _Kikyo with Miroku's presence. The thought made him sick, made him curl away. Because he couldn't deny it – he loved Kikyo. He'd never stopped loving her.

And he had no idea what to do next.

* * *

I think this turned into the emotional interpretation of 2020 as a chapter.

So Miroku is worried about Inuyasha because Inuyasha is acting weird and Inuyasha is acting weird because he can feel that Miroku is distressed and Miroku is distressed because he knows something's wrong with Inuyasha and the thing that's wrong with Inuyasha is that he knows Miroku's hiding something and Miroku's hiding something to spare Inuyasha pain from worrying…


	48. Chapter 48: s2e21

Warnings for this chapter: whoop more angst, gratuitous backstories, negative self-perception, discussions of loss of self, discussions of relationships and sex, references to sex work, and one reference/vaguely explicit flashback to a minor performing sex work in a bad situation and vague references to homophobia (please message me if you would like more details)

* * *

Inuyasha stalked through the forest, unaware of everything around him. Kikyo… She'd become so cold. So dispassionate. She was so focused on revenge, it seemed to consume everything about her. It reminded him of himself, in some ways – the first time he met Naraku, he'd been so fixated on avenging Kikyo that he'd run headlong into danger without a second thought. And he still felt that need, that drive to find justice for the life and happiness that Naraku had stolen from them. But now he had pack. Now he had Miroku. Now he had a reason to stop and think.

Kikyo had been right – he'd changed so much over a few short months. Miroku had something to do with it, he was sure, but that wasn't all.

He came to a stop, looking down at his claws. 'You sound like Naraku.' She'd been speaking only of their shared desire for her, but she wasn't wrong. Even though he was with Miroku, even though he had no claim over her, Inuyasha still felt the intense need to keep her close, to protect her. Possessiveness, his mind supplied. Naraku was the same – pursuing her because he wanted her. It was ugly and disgusting and Inuyasha was deeply ashamed of himself for it.

But he knew that he'd taken part beyond his pursuit of Kikyo. He'd seen Kouga as a threat – a rival – before he and Miroku even admitted their feelings for one another. He knew that he was protective of his pack, perhaps overly so, but he had no right to the decisions they made. If Miroku had decided to join the wolf pack, Inuyasha would have no grounds to stop him. Even though he felt that he should. It churned his stomach, but he couldn't deny it. He wanted so desperately to hold on to Miroku, to guard the few pieces of good in his life, that he was willing to fight tooth and claw to keep him. And Naraku was so keen to purge himself of his love for Kikyo that he wanted to kill her.

Inuyasha shook his head. He would never, ever do anything like that.

Although, a tiny voice reminded him, he had hurt those he cared about. The scent of Miroku's blood on his claws haunted him still. It was unintentional, but that would mean nothing if the result was the same. There was a part of himself that he couldn't control, and it was a danger to others. Naraku couldn't control all of his incarnations – but that was different. Naraku was using himself to try to destroy them. Inuyasha was-

Using his youki to fight.

No. No, it wasn't the same. Not at all. He was trying to learn to control himself. He was fighting Naraku for his own protection, and that of his pack. He didn't want to hurt anyone. He didn't play stupid, manipulative mind games for the suffering of others.

Although, he had been planning out how to trick Miroku into opening up.

No, they had talked things through and things were better now. They had agreed to be more open with one another.

He could deal with his possessiveness. He could dial back his control over others. He would focus on controlling himself, on honing his youki into a tool to keep everyone safe. He would train as hard as he could, get stronger-

Like Naraku had. Naraku was a human who absorbed demons into himself. Inuyasha was a hanyou who wanted the Jewel to make him youkai.

He sank to his knees on the forest floor.

Fuck.

He knew that it wasn't the same. He knew that he could never do any of the horrible, senselessly cruel and manipulative things that Naraku seemed to take pleasure in. All he wanted was to keep himself and his pack alive, to be safe.

But it still hurt.

He wanted to use the Jewel so that he wouldn't have to worry all the time. He would be respected as a demon in a way he never was as a hanyou. He would be stronger, strong enough to protect those important to him. He was enhancing what he already had, not changing himself entirely. Not like Naraku had.

But would his human half be gone? Would he also be losing some part of himself?

He slammed his fist into the ground. It connected with a soft thud – not enough.

He had told Miroku that he would no longer pursue Kikyo. He hadn't been lying, at the time. But seeing here again, smelling her scent, hearing her voice… He knew that she was different – how could she not be? But he could still see glimpses of the woman he loved. She had always been strong-willed and determined. It was what had drawn them together in the first place. Her death had changed a fundamental part of who she was, but she was still _her_. And he didn't know how he could let her go.

He remembered how he felt all those weeks ago, seeing Kikyo standing over a bound Miroku, knowing that she had hurt him. In that moment, he'd been entirely focused on getting the monk back. But now, with her in danger, the need to protect was just as strong.

He didn't know what to do.

He couldn't be like Naraku. That monster took whatever he wanted, fed into his own sadistic desires no matter the cost. Inuyasha knew that he couldn't toy with Miroku's emotions. If he was to protect Kikyo, as he'd sworn, how could he face Miroku? He cursed softly, digging his claws into the ground. He and Kikyo were so tangled up in each other, so inalterably intertwined, but he could spare Miroku from that.

If he could let the monk go.

xXx

Sango watched Miroku carefully. She had been rushing through the forest, ready to fight the demon she'd seen from the opposite side of the village, when she bumped into him. With a pale face and large, hollow eyes, he assured her that the danger was passed, the trouble over, and all was well. Sango didn't need half a brain to know that was wildly untrue. She glanced into the transparent darkness of the night, where she knew that Inuyasha had disappeared to.

"What happened?" she asked cautiously, taking his arm.

His eyes met hers and he swallowed, sagged, and looked away. "It's complicated."

She scowled. "You realize that that's the least helpful thing you could have said, right?"

"Kikyo."

"Oh."

She readjusted her grip on his arm and began leading him back to the village. She glanced over her shoulder, unease churning in her belly.

"And Inuyasha?" she asked carefully.

"He just needs some time to think," Miroku said in a faint voice.

She led him to the outskirts of the forest, where Kirara was waiting with Shippo on her back. They could both obviously tell that something was wrong, but kept quiet as they stuck close to his side. Miroku was unwaveringly silent all the way back to Kaede's hut, where he settled down by the fire and stared into the flames. Sango frowned, and waved Kirara over.

"I need you to find Inuyasha and keep an eye on him. Make sure he doesn't do anything foolish. I'm going to deal with this one."

Kirara chirped quietly, nuzzled Shippo goodbye, and bounded off into the night. Miroku didn't so much as blink. His face held a quiet, earnest intensity that made Sango think that his mind was whirling. Her only consolation was that he didn't look injured or heartbroken, so presumably Inuyasha was similarly intact and the two of them were at least in a salvageable place. Still, she watched him carefully, while occasionally distracting Shippo with little games and shaking her head firmly when Kaede entered the hut and looked to be about to speak.

It was some time later that Kirara came back. Sango raised an eyebrow, and the twin-tail glanced behind her expectantly. Instead, there was a slight shuffling, then the faint sound of footsteps on the roof above them before silence. Sango glanced back at Miroku, who had squeezed his eyes shut and let out a long breath. He shuffled to the wall and leaned back against it, stoically ignoring her gaze. She sighed and followed suit, dragging Hiraikotsu over to the corner and preparing for a night sleeping upright.

She started about an arm's length from him, but quickly thought better of it. She wordlessly scooted closer until their sides were touching. Miroku didn't speak, didn't open his eyes, but a faint, pained smile tugged at his lips and he pressed against her. She unceremoniously deposited Shippo into his lap while plopping Kirara onto hers and settled down.

xXx

The next morning, they could all hear Inuyasha walking around outside. At Sango's gentle nudge, Kirara stepped off her lap, stretched, and padded outside to investigate. Miroku's eyes were open and staring blankly at the middle-distance, his expression closed. Kaede, glancing between them and obviously aware that something was the matter, pushed to her feet and joined the hanyou and twin-tail outside.

Inuyasha continued moving about incessantly – tidying firewood, pushing a cart further against a house, and picking up leaves off the ground – while not looking at any of them. He could feel their eyes on him, knew that he owed Miroku, if not all of them, some kind of explanation. But he couldn't. He'd tried all night and still couldn't come up with a way to express what he was feeling. Because, honestly, he still couldn't decipher exactly what it _was_ he was feeling. All he knew was that it was twisted and ugly and it _hurt_.

Miroku's slight frown deepened when he and Sango stepped outside and Inuyasha didn't so much as look at them. Sango could see the hurt that he quickly masked, and it only made her frustration grow. She knew that it wasn't her place or her responsibility to get in the middle of whatever was between them, but for goodness sake, whatever was happening was making everyone miserable!

As though he could detect her thoughts, Inuyasha huffed quietly and moved further away, apparently intent on reorganizing the entire village.

"Is there anything I can do?" Sango asked, more to prompt Miroku into talking than anything else.

"We're fine, Sango," Miroku said, and it sounded like he was trying to reassure himself. "He just needs some time to think."

Sango crossed her arms, leaned against the wall of Kaede's hut, and looked unconvinced.

xXx

Inuyasha leaned against the fence at the edge of the cow pasture, ostensibly there to help Kaede pick medicinal herbs. She had firmly told him that he was to follow her, and he wasn't in the right frame of mind to contradict her. But the old miko was just pulling at weeds and not saying anything. Inuyasha sighed and hopped onto the fence, tucking his knees under his chin and wrapping his arms around them. His ears moved lazily, following the sounds of the wind in the trees, birds flying around them, and the distant voices in the village.

"It is said that if you allow words to fester, they may not emerge the way you intended," Kaede said conversationally.

Inuyasha's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Do _they_ say that, Kaede, or do you?"

"You must speak to someone about what is on your mind, Inuyasha," she warned. "It need not be to me, but it must be soon. What you carry burns not only yourself."

He huffed and looked away, curling tighter into himself. "It's no one's business what happened."

"Is it not my business, as Kikyo's sister?" Kaede asked mildly, unimpressed by his surprise. "Ye do not think that I can recognize those demons she keeps in her company, or the effect she might have on you?"

Inuyasha closed his eyes, trying to block out the rush of emotions. "I know I messed up, but I can't stop thinking about her. I need to find some way to find her again – to keep her safe."

"And what of the others you swore to protect?"

Inuyasha growled and stared up at the sky with angry eyes. "I'm not abandoning anyone, but Kikyo is my priority right now."

Kaede glanced up at him, quietly assessing. "You still wish to be with her?"

There was a long pause, and the silence weighed heavily on them both. "I don't know," he finally admitted.

"This Kikyo is made from earth and bones," she reminded him gently. "She is not of this world."

Inuyasha shook his head, rejecting the words. Her body may be different, and she may act in unpredictable ways, but her spirit was still the same as the one he'd fallen in love with. He couldn't abandon her. He couldn't forget her. He couldn't just give up on the woman he loved!

"The two of ye can never be together in this world," Kaede continued, unperturbed by his silent fuming. "What my sister truly wants it for both of ye to die together."

"I'd leap into hell with her," Inuyasha muttered softly. "Kikyo knows that."

"And what about Miroku?"

Inuyasha reeled back so hard that he almost fell off the fence. He dug his claws into the wood to stay upright, and then held on because it was better than letting go.

"Wipe that foolish look from your face," Kaede instructed. "I am asking if ye would abandon him, and Sango and the others, and your quest to destroy Naraku, all so that you may follow Kikyo into death."

He wanted to scream. He wanted to cry. He wanted all the impossible things surrounding him to just go away, to let him _think_. Every decision carried with it not just his own life, but that of everyone he cared about. And he was tired. He was confused. He wasn't ready to deal with all of this.

"I'm not going to stop chasing Naraku or leave my pack behind," he said firmly, because that much he did know. "Once that bastard's dead and the hunt for the Jewel is over, it'll be another matter. I can actually decide what to do with my life then, instead of being dragged around by fate."

"And what do you think Miroku would have to say about this?"

Inuyasha's eyes bore holes into the ground, his ears pressing flat against his skull. "He'd probably say that it's my decision. He'd tell me that a relationship with Kikyo has no future. I dunno."

"You do not think that he might have some words regarding your decision to pursue another, even if it is Kikyo? Even if it is in the future?"

Inuyasha shoved himself hard off the fence and stalked away. He was done with stupid questions! Of _course _he knew that he was hurting Miroku with this whole thing. But it wasn't like he could _stop _it! As much as it was tearing him apart, he couldn't expect anyone – let alone someone as kind, and patient, and good as Miroku – to be dragged around like an afterthought. He deserved so much better, so much more than Inuyasha could give him.

It didn't matter that his youki was clawing at his throat and chest, begging him to run to Miroku's arms and stay there forever. It didn't matter that it would be possibly the hardest thing he'd ever had to do. He knew that he had to be firm in his decision, because as soon as he saw those violet eyes filled with hurt, that detached mask fall down over the exquisite features, he knew that he would do anything in his power to make it right again. But there was nothing in the world that he could do to make _this _right.

xXx

It was afternoon by the time Miroku plucked up the courage to go after Inuyasha. Kaede had reported that the hanyou had fled into the forest mid-morning and hadn't been seen since. Everyone – Sango, Kirara, Shippo, and Kaede – had all offered to go and find him. Miroku had refused, on the grounds that his companion was probably looking for some time alone. But the worried glances, the tentative voices, and sympathetic looks of those around him had been grating on his frayed nerves all day, and he'd finally reached his breaking point.

If he was to confront Inuyasha, it was better to do it now than later. Their journey had already been delayed by a day, and if things were to go the way that he desperately hoped they _weren't_, then he would need a little time to himself to recover.

He set his path into the woods, in the direction of the tree where he'd first come upon the hanyou all those months ago. He had a feeling that if Inuyasha was going to stop and think anywhere, it might be there. A slight presence brushed against the edge of his mind as he approached. He could feel a familiar spirit lurking nearby. And it wasn't Inuyasha.

He was admittedly surprised to find her still in the area. From what Inuyasha had said, in the few sparse words before he'd disappeared the night before, she was on a mission of her own to destroy Naraku.

"I thought you would be long gone by now," he said by way of greeting, coming to a stop a safe distance away.

"I wanted to see you first," she said mildly, surveying him coolly.

"To what do I owe the honour?" he asked, and couldn't quite keep the scorn from his voice.

"I wanted to see that it was true with my own two eyes," Kikyo sighed. "I suspected for some time, but then again, I had some insight into the situation."

"I would feel invaded if I didn't know that you can't control it," he said, sitting down heavily on the ground. "When could you tell?"

"It's difficult to say," she shrugged. "You certainly don't make things easy."

He stifled a humourless laugh.

"I first detected something the second time we met," she continued thoughtfully. "You were so adamant that I not take Inuyasha with me."

"To hell?" he clarified incredulously. "That doesn't mean I had feelings for him back then, just that I was…" The words 'decent human' died on his tongue.

"I told you before that you weren't a threat to me," she said, her eyes sharp.

"You also said that you could not be with him while he's living," Miroku countered firmly. "And no matter what else happens, I will ensure that he remains as such."

"I will have him."

He closed his eyes, forced the fight out of his body. This would get them nowhere. Instead, he offered her a sad smile. "I can see why you would want to."

She stared at him, suspicious, uncomprehending.

"He is so caring, so brave," Miroku continued, looking up at the clouds tracing across the sky. "I think it's safe to say that I understand why you love him."

To his surprise, Kikyo sighed. "He began as a fascination for me. I saw that he was lonely, an outsider, and it drew me to him. We found a peace in each other that we didn't have in the rest of the world."

"Perhaps we're all a little lost," he breathed softly. "All of us who seek Naraku have had our lives touched in such a way that we will never truly fit in again."

"He is what binds us now," Kikyo agreed. "Inuyasha may tie the two of us together, but Naraku is something far greater."

He looked her up and down, saw the quiet earnestness radiating from her. "You feel some connection with Naraku, don't you?"

"He is the one who killed me."

"You also cared for him, back when he was Onigumo," Miroku pushed thoughtfully. In truth, he could not imagine having such a relationship with the man who would one day become such a bane in all of their lives. He knew that as a monk, he was supposed to love all creatures. He didn't know if he would have been able to.

"Naraku despises the part of himself that remains Onigumo," Kikyo said bitterly. "He absorbs more and more demons to replenish his body so that he may diminish that part of himself."

"And you absorb the souls of dead women to retain a part of yourself."

She smiled, coldly yet almost fondly. "Perhaps we are more similar than I would care to admit. Just as we are, monk."

He closed his eyes. "Indeed."

"You know that I despise you," she said easily. "Yet I must admit that I am grateful for your part in protecting him – Inuyasha never was one for safety. I suppose that I should thank you for saving me, as well."

"Don't mention it," he said wryly. "Truly. I'm trying not to think too hard about it."

"You must know that Inuyasha and I share something that cannot be broken," Kikyo said. "He once planned to turn himself into a human to be with me."

Miroku nodded, not meeting her eyes.

"He wished it to free me from my duty as a priestess and the guardian of the Jewel," she continued. "He was always willing to do anything to stay by my side."

Miroku squeezed his eyes shut, ignoring how the words sliced through his heart like a knife. "He has always been too selfless," he agreed, deciding that that was her point. "He doesn't see his own value."

"It was love."

"It was wrong," he whispered. "To ask him to give up a part of himself?"

"Is it not what we all must do, when we're in love?" she asked, her eyes piercing as they met his.

She stood, didn't bother to say goodbye. The soul collectors emerged from the canopy to carry her away. Miroku watched her go with an ache in his chest and a storm in his mind. As she disappeared from view, he turned to make his way back to the village. If Inuyasha hadn't appeared by the evening, he decided, he would go after him once more. Perhaps use the nenju beads if it was necessary. For the time being, he didn't want to be alone.

He was so consumed by his own thoughts that he didn't notice Inuyasha standing in front of Kaede's hut until it was almost too late. Sango stood beside him, arms crossed, a tempestuous look on her face. As soon as he met her gaze, she snatched Shippo off the ground and took off with Kirara at her heels. Miroku looked from her to Inuyasha, everything else momentarily forgotten in his confusion. The expression of anguish on the hanyou's face soon brought him back to the present.

"I think we need to talk," Inuyasha said, a little weakly.

"Shall we, then?" Miroku tried, gesturing at Kaede's hut, the attempted levity in his voice falling flat.

They sat opposite each other on either side of the irori. Inuyasha knew that he needed to be the one to speak first, that he'd pushed Miroku to the breaking point and the monk wouldn't be taking the first step this time. And he couldn't. Even when Sango had dragged him out of the forest and wordlessly shoved him through the village, he didn't know what to say. Well, that wasn't strictly true.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, and it hung in the air between them.

"Can you tell me what's going on?" Miroku asked, painfully gently, as though it wasn't an impossible task.

"I don't know," Inuyasha muttered grimly. "I don't know what happened. I don't know what to do. I know that I hurt you and you don't even know what happened yet but you're not _stupid, _you saw me hugging her-"

"Breathe."

He did. He tried. "Before you, I never trusted another soul," he shook his head, almost choking on the words. "But you stayed by my side, through everything. I- I feel so much safer, so peaceful when you're by my side. I don't want to lose you…"

"You won't lose me." The old promise. So far, he'd kept it. So far.

"Kikyo came after me, and she died because of it," Inuyasha said, each word a dagger in his chest. "I have to repay her life with my own. I have to avenge her – to defeat Naraku!"

"I knew this from the beginning," Miroku said gently. "It doesn't have to change anything."

"I will always go to her. If she's in danger, I have to help her."

The monk swallowed thickly. "I can never break the bond between you and her."

Inuyasha dropped his gaze to the ground, and said in a choked whisper "I'm still in love with her."

Miroku watched him quietly, a sad smile on his lips. "I know."

"I can't-" Inuyasha gasped, shaking his head frantically. "I can't do that to you. It's not right! It's not-"

"Yash," Miroku interrupted gently. "It's alright. I understand. I can't imagine how hard it must be to see her, and I've always known that you have feelings for her."

He swallowed hard, and Inuyasha tentatively lifted his eyes to catch his gaze, grateful and hopeful and pleading and terrified all at once.

"If you want things to be over between us, then they are," Miroku continued softly. "Things can go back to the way they were between us with no harm done. I will still be there for you, still be your friend, I swear." His eyes burned into Inuyasha's with fierce intensity. "But if you're trying to end things out of some sense of obligation to my feelings, please don't. I don't want to lose what we have." His voice was thick, strained. "I- I want to be with you. I can take whatever you have with Kikyo in stride. Please, Yash-"

His voice broke, but it didn't matter, because Inuyasha was there, crushing him against his chest. He clung to the hanyou with a desperate grip, trying to quell the trembling which spread through him. Inuyasha's eyes were pressed into the skin at his neck and suspiciously damp. When they pulled back, he was blinking rapidly, jaw clenched tight. He looked so lost, so distressed, and Miroku's heart ached for him. He brought his fingers to cradle the side of his face, intent on reassuring him that they were okay. Instead, his gaze dropped to Inuyasha's lips, and the words died in his throat.

Inuyasha's breathing hitched, his eyes darting down to Miroku's own mouth and back up again. Slowly, cautiously, Miroku leaned forward ever so slightly. Inuyasha's fingers brushed along his cheek and stayed there as they hovered apart, sharing the same air. Miroku pressed forward. Their lips met in a gentle touch, barely there. Inuyasha whined low in his throat and pressed further, deepening the kiss. Miroku's hand came to cradle the back of his neck as his eyes squeezed shut and he poured everything he was feeling into their connection.

Their lips slid together gently, one last time before they broke apart. Miroku kept his eyes closed and pressed their foreheads together, catching his breath as Inuyasha shuddered apart against him. Claws clenched in his hair before retreating, and when Miroku dared to look, a tear slipped down Inuyasha's cheek.

"I'm here," Miroku promised in a whisper, and that was all the invitation that Inuyasha needed. A sob ripped from his chest as he melted against Miroku, clinging to him and shaking.

"It wasn't supposed to be like this," Inuyasha gasped in distress. "I wanted to protect you…"

"And you tried," Miroku said gently. "But did you stop to think that perhaps I was the one who should decide whether or not I could live with your relationship with Kikyo? That I would have a say on whether we should end things?"

"But you don't even _think _about yourself!" Inuyasha insisted, clutching tighter at his robes. "You always do for others-"

"Do you think I'm not being selfish?" Miroku interrupted firmly. Inuyasha drew back in surprise, and their eyes met. "I don't want this to end because _I _want to be with you! Because I care about you! Because you make me happy!"

Inuyasha genuinely didn't know how to respond to that. He hugged the monk close and simply held him, trying to come up with an argument and instead just soaking in his presence, trying to calm the emotions raging in his chest, his mind, his heart, his soul.

Finally, he sat back, though one hand rested on Miroku's thigh. "You make me so happy as well. The last thing I want is to hurt you, but if you're sure about staying with me…"

"I am."

"…then alright." He swallowed hard. "I promise, what I said before was true. I will be loyal, and I will do everything I can not to let you get hurt. I just… I can't ignore her."

"I'm not asking you to."

Inuyasha closed his eyes and let out a small, broken laugh. "She was the first person I ever loved. The only person I cared for outside of my own mother. I spent so long thinking that no one could ever love me – that Kikyo was a fluke and it would never happen again. She became my whole world…"

Miroku smiled sadly. "I don't know what it's like to love someone like that, but I think I can imagine."

Inuyasha chuckled wetly and pulled Miroku into his lap. "What about you? What was it like, with the others you've been with?"

Miroku tensed slightly. He knew that it wasn't just Inuyasha deflecting, that he truly wanted to know, but any delve into his past was often uncomfortable. "I haven't had a relationship before. You know as much."

"Still," Inuyasha pressed, his nose against Miroku's neck. "I'd like to know."

The monk looked into the fire, eyes softening a little. "My first time, my first kiss, was with the head mistress at a brothel. She wanted to teach me what it felt like before I had my first client. And how to please a woman, if it came to that."

"And your clients…?" Inuyasha asked gently.

"My first time with another man was for pay. Do you know what a kagema is?" Inuyasha shook his head silently. "What about a chigo?" Another shake. "Well, that's what I was. The men wanted someone young, non-threatening. Monks were sometimes interested in me – there are a number of jokes surrounding that."

Inuyasha could feel how tender the memory still was, how carefully he would have to tread to avoid pressing on old wounds, but he still wanted to know. "That first time?"

Miroku's expression closed slightly. "It wasn't pleasant. I wasn't ready." He blinked, casting off the past. "That's why I'm trying so hard to do this right between us."

What he doesn't say was that the first time it happened, he was shaking so badly he could barely speak. That he had cried so hard afterwards that the man had left without paying. How the head mistress of the brothel had found him curled on the floor. How she'd sent others to track down the man and force him to hand over the money owed while she wrapped him in a blanket and told him that he didn't have to do it again – he didn't have a contract with them, he was simply passing through. Miroku had been better after that. He learned how to be pliant and how to be coy. How to bring pleasure to both the client and himself. How to hang around taverns if the brothel wouldn't help him, to pick out which men were interested and which would beat the shit out of him if he suggested it. How to have fun.

"Are you okay?" Inuyasha asked, painfully gentle.

Miroku nodded, forcing himself to smile. "Yeah. I just would rather focus on us for the moment."

"I can't imagine growing up like that. You deserve someone to stay by your side."

"Well…" Miroku said pointedly, and Inuyasha blushed despite himself. "My work gave me experience, and kept me going. Outside of that, there wasn't much. A bit of flirting with the other girls. If they had another boy, I couldn't find enough work, and I wouldn't stay in the area long enough for anything approaching a relationship."

"You really were a wandering monk, huh?" Inuyasha said thoughtfully.

"What about you?" Miroku asked. "Before you came to this village, what was it like?"

"It wasn't great," Inuyasha said wryly, and his jaw tightened. "I can't know what you went through, but I understand being young and alone and acting out of necessity. When I was still a kid, after my mother died and the other humans drove me from our village, I had to survive on my own. Most of the time it was okay, but on the night of the new moon, it was rough."

He stopped, his face scrunching up from the memory, and Miroku very suddenly wondered if he'd spoken about this with _anyone _before.

"Usually I would hide in a cave or up a tree and just hope that nothing found me," he continued after a moment. "A few times, though, when I was cold and hungry, I would wait until I was fully transformed and then walk into a human village and beg for food. They gave it to me, because they thought I was a human. I was so ashamed for having to hide who I was, but I did what I had to." His voice was unnaturally quiet, rough with anger and humiliation. "One time, they caught me. Roughed me up pretty good. I never did it again after that."

"I'm so sorry," Miroku whispered.

"Keh, it's nothing," Inuyasha shrugged, not bothering to sound convincing. "It's just what we deal with, right?"

"Not anymore," Miroku reminded him, because he thought they both needed to hear it.

"Yeah," Inuyasha smiled, leaning their foreheads together. "Not anymore."

They separated for a breath, and pressed back together for a tender kiss. For just a little while, the rest of the world disappeared – the shadows of their pasts, the hurts of the present, and the impossibility of the future. For a moment, they could simply exist, wrapped in each other's arms and breathing in their bond. Something had shifted between them, something deep and undeniable. There was no longer a question surrounding them – they would stay, for better or worse. They were together. They were home.

* * *

This chapter is dedicated to RenkinMaitai, Hina714, and the lovely Mary San! Thank you all so much for repeatedly commenting on this fic. You really keep it alive and I cannot thank you enough for it!


	49. Chapter 49: s2e22

Warnings for this chapter: amnesia/memory loss, loss of self, attempted murder, threats of violence and death

* * *

"I have something to say."

They all stopped what they were doing to look up at Shippo, who stood dramatically in the doorway.

"I want to come with you this time," the kit said seriously.

"We've discussed this," Inuyasha said immediately. "It's too dangerous for little squirts like you."

"You said that I needed to stay in Kaede's village so that you could focus on protecting each other and not have to worry about me," Shippo said. "But you're my family." His eyes welled up with tears and he sniffed hard before continuing. "And I can't stay here while you're getting hurt! I _miss _you!"

"Shippo…" Miroku sighed. "I'm sorry, and we miss you as well, but it's too dangerous for you to come with us."

"I can stay safe with you!" he insisted shakily. "Demons can come to the village even when you're not here. If I'm with you, you can protect me! I can help you! I can stay back where it's safe."

Miroku frowned, and exchanged a helpless look with Inuyasha and Sango. They both looked deeply conflicted.

The monk walked over and crouched in front of Shippo and took his hands. "It's true that there is danger everywhere, but here, you have an entire village to protect you. Out there, we have Naraku trying to kill us. It's just not safe."

"For you, too!" Shippo almost shouted. "I need to be with you to be safe, so I can learn how to protect myself!" Miroku opened his mouth, but he pushed forward. "I'm a demon! There are always going to be humans or other demons trying to kill me. I can't just hide away forever. I need to know how to survive!"

Silence resonated around the hut.

"I hate to say it," Inuyasha sighed. "But he's got a point."

"_What?_" Sango and Miroku asked simultaneously.

"Look," he sighed, crouching down beside Miroku and the kit. "Demons aren't like human kids. They gotta learn to take care of themselves from a much younger age – comparatively speaking. He might as well start now."

"Naraku," Miroku pointed out. "Kagura, Kanna, whatever other-"

"Shippo," Inuyasha said seriously, holding his gaze. "I'm not saying yes, but if you were to come with us, you wouldn't be in any of the battles with us. If we tell you to run, you run. If we tell you to stay behind, you stay. If we tell you to get on Kirara and come back to Kaede's village, you gotta do it, no arguing, no questions asked. Got it?"

"I promise!" Shippo nodded.

Sango grabbed Inuyasha's arm and dragged him to the other end of the hut, Miroku following close behind. The slayer spun around and hissed in his face "I thought we agreed on this! We needed a united front!"

"I can't help it if the kid's on to something!" Inuyasha whispered back. "Maybe leaving him at Kaede's isn't the best for him. He needs to know how to survive."

"He's a child!" Miroku said in exasperation. "He'll still be a child after Naraku's gone."

"Look," the hanyou sighed. "Naraku sent that giant soul collector after Kikyo and she led it to the village. If we hadn't been here as well, then Kaede would be the only one standing between it and Shippo. Maybe he's safer with us, after all? And he really does need to learn to take care of himself. Like it or not, he's a demon, not a human. Life is different."

They all frowned amongst themselves for a bit before Sango huffed. "Kirara, what do you think? You know demon culture best."

Kirara sat by the slayer's feet and nodded solemnly.

"Alright," Sango said, rounding on the fox. "You come with us for one month. If you get even close to dying, or if anyone gets hurt because they had to protect you, then you're coming back, end of story."

"Yes!" Shippo jumped up, his energy shifting at once. "I can't wait! We're leaving today, right?"

"Suppose so," Miroku smiled softly, his arm subtly winding around Inuyasha's waist.

"Yeah, we've been here long enough," the hanyou agreed softly, leaning the side of his head against Miroku's for a moment before moving to grab some food.

They gathered their supplies and Kaede arrived to walk them to the edge of the village. A number of other villagers joined them to say goodbye once they heard Shippo was leaving. It seemed that the kit had gathered quite the loyal following. They set off with boisterous shouts filling the air as Shippo and Kirara darted between their feet, already immersed in a game. Miroku was watching them with a wistful look on his face, and Inuyasha rolled his eyes fondly before squeezing his shoulders.

"You're not allowed to get all misty-eyed about this," he told the monk gently.

"Our little boy's growing up," Miroku said theatrically and yet a little too sincere.

"He's a demon," Inuyasha reminded him. "He's going to be a kid for a long time yet, and he's a fox – he's going to be little forever."

"Despite everything, it'll be good to have him around."

Inuyasha pressed a kiss to his temple. "Just wait until we start having to stop to catch butterflies or look at weird rocks again."

xXx

They settled down earlier than they usually would that night, none of them feeling any particularly strong need to hurry. Shippo and Kirara had been relentlessly playing all day, and the night was warmer than expected. Kaede had insisted that they bring three thick blankets with them, as the weather was turning undeniably colder, and there were guaranteed to be nights like this where they slept outside. Sango pulled her own blanket from her carrying cloth and laid it down beside the fire-pit that Miroku was building. She pulled out two more then paused, glancing at Inuyasha.

"Will you be needing two?" She asked mildly, nothing in her voice other than a hint of amusement.

"Ha, ha," Inuyasha drawled. "Yes, we'll be needing two." He lowered his voice. "I don't know if he steals blankets yet."

"I have never stolen anything in my life," Miroku told them solemnly.

Inuyasha chuckled. "Yeah, we need two."

Sango grinned and tossed them at him before standing. "Kirara, come on, we're going fishing."

Kirara didn't respond, and they all looked over to where she and Shippo were crouched low to the ground, moving incrementally forward. They watched for a while before Miroku figured it out.

"Are you teaching him to hunt?" he asked, simultaneously entertained and mildly horrified. "Kirara, we're not going to let him grow up that quickly! We're still going to feed him!"

"You can teach me to fish!" Shippo said excitedly, running over to catch a hold of Sango's hand.

The slayer shot them a perplexed look before heading off to the river nearby. The other two shared a smirk and set about collecting firewood. Much of it was damp from recent rains, and once they returned to the campsite, it took much longer than usual for Miroku to light the fire.

"It's going to be a long winter," he sighed. "As soon as it starts raining every day, or even snowing, we're going to have to plan our path from village to village."

"And making the money to do it," Inuyasha added. "You can't con all of them."

Miroku muttered something that sounded suspiciously like "try me" before he crowed in success as the fire sparked to life. It was just in time, as the others were returning with their catch. Sango made a point of showing Shippo how to clean a fish, and once they were roasted, they naturally gave him the biggest one.

They lazed around the fire for a while, watching the flames and enjoying the peace. Miroku had surreptitiously migrated to Inuyasha's side over the course of the meal, and now they were pressed against each other with the monk's head leaning against the hanyou's shoulder. Shippo's keen eyes surveyed them thoughtfully.

"Are you two married now?" he asked suddenly.

Miroku inhaled sharply and choked slightly. Inuyasha spluttered out something and immediately went red.

"Why do you ask?" Sango prompted, utterly failing to hide her delight.

"Well, they're obviously courting," Shippo said reasonably. "And they're not mates yet, but I heard some of the villagers talking about human marriage. It seems like something they would be."

"We're not married," Miroku told him calmly, though Inuyasha could hear his heart pounding. "These things take time, and we're only just starting out."

Shippo blinked and cocked his head. "But don't you lo-"

Inuyasha leaned forward and clamped his hand over the fox's face. "Only. Just. Starting. Out."

Miroku grinned and hid his face in Inuyasha's shoulder. Sango was snickering quietly into her hand. Inuyasha huffed indignantly at them both and buried his fingers in Miroku's hair. They lapsed into an easy silence as the sun set. Sango gathered Kirara and Shippo onto her lap and wrapped a blanket around all of them, snuggling closer to the fire. Inuyasha looked up at the stars peeking through the canopy above them, leaning heavily into Miroku.

"I think I'm about ready for sleep," the monk eventually announced, standing. "I'm just going to grab a little more firewood."

"I can come with," Inuyasha said, already pushing himself up, but Miroku waved him back down.

"No, it's alright, I got it."

Inuyasha watched him go with a slight twist in his gut. He followed him with his eyes for as long as he could and, once he disappeared into the darkness of the surrounding forest, listened intently. He stared into the fire, his muscles tensed and barely breathing. He didn't know why he was reacting so strongly, why his skin crawled when Miroku wasn't in his sight. It wasn't as though the monk couldn't take care of himself. There was no danger around, no demons in the area, and Miroku was staying well within earshot. But he couldn't help following the monk's every breath, heartbeat, and step with unwavering focus. After a while, he felt eyes on him once more. He glanced up to see Sango watching him with a gentle expression on her face.

"I don't know what's wrong with me," he muttered, quietly as to not obscure the sound of Miroku breaking a branch in two.

"You care about him," she shrugged. "It's sweet."

"I care about all of you," he snapped back. "It's just with him, I…I don't know. I get so nervous when he's not around. I…" He sighed, closing his eyes for a moment. "Sango, I think I'm afraid."

"Of losing him? Of course you are," Sango whispered. "We all are. You know I had Kirara follow him whenever he went off alone for a month after the stunt he pulled at Mushin's?"

Kirara lifted her head from Sango's lap and nodded wearily in confirmation, looking decidedly peeved at the memory.

Inuyasha snorted a short laugh before the smile faded from his eyes. "I just don't know what to do. Eventually he's going to get tired of being smothered."

"And you'll figure it out from there. He's not an idiot- Well…" They both chuckled again. "But he knows that we all worry about each other. He may not understand why we care so much about him, which is why I routinely want to smack him, but he knows that we do. And it's not as though he doesn't want to protect us, as well."

He supposed that was true. But Kikyo's words still rang in his head. He knew that he had to be careful.

When Miroku got back, Inuyasha pulled him down beside him and placed a quick hiss on his lips. Miroku grinned broadly and dove back in for another, deeper kiss. A loud gasp rang through the campsite as they pulled away.

"When did that start happening?" Sango demanded.

"Blankets are ready," Inuyasha told Miroku, maneuvering them both down and wrapping one of the blankets on top of them.

"No!" she continued. "You can't just do something like that and not tell me about it!"

Miroku hid his face in Inuyasha's side as the hanyou called out "Goodnight, Sango!"

"You two are impossible!" she proclaimed. "And goodnight!"

xXx

They set off in the opposite direction of Kaede's village the next morning, figuring that they could plot a wide circle around the province and arrive back in a month or so, presuming nothing drastic happened. So, it wasn't a solid plan. As it was, they had been walking for maybe half the day before they sensed a demon nearby. Everyone grabbed their weapons and Sango surreptitiously dropped Shippo on Kirara's back, ready to defend their escape. Then the large, bulbous form came into view. They all breathed a sigh of relief as Miroku waved him down.

"I've been looking for you for ages!" Hachi proclaimed, transforming down to his smaller size. "I found something that might interest you."

"Oh?" Miroku asked. "And what's that?"

"There have been rumours going around amongst demons all over the area that Naraku's castle has been destroyed!"

"Naraku's castle?" Inuyasha asked sharply. "Where? How long ago?"

"At least a few days ago by now," Hachi said. "I can't know for sure. But I know where it is! Come on, I'll take you there!"

They loaded up onto his back, silent with nervous energy. Hachi had very little information, just speculation amongst smaller demon communities. As they approached the site, it wasn't difficult to see the ruins of large castle grounds. The shells of stone walls surrounded remnants of broken buildings and deep pits in barren soil. Hachi set down on the outside and they tentatively crept closer. An eerie quiet surrounded the grounds, interrupted only by the soft whistling of the wind.

"Shippo, stay on Kirara," Miroku murmured, eyeing the area.

"This is it?" Inuyasha asked in subdued tones, staying close to the others even as he strained to see more.

"There are still traces of Naraku's miasma in the air and soil," Mirok said. "He had to have been here."

They moved in tight formation through the grounds, keeping their senses heightened for any sign of a trap. Sango kept one hand on Hiraikotsu and the other on the hilt of her sword. Cold dread was seeping into her bones, as much as she tried to push it away. They searched the entire area, but found nothing more than the frames of the mansion and other buildings etched into the earth.

"It doesn't make any sense," Inuyasha muttered, ears and nose twitching. "There's hardly any signs of the ruins! Hachi, just how long were you running around looking for us?"

Miroku sighed and stood from where he was examining one of the gouges in the ground. "You've got a point, considering it's Naraku. It wouldn't be the first time we've been lured to a false castle."

"No, this was real," Sango said softly, and they both turned to look at her.

She knelt beside a low mound of earth. She brushed into the soil with her fingers, revealing the hard, plated object she had discovered. As they watched, she pulled various pieces of armour from the ground, along with several broken weapons. The armour came in three distinct colours and was cracked and shattered in places, but the design was identical to Sango's.

"Find something?" Inuyasha asked, frowning at the bitter turn to her scent.

Her fingers splayed over a shoulder cap. "This was my father's armour. The day he was murdered, we were lured to Naraku's castle."

Inuyasha and Miroku crouched next to her, looking over the grave.

"My father and the others were slaughtered." She swallowed hard. "By Kohaku. Their bodies were buried in the corner of the courtyard. Right here. It has to be it."

"Sango…" Inuyasha murmured, though he didn't know what he could say. He kept on forgetting how recent everything was for her – much more recent than anything the rest of them were facing. She'd just seemed so distant from it all. After those first few days of grieving, she'd locked everything up inside herself. They only saw glimpses of it, and it was mostly centred around getting Kohaku back. He had to remind himself that she'd lost her home, family, and people as well.

Miroku stepped forward wordlessly and placed a hand on her shoulder. Sango looked away, swiping at her stinging eyes. The monk then untied the knot of his kesa, pulling it from where it was tucked into his koromo.

"Miroku?" Sango asked, distracted from her thoughts by the display.

"We mustn't leave your father and the others buried in this tainted ground," he said, kneeling down by the grave and draping his kesa next to it. "We can bury them elsewhere and offer our prayers. Is that alright, Sango?"

"Of course!" she stammered, her heart clenching. "Miroku, I- Thank you."

He nodded gently and continued his work. She dug more pieces of armour from the earth and handed them to him. The first time she felt a bone she paused, closed her eyes, and pressed on. The bodies had mostly decomposed at this point, but it remained far from a pleasant task. As they continued, Inuyasha knelt down beside them and made sure that they found everything there was to find. Sango tried to distance her mind from what they were doing, what she held in her hands, but her thoughts were hardly any kinder.

Naraku's castle had completely disappeared, who knew how long ago. But there had been people living there – the young lord's attendants that Naraku had tricked into serving him. What had happened to them? And Kohaku. Naraku had to be keeping her brother _somewhere_. He couldn't have been destroyed along with the castle. He couldn't have been…

They did one final search of the grounds and found nothing. Whatever trace of Naraku had been there was gone. Hachi flew them to a nearby forest, far enough to be free of the stench of miasma but close enough that they could find it easily. Her village was far enough that it would be impractical to carry the remains back – there was still a chance that Naraku was in the area. They chose a clifftop overlooking a small lake. A beautiful spot. Miroku performed a funereal service as best as he was able, promising that it would hold them off until they could return the three slayers to their rightful resting place.

Inuyasha brushed past him wordlessly and walked to the rocky cliff before huffing thoughtfully. "Hachi, help me with this," he called out.

Safely on the tanuki's back, he sliced Tessaiga along the cliff face, dislodging several large slabs of rock from the softer soil holding them. Hachi followed them to the ground and, one by one, hauled them back up the cliff. He never once complained, despite the obvious effort it took to lift something so large. Once he was done, Inuyasha moved the rocks over the shallow grave Miroku had dug and arranged the stones protectively overtop, falling over each other and holding each other up. He stepped back to survey his work, crossed his arms and nodded, satisfied.

"It's beautiful," Sango whispered. "Thank you."

Inuyasha shrugged and stepped back to rejoin the others, where they were praying. Sango was left alone in front of the monument. She knelt, carefully placing a small bundle of wild chrysanthemums on the ground before it.

"Let you rest here for now," Miroku murmured behind her.

Someday, she swore, she would bring them home. She would give them a proper funeral, with proper graves. She would do it. It was her duty, hers and Kohaku's, to tend to their abandoned village. Just as soon as she got Kohaku back. Just as soon as she destroyed Naraku. If she was still alive, she would do it. And they would both watch over the graves.

xXx

He tossed the piece of wood into the air and struck with his kama, slicing the thin log in two. He leapt forward and caught one of the halves on his foot as it fell, crowing with success. Granny and Gramps gasped and cooed and applauded appreciatively. He spun around and bowed theatrically, letting the pieces fall into the wood pile next to him.

"That's quite the performance, young lad," Gramps smiled.

"Remarkable!" Granny proclaimed, pushing herself up from her seat before helping her husband up as well. "Truly an entertaining performance!"

"And you've done a fine job cutting our firewood," Gramps winked at him.

"Don't mention it," the boy grinned. "I'm happy to help out."

"And help you have!" Granny cooed, ushering him over. "You must be tired after all that work! Come inside and rest."

"Thank you," the boy said, following them into the small house. Yet despite Granny's repeated attempts to get him to sit still for a while, and the exhaustion he felt in his bones, he couldn't settle down. He swept the floor, helped Granny mend some clothing, and fetched some water with Gramps. As he did his best to lend a hand in cooking, Granny tutted about how she would need to make him a decent kimono for the approaching winter. The boy tried not to look gloomy at the prospect.

He suspected that he wasn't very successful, for while they were eating their meal, Gramps sent him a searching look. "Did you remember anything today?"

The boy sighed and lowered his bowl. "No, not really."

"Nothing about where you came from?" Gramps prompted. "Or at least your name?"

He shook his head sadly.

"Wait a moment," Granny said thoughtfully. "Perhaps you lived close to the castle?"

He blinked. "Castle?"

It sparked something within him, though he couldn't say exactly what. Granny and Gramps had said that they'd been on their way to investigate the claims of some castle suddenly disappearing when they stumbled upon him in the woods, lying unconscious on the road. A cold tremor ran up his spine and he shivered.

"Hitomi castle had many occupants," Granny continued. "You could easily have been the child of a vassal or a guard, maybe even a samurai! It would explain your skill with that kusarigama."

Gramps shook his head. "Why a child would need such a weapon, I'll never know."

"We still don't know what caused the castle to disappear," Granny pressed on, ignoring her husband. "Perhaps something terribly frightening happened to you, and that's what caused you to lose your memory."

There must have been something in his eyes, in the smile he offered them, because Gramps shook his head. "Nevermind all that now. No need to rush."

"Exactly," Granny nodded. "These things take time. Meanwhile, you can stay here as long as you like." She waved a spoon at him as she went to stir the soup. "Now, eat up! There's lots more."

The smile he wore was genuine. "Thank you."

He may have no idea who he was or what his life had been, but if he was surrounded by such kind people, then he wasn't too bad off, was he? Granny had told him – when he first realized that he couldn't remember anything no matter how _hard _he tried – that the mind sometimes forced a person to forget something. That it was a way to protect oneself from bad things in the past. He just had no idea what it might be.

That night, he sat at the base of the tree outside the hut, which was quickly becoming his favourite place to think. He glanced over the crest of the hill, past the farm and the forest, to the ruins that he could just make out in the darkness. He couldn't shake the feeling that he'd been there, at least once before. Yet every time he thought about going there over the past ten days, just to see, something held him back. It was like a giant, invisible hand closed around his chest and suddenly he couldn't breathe. He thought it might be better to stay away.

He looked up at the crescent moon and paused. A dark cloud obscured some of the white light, though it was twisting and moving unnaturally. The more he watched, the more it looked like a flock of birds or swarm of insects… Then he could hear the buzzing in the air. Then a sharp bolt of fear shot through him. It sent him jumping to his feet, running back to the hut for all he was worth.

"Gramps, Granny!" he cried out, bursting inside.

They were both halfway to their feet, worry plainly etched on their faces. He didn't give them time to ask.

"I have to go!"

"Go?" Gramps echoed in confusion.

"Go where?" Granny asked, concerned.

"I can't stay here anymore!" he insisted, his hand clenching around his kusarigama. Something told him that whatever was coming, it was the reason that he never let the weapon leave his side. "It's dangerous! Don't go outside." He forced himself to take a breath, to let all the love and gratitude show on his face. "Thank you for everything."

He ran before they could stop him. Their shouts followed him into the darkness. He aimed his path downhill, into the forest, knowing the insects would follow him. He didn't know how he knew. He also didn't know why, with absolute certainty, he knew that he had been running like this just a few days before – the night that the castle disappeared. He'd been running for his life then, too.

_Kohaku._ The voice was low and silky and dangerous. It sparked panic in his mind and revulsion in his gut. _I have no need to keep you alive any longer. Go join your father and the others_.

His father? The others? Kohaku? Was- was that his name? Was he Kohaku? It felt right, even though the word in that man's mouth had felt so wrong. He felt like maybe, _he_ had been the one that caused him to flee.

The ground burst apart before him, splitting in two in a wave towards him. He was thrown back, shards of rock flying through the air around him. He cried out as a shard grazed his arm, drawing blood. There was a demon in front of him, a giant red mantis with a stark white face. The face looked like a skull with glowing red eyes. Kohaku couldn't look away.

xXx

They made camp early again that night. Sango hadn't said a word since they left the makeshift grave. She'd responded to their questions with terse nods and tight lips. She'd bowed deeply to Hachi when they sent him off. Shippo had reached out to take her hand, and she'd swung him up into her arms and hugged him close. They kept careful watch on one another as Inuyasha fished and Miroku built the fire, never letting any of their group stray out of sight. Kirara transformed into her larger size and kept watch, casting occasional glances back in the direction of Naraku's castle.

Despite a thorough search, there was no sign of Naraku or his incarnation, no indication of where they went. It was disheartening to say the least. Sango had been so sure that once they finally found the castle, it would hold some answers. Perhaps they could have found Naraku there. They could have discovered his plans, his weakness, _something. _But it was too late. He'd left before they'd even gotten close. Between losing the castle and their aimless meanderings for the Jewel shards, they were as directionless as they'd ever been.

And she hated it.

She knew that she couldn't give up. It wasn't just herself that she was fighting for, after all. But it hurt. Every day was a failure until Naraku was dead.

Kirara lifted her head from her paws before springing to her feet, hackles raised as she peered into the forest.

"What's the matter, Kirara?" Sango asked, reaching for Hiraikotsu. She was ready for battle, still in her armour from before.

"There's a Jewel shard," Miroku warned, a note of urgency in his voice.

They sprang into action. Inuyasha ran ahead while Sango jumped onto Kirara's back and swung Miroku on behind her. Shippo leapt on Inuyasha's shoulder, casting them a wide-eyed look as he did so. They followed Miroku's pointing finger until Inuyasha and Kirara could track the scent of the demon. There was something else in there, too, something that Inuyasha couldn't quite place.

A buzzing came from overhead and he growled, glancing up to confirm the swarm of Saimyosho.

"Keh!" he spat. "Are they after the Jewel shard, too?"

xXx

The mantis raised a dagger-tipped arm and hissed. "Kohaku, you cannot escape from me!"

He was frozen, the sound of his name in this demon's mouth crashing into him with a sense of _wrong_. How did it know him? Why was it after him? What was he supposed to _do?_

"Surrender and give me that Sacred Jewel shard in your back," the demon grinned, stepping closer.

Sacred Jewel? What Sacred Jewel? The mantis hissed and lunged, swiping at him with a barbed forelimb. Kohaku dodged out of the way, but it was close. His kama was still in his hand, heavy and awkward in a way it hadn't been before. The demon flung its head back before its tongue shot out of its mouth, striking at him. Kohaku threw himself to the side just in time, his weapon falling out of reach. He landed hard on his front, the air knocked out of him and he spun around. The demon was lunging a him. He couldn't get away in time!

"Kohaku!"

The scream came from behind him. A heartbeat later, a large, flat weapon bent at an odd angle flew through the air, slicing easily through the mantis' forelimb. The demon shrieked and stumbled back. The weapon continued its path, and Kohaku followed its arc back to the hand of the woman who had thrown it. She was dressed in leather hide with thick plated armour covering her belly, legs, and shoulder. There was a sword at her hip as well as the large weapon which she wielded with ease. And she was staring at him, eyes wide.

"It wants his shard!"

The warning cry came from a man, riding a giant two-tailed cat towards them. Another man was running next to him, with white hair and dog ears. The woman looked struck for a moment before her face hardened. She lifted the large weapon above her head and threw it once more. It flew through the air and cut the mantis demon in half. The second man growled at he came to a stop beside her, exposing teeth so elongated that they could be called fangs. He pulled a thin sword from its sheathe before the blade transformed to more than twice its original size. The man leapt into the air like it was nothing, slashing at the insects which hovered above them. He hit several and scattered the rest.

The man landed easily beside the first, who had slid off the demon cat's back and held his staff out defensively, watching Kohaku warily. Kohaku shrank back under their combined gaze, especially when the woman was staring so intensely. She had called him by his name. Did he know them? Did _they _know _him?_

"Who are you?" he asked tentatively. "Do we, uh, know each other?"

A shudder ran through the woman and she took a few halting steps towards him before dropping to one knee in front of him.

"Kohaku," she said slowly, carefully. "Do you recognize me?"

"No," he admitted, a little reluctantly. "I'm sorry. I can't remember anyone. Or anything."

The woman's frown deepened, and behind her, the two men exchanged a heavy glance.

"You should come with us," she said, sounding strained as she offered him a hand. "We can help you, and I can explain everything. Will you come?"

Where else was he going to go? They led him to the demon cat, who sniffed him for a moment before presenting her back. They told her that her name was Kirara, and introduced themselves as well. He focused hard on the names, trying to see if they would spark his memories, but there was nothing. The woman tried not to look disappointed, and failed. Sango, she was called. She seemed nice. He hoped that she wouldn't be upset with him.

One of the men, the red one, called down the path and almost immediately, a small kitsune appeared. He scampered towards them and froze almost comically as soon as he saw Kohaku. That, more than anything, caused the sinking feeling in his gut. The kid acted like he was _scared _of him. What had happened? What had he _done?_

The man in red picked up the fox and spoke to him in hushed tones while the other, the monk, stuck close to the woman's side. After a short conversation, the man in red threw the fox into the air, where he transformed into a large pink orb and floated up into the sky. Just who exactly were these people? A few moments later, the fox re-emerged, talking rapidly about an abandoned storehouse he'd spotted in a clearing a short distance away. The others nodded and followed his lead.

Kohaku clung to the thick fur around the demon cat's neck, intent to hang on and not show any sign of weakness. His kusarigama lay heavily against his hip. When they reached the storehouse the fox had found, the woman helped him off the cat, who promptly _caught on fire _and shrunk down to the size of a rabbit. The woman and the cat followed him inside the hut, while the man in red and the little fox waited outside. Kohaku had a feeling that the man in red didn't like him much – he kept on looking at him sideways, his jaw clenched tight. The monk spoke quietly to them both before stepping inside and closing the door.

The storehouse was old and rundown, with several open patches along the walls. The woman placed her weapons against the sturdiest of the walls and, after a moment, Kohaku followed suit. The monk knelt down and pulled a roll of bandages from his robes.

"You've hurt your arm," the woman said, reaching out for it.

He shied away, a little uncomfortable. "I'm sorry," he said, not really knowing what he was apologizing for, but knowing that he needed to say it. "We've met before?"

The woman nodded almost imperceptibly, and she looked _so sad_. The monk hummed lightly and handed the roll of bandages over to her. "Kohaku, do you remember anything at all?" he asked gently. "Anything about a castle, perhaps?"

Kohaku looked away, both of their eyes following him intently. "No… I'm sorry."

"You don't remember Naraku?" the woman pressed.

Kohaku froze. Naraku? The churning inside his gut grew worse, and a wave of icy dread slowly washed over him. That low, silky voice echoed around his mind. Had that man been Naraku?

xXx

Inuyasha kicked a rock away and huffed before continuing his pacing. He could hear the conversation going on inside and it was driving him mad. Didn't remember anything. How convenient! And Miroku had insisted that he wait outside – he was 'scaring Kohaku with his death-glares,' apparently. Bullshit! If he wanted to scare the kid, there would be no question about it. He spun around, in search of a bigger rock to kick. He was distracted when the door of the storehouse slid open and Miroku stepped outside.

"What're you doing?" Inuyasha hissed in a low voice, his eyes darting to the door as the monk walked towards him.

"Sango wanted a moment alone with her brother," Miroku said, calm but firm, a warning in his tone.

"What, are you an idiot? It's not safe!" Inuyasha snapped, still keeping his voice down. "It's a trap! That kid is just putting on an act for us."

Miroku hummed and grabbed Inuyasha's arm, dragging him down to sit beside him. "It doesn't appear that way to me."

Inuyasha stared at him incredulously. "You mean you _trust _him?"

Miroku sighed. "I didn't say _that_. But think about the last time we saw Kohaku – he was virtually a puppet, like a human without a soul. This boy is…different."

"You know it's another of Naraku's tricks," Inuyasha insisted. "It _has _to be. First the castle, and now this?"

"Admittedly, the timing is suspicious," Miroku shrugged. "But it doesn't necessarily mean that Kohaku is involved on Naraku's behalf. He's Sango's brother, Yash. We need to give him the benefit of the doubt."

Inuyasha growled softly. "Do I need to remind you how many people he's killed?"

Miroku didn't answer, but he leaned heavily against Inuyasha and placed his temple on the hanyou's shoulder. Inuyasha sighed and placed his hand on the side of the monk's head, winding his fingers into his hair and pressing him closer.

xXx

Sango couldn't keep her eyes off Kohaku. After bandaging his arm, they leaned back against the wall together, side-by-side, just like they used to. It was so strange – she had still felt close to the Kohaku she had met before, the one under Naraku's control who barely spoke but still called her sister. She knew that he was still _her _Kohaku. And yet this little boy who could remember nothing about himself was closer to her brother than he had been before. Unsure of himself, a little afraid, but eager to please and willing to learn.

"So I was right about my name?" he said, a small smile quirking his lips. "Great! What else can you tell me?"

"Well," she paused, but she couldn't keep it hidden. "You're my little brother."

He froze, just for a moment, before a smile spread over his face. "I have a sister? Wow, that's… I guess that explains why you all were looking at me funny. It's nice to meet you!" He frowned slightly, brow furrowed and nose scrunched. "Or, I guess that's a weird thing to say to your sister. I'm glad I met you, though."

Sango looked away, fighting to keep from crying.

"Do you remember anything about our home? The slayer's village?" she asked.

His eyes widened comically. "The _slayer's _village?" He glanced at Kirara, who was worming her way onto his lap. "Was I a demon slayer, too?"

Sango watched out of the corner of her eye. "You were still an apprentice."

She had to fight to keep herself from grabbing him tight in an embrace and never letting go. He'd barely allowed her to bandage his wound. But here he was, so close, and so familiar. Had he ever been a slayer? Not really. That mission had been his first, his only experience in battle. He had been so frightened, yet so brave. She admitted to herself that perhaps, he wasn't suited for the life of a slayer – he was so gentle, so tender-hearted. He used to cry when they stepped on insects or killed rats in the storehouse. Nothing like the cold, empty eyes that looked back at her after Naraku found him. A slayer of a different kind.

"Hey," Kohaku said eagerly. "Tell me everything you know about me!"

She glanced at him curiously, wondering just how much he could handle all at once. Kohaku must have sensed her hesitation because he sagged slightly, picking up Kirara and looking into her eyes.

"I feel so empty," he murmured. "'Cause I don't know how I got here, or why I'm like this."

She swallowed hard. He was so painfully familiar. She reached out slowly, making sure that he could follow her hand before it landed on his shoulder.

"Don't rush it," she said, smiling tightly. "It'll take time to remember. We have all the time in the world together now."

He looked at her quizzically. "Are you alright?"

She shook her head slightly, still smiling. "Kohaku, is it alright if I hug you?"

"Uh…" His face went red, and he looked away, his shoulders hunched. "I guess so."

"It's alright if not," she said, though the words killed her. "I know you don't know me, even though I know you. I've really missed you, Kohaku."

He looked up at her again, and cautiously opened his arms. She pulled him in gently, and buried her nose in his hair. She knew that she was trembling. After a while, he pulled away, looking embarrassed. She tried to give him an encouraging smile. Her Kohaku was back. He had endured everything from Naraku and escaped his grasp. It didn't matter if he couldn't remember anything… Perhaps it was for the better. She didn't want him to remember what Naraku had forced him to do.

Kohaku leaned back against the wall, but their sides were still pressed together. Slowly, his head came to rest on her shoulder. Sango closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Only the sound of Kirara's purring filled the hut as they sat quietly together. Bit by bit, Kohaku leaned more heavily into her until she realized with a start that he was asleep on her shoulder. Sango bit her lip hard and rested her brow against the top of his head, whispering silent promises into his hair.

xXx

"We need to find out what he's planning," Inuyasha said harshly. "I'm sure a few good punches will knock the truth out of him."

"It's not as simple as all that," Miroku sighed, cutting off Shippo's indignant retort. "I can't say whether or not it's a trap, but the fact remains that Sango's been reunited with her younger brother."

"He's a threat," Inuyasha insisted, crossing his arms. "I'm not going to let him harm my pack."

"We can remain alert and keep an eye on him," Miroku continued. "If it is a trap, Sango will be heartbroken. But we have to keep in mind that Naraku loves to toy with people's feelings. True, the boy could be planted to do us harm, but Naraku could also be counting on our hostility towards him and expect us to hurt him. Or perhaps he really did escape Naraku's clutches!"

Inuyasha sent him a sorrowful look. "You really believe that?"

Miroku ran a hand down his face and looked up at the night sky. "We don't know exactly how Naraku was controlling him. If it was simply through the Jewel shard in his back, well, he did the same with Sango the first time we met her, and she was able to cast him off without a problem. Sango said that Kohaku was beginning to recognize her, the last time they met. He could have broken free."

Inuyasha huffed and poked at the ground aggressively. His ears flicked when the door of the storehouse slid open. Sango and Kirara stepped outside. Inuyasha was immediately on his feet, stalking towards them.

"Yash-" Miroku started warningly, but he ignored him.

"If you won't tell her, I will!" he spat over his shoulder.

He landed in front of Sango, who looked like she was deep in thought. When she saw Inuyasha's stony expression, her face fell. "What?" she asked, almost sounding afraid. "What's the matter?"

Inuyasha sighed, softening his tone. "Listen, Sango. It's about Kohaku – it's obviously one of Naraku's traps."

"You're wrong!" she snapped. "I trust Kohaku!"

"That's what Naraku wants," Inuyasha told her firmly.

She shook her head, her eyes darting past the hanyou pleadingly. "Miroku…"

The monk frowned tightly, and he looked conflicted.

"What choice do I have?" she asked, eyes blazing as she turned back to Inuyasha. "I have to trust my brother!"

"This whole thing reeks of Naraku," Inuyasha said.

Sango was breathing hard, her hands curled into firsts as she shook her head once more in agitation. "If we hadn't come to his aid, that mantis would have taken his Jewel shard and he really would have died!"

xXx

Kohaku stared hard at the floor, flinching as the voices outside got even louder. The woman – Sango, his sister – sounded upset. The angry man was shouting at her. He didn't know exactly what they were talking about, but he knew that the man thought he was dangerous.

"…would have died!"

"That's the trap! That's what he wants you to think!"

Sango's voice raised even higher. "It's not a trap!"

He squeezed his eyes shut, taking a deep breath. They were all unhappy because of him. He was hurting his sister just by being there! He couldn't let that happen. He couldn't stay with them – he couldn't be the cause for their group to be at odds. He had to leave. He picked up his kusarigama and crept to the small hole in the wall at the opposite end of the storehouse. He crawled through it quietly, but the arguing pair were too caught up in each other to notice. He glanced around the side of the storehouse, just to take one final look at his sister. Her face was twisted with rage, the threat of tears in her eyes.

"You're being blinded by love!" the man in red was shouting.

"Enough!" Sango yelled. "You don't know how I feel!"

"Open your eyes!"

Kohaku sighed and whispered a soft farewell before he turned and ran into the forest.

"Let me tell you something-" Sango started, and she looked like she was about to throw punches.

"Shh," Inuyasha hushed, cutting her off as his ears twitched. He glanced behind them to where Miroku was already standing, looking back at the horizon.

"They're coming," the monk warned.

"Hundreds of 'em," Inuyasha breathed.

The stench of demons was slowly filling the air. He could hear them, their screeching voices overlapping into a low hum in the night sky. They looked like dark clouds from this distance, but they were quickly approaching. A hoard of demons larger than any he'd seen before was racing towards them, led by a swarm of Saimyosho.

"Naraku's advanced guard," Miroku observed grimly.

"It's Kohaku they're after!" Sango gasped.

She spun around and ran for the storehouse. Inuyasha growled and called after her "Sango, don't be stupid!"

An attack would be the perfect time for Kohaku to take them off guard, when they were utterly distracted by the overwhelming number of demons. They were mostly weak demons, at least, but their sheer number could still prove fatal. Inuyasha ran towards the hoard, stopping only to slap Miroku's right arm down as he lifted it, hissing "Don't you dare!"

He leapt at the Saimyosho first, trying to get as many as possible with his claws. Because while Miroku was an idiot, he had a point – Inuyasha could only take out so many with the Wind Scar. The sword was still heavy, too heavy to use for a long battle. They would also need the wind tunnel.

"Kohaku!" Sango shouted, flinging open the storehouse door. "Kohaku!"

But it was no use. The room was utterly empty, save for Hiraikotsu and her sword still leaning against the wall. A shout from Miroku drew her attention behind her.

"Sango!" he called back to her, reaching into his robes for his sutras. "The Jewel shard is heading that way!" He pointed into the forest, and his eyes were begging her to be careful. "Keep him safe!"

"Thank you!" she called back, jumping onto Kirara's back. The twin-tail quickly picked up the trail and bounded through the trees.

Inuyasha landed and was about to spring into the air again when crescent blades flashed from inside the swarm in a burst of white light. Inuyasha swore and dove out of the way, rolling to his feet and running without breaking stride. Miroku snatched Shippo off the ground and followed him, keeping low to avoid the flying blades. They crashed into the grass around him in a ceaseless barrage. The Inuaysha's hand grabbed his robe and pulled him forward, closer to the cover of the storehouse.

The attack slowed to a stop and they glanced back at the swarm, unsurprised to see Kagura falling from the sky. She landed lightly and laughed.

"Shippo," Miroku said urgently, shoving the kit towards the base of the storehouse. "Under there. If things go badly, you need to run."

"Kagura," Inuyasha growled, stepping between her and the monk. "Whaddya want this time?"

She smirked, waving her fan teasingly in front of her face. "I know you're hiding Kohaku. Inuyasha, just let me have him."

Inuyasha growled, one ear flicking to the empty storehouse. Hadn't Kagura heard or seen Kohaku escape?

"Don't play innocent with me!" Kagura drawled, almost sounding bored under her anger. "Hand over Naraku's kempt boy."

"Why do you want him so badly?" Miroku called out challengingly, stepping to Inuyasha's side, further blocking the storehouse from her.

"I don't, particularly," Kagura shrugged. "But when that little wretch went berserk and ran off, he still had the Jewel shard embedded in his back."

Inuyasha's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "That's why you've come for him?"

The first wave of demons touched down beside her, leering and salivating. Kagura didn't so much as glance at them. "Naraku always goes overboard. Imagine dispatching this enormous army simply to retrieve the shard! You might as well just hand him over and save yourselves the death."

Miroku's mind was racing. "You only want the Jewel shard?" he asked, ignoring the incredulous look that Inuyasha sent him.

"Correct," Kagura shrugged. "Of course, once that's removed, Kohaku will die. We're under orders to let Sango have him after that."

Miroku was the one to growl this time, but it presented a way out. If they didn't care whether Kohaku lived or died, then perhaps he really had escaped! What use would he be to Naraku if they could no longer control him? And if all Kagura wanted was the shard, well, Miroku had a few shards of his own. Just maybe…

xXx

Kohaku was running for his life. He could hear the insects following him. How had they _found _him here? He skidded to a stop as a second swarm descended from the broken canopy above him. They were both moving towards him, cutting off any chance for escape. He lifted his kama and began spinning it around on its chain – this was going to be a tough fight.

Before he could throw the kama, a large bent weapon flew through the trees, slicing through several insects. Kohaku spun around, relief shooting through him so fast that he forgot that she'd been the one he was running from, initially. Sango caught the weapon as it returned to her and landed from where she'd jumped from Kirara's back. The twin-tail landed beside her, both of them staring at him.

"You're alright," Sango breathed.

"I don't understand," Kohaku shook his head. "Why? Why did you come? They were after _me!_"

Sango shook her head and walked towards him, a gentle look on her face. "Kohaku, please. Stay with me. Don't leave me behind again."

He took a step back, emotions coursing through him. "Why? Why are you doing all this for me?"

She knelt down in front of him, looking up at him through shining eyes. "You're my brother. You're my one and only little brother. I would do anything to keep you safe."

Kohaku was speechless. As one, Sango and Kirara glanced to the sky, where the swarm of giant insects were reforming. Behind them, a wave of demons approached.

"Kirara," Sango said, calling the twin-tail to her side. "Take Kohaku and regroup with Inuyasha and Miroku. I'll join you once I finish with this bunch."

Kirara grumbled worriedly but presented her back to Kohaku, who climbed on. He cast a frightened glance back at Sango, and she met him with a reassuring smile. As Kirara took off back the way they'd come, Kohaku watched Sango's weapon fly through the air again and again. The demons fell in chunks around her and, just as she disappeared from view, he could see her pull out the sword at her hip. It wasn't like anything Kohaku had ever seen. She was incredible!

A giant worm demon crashed through the canopy above them. Kohaku cried out but Kirara didn't even slow down, just leapt at the demon head-on. Kohaku clung to her back as her powerful jaws bit through the demon's throat. She landed but didn't continue, growling at the demons circling above them. As soon as her eyes found them, the demons dove. Kirara sprang into the air, tearing at them with teeth and claws. Kohaku tried to hang on, he really did, but she was moving so fast! When she rolled to avoid a demon's bite, he fell from her back with a cry.

He'd barely hit the ground before Kirara landed on top of him, shielding him with four powerful legs as she growled and snapped. She had wounded several of them and killed one more, but they were pressing in on all sides. Kohaku tried to crawl out from under her, to help her, but she was moving so fast! She spun around ceaselessly, swiping at the encroaching demons, her legs framing him on all sides.

"Kirara, down!" a voice shouted from behind them.

Kirara didn't hesitate before flattening herself to the ground, Kohaku's face pressed against her chest. Something small and round like a rock thudded into the ground beside them, and a thick yellow smoke began billowing from the object. Kirara growled and closed her eyes, and Kohaku coughed and gagged at the foul-smelling substance. The demons around them reared back, temporarily blinded by the smoke. Then Sango leapt through the trees, her sword taking the head off one of the demons before she lifted Hiraikotsu. One swing of the weapon swept around them, slicing through the remaining demons.

Sango reached to a bamboo canteen at her side and spared just a moment to splash water over Kiara's tightly closed eyes. The twin-tail wheezed and blinked several times before nodding. Sango placed a hand on her shoulder and looked at Kohaku, her eyes scanning him perfunctorily, searching for injuries. But there was no time to say anything, as another wave of demons had found them. Without a pause, Kirara shot into the air, barrelling straight into the first demon and using her momentum to fling it back into the others. As she drew their attention, Sango grabbed Kohaku's hand and dragged him behind her.

"Come on!" she shouted, the gentle voice she'd had earlier replaced by hard-edged steel. "We need to get back to the others!"

Somehow, running by her side seemed to be the safest place in the world. She was _so _familiar – he just couldn't remember! And he wanted to. He wanted so badly to know who he had been before. He wanted to be the brother that she so clearly yearned for. But every time he pressed too hard, an eerie, cold dread began to seep through him. It was almost like he was afraid. But of what? Was it the same thing that caused that man to look at him like the enemy, or that fox child to be afraid of him? It wasn't just that he _couldn't_… There was something he didn't want to remember.

_Kill her._

Kohaku stumbled behind her and Sango didn't stop, just held his arm tighter and kept running. She prayed that Kirara would be alright. Their only chance was to get back to the others, where she was sure another battle was raging. That idiot Miroku had better not be using the wind tunnel with all the Saimyosho patrolling the air! No, Inuyasha wouldn't let him. And Shippo! She swore quietly and ran faster. So much for keeping him safe. Once Kirara rejoined them, she would send both the fox and Kohaku off with her to somewhere safe. If such a place could still be found.

Kohaku stumbled once more and his hand slipped from hers. She spun around, deathly afraid that he'd been injured. Instead he was staring blankly at her, a cold, unseeing look in his eyes that had her heart pounding and nausea rolling through her. No! No, no, no- It couldn't be happening again.

"Kohaku," she gasped, voice hoarse and strangled with fear.

"What a shame," he said in a distant, lifeless voice. "That you're so far from the others."


	50. Chapter 50: s2e23

Warnings for this chapter: loss of self, threats of death, attempted murder, attempted mercy killing, plans for suicide, serious injury, poisoning. The scenes get very intense in places. Please stay safe

* * *

"Kohaku," Sango gasped, praying that is wasn't true – that her brother wasn't gone again, that he hadn't been lost to her once more. "Kohaku, please-"

He lifted his weapon above his head, his eyes blank and dull, expression pinched. She crouched slightly, lowering her center of gravity as one hand instinctively reached for Hiraikotsu before stopping. She knew that she could never fight against her little brother, even if the figure in front of her was barely her brother any longer. She should have known! How could she be so _stupid? _Naraku would have never let Kohaku escape, not when he was such a valuable weapon against them. This had to be a trap – or had Naraku simply not bothered with Kohaku until now? The change had been so _sudden!_ Was her brother still in there?

"Kohaku," she said again, firmly, gently. "Kohaku, can you hear me?"

She wanted desperately to believe that she saw a flicker of recognition in those eyes. That his hesitation was because he was fighting inside, struggling against Naraku's control. That he was coming back to her. Instead, he took a halting step towards her. He was breathing hard through his mouth, his brows furrowed ever so slightly.

"Kohaku?"

He staggered back, blinking rapidly. Then he turned. And ran. Sango barely had time to register what was going on before she was chasing after him for all she was worth. He was coming back! Her brother was returning, she was sure of it! He was frightened – he had to be, with Naraku still looming in his mind – but she would catch up to him and tell him that it was alright, that he was safe and she was with him! But she couldn't let him get away. If those demons saw him, if Naraku got his claws into Kohaku once more… She didn't know how much of her brother would be left.

xXx

"Kagura," Miroku called out, feeling Inuyasha's eyes on him. "You have to have expected that we can't trust you, and we both know that we can't stand against your army. We've all seen what Kohaku is capable of, and we cannot allow him to keep killing as he has been. If you want his Jewel shard, then so be it. I will retrieve it from his back myself. You can be on your way with no effort spent, and my companions and I will go on with our lives."

Kagura smirked slightly. "You won't trust me, but you expect me to trust you? How do I know that you're going to keep your word?"

"You said yourself that Kohaku will die once the shard is removed," he said calmly. "Allow Sango the dignity of mourning her brother's death in private. You and your army can stay right where you are while I retrieve the shard, and I will personally bring it to you. If I do not, we both know that you can take it by force. But you must realize that we will fight you if we must. Are you willing to risk the damage we could do?"

Kagura pursed her lips, pondering. Inuyasha glanced between her and Miroku, a faint glimmer of hope in his chest. Was she really falling for it? Could they really get out of it that easily? Then Kagura started laughing, and his heart sank.

"What kind of fool do you take me for, monk?" she asked, wiping a mirthful tear away from her eye. "You think I don't know about your own Jewel shards? Do you really think I would fall for your little ploy?"

Miroku swallowed lightly. "It's not-"

"Shut up!" she snapped, good humour gone. "I won't be satisfied until I see that little bastard's lifeless corpse with my own eyes!"

She lifted her fan, and the demons shifted forward in one giant mass, grumbling and shrieking with anticipation. Inuyasha reached for Tessaiga, but caught the quelling look that Miroku sent him. They had to keep Kagura believing that Kohaku was still in the storehouse for as long as possible. If they could buy enough time for Sango to track the kid down and haul him back, then maybe they could put up a proper fight. Or, if Kohaku was still under Naraku's control, they could give Kagura exactly what she'd asked for.

"You need a whole army just to capture one puny kid?" Inuyasha taunted. "It's a disgrace!"

"Oh, don't you worry," Kagura purred. "They're not only for him. I plan on slaughtering you all while I'm here – but don't feel insulted, Inuyasha. I plan on cutting off your head personally. Dance of Blades!"

Inuyasha and Miroku darted in opposite directions, avoiding the first volley. And then the first wave of demons charged. Inuyasha rushed forward to meet them, claws flashing as he sliced through one after the other. Miroku fell back, protecting the storehouse. He watched with grim satisfaction as the demons all converged on him, trying to break through. At least the deception was working. Whether or not they could hold off the massive hoard of demons was another matter entirely. Miroku cut through demon after demon with his staff, occasionally stopping to throw a sutra at them in the hopes of slowing them down.

As the thought struck him, he turned and threw another sutra at the door of the storehouse, hopefully sealing it against any demon trying to get inside. He caught sight of Shippo, still hiding under the base of the house, and moved slightly closer to the fox. He could put up a spiritual barrier if he absolutely had to, but then he wouldn't be able to fight, and he couldn't leave Inuyasha on his own! Perhaps if they needed to fall back. For the time being, he caught every demon that came close, keeping an eye on the battle raging further away.

Inuyasha ran headlong through a cluster of demons, tearing through them with his claws, before Kagura's blades shot at him again. He swore and dodged, but was pushed right into another wave of demons. There was no end to them, one striking forward as soon as he dropped the one before it. Sooner or later he would need to use Tessaiga, but if he took out too many demons at once, then Kagura might stop toying with them and send the entire army to the storehouse at once. He knew that there was no way that he and Miroku could keep up with even a quarter of the army altogether.

And there was another reason holding him back – Tessaiga, despite all his training, was still a lead weight more often than not. If he revealed that kind of weakness in front of Kagura, he'd be dead. No, they needed to draw this out, keep them sending out their forces bit by bit until they were depleted. It would also help if Kagura would quit it with the blades! He barely landed before another volley was flying at him. He growled and jumped back, but he could hear Miroku grunting as he battled several demons at once. He couldn't let them overwhelm him – especially not with all the Saimyosho around! If that idiot got it into his head to use the wind tunnel…

A group of flying demons soared overhead, making a coordinated attack at the storehouse. Inuyasha leapt into the air and cut through several of them with his claws.

"No you don't!" Kagura called up to him. "Dance of Blades!"

Inuyasha swore, pulling on his youki. He was able to change course enough to miss the brunt of the attack as he fell, but one blade caught his arm while another sliced through his cheek. He locked eyes with Kagura as he landed and snarled.

"What's the matter?" she cooed with false sympathy. "Why don't you draw your sword, Inuyasha?"

"Ha!" Inuyasha sneered, curling is fingers into fists. "It'd be a waste, using the Tessaiga to kill the likes of you."

A snake demon struck and he tore off its head. A couple of worm demons dove at him from above, and he sliced through them easily. Mantis demons, frog demons, centipede demons, all of them were charging at him, and he cut through them all. His youki was bubbling up inside him and instead of pushing it down, he tried to channel it into his claws. The amber light that emerged when he used his aura began glowing brighter than ever, his claws painting streaks through the air.

"Enough of this," Kagura snapped, waving back the next round of demons that were going to attack. "You!" she called, pointing into the army. The demons shifted to allow a giant horned bull demon to emerge, holding a sword in each of its four arms. "After him!" Kagura instructed, and the bull charged.

Inuyasha swore and leapt out of the way, considering his options. It was very rare that he'd had to encounter a sword-wielding demon back before he'd gotten Tessaiga, and most of the time it hadn't gone well for him. A bull demon on its own wasn't a very powerful adversary, but give one four swords, and the odds were slightly skewed. Inuyasha jumped back, avoiding each swing of each sword, trying to draw the bull off to the side and hopefully away from Miroku. He could feel Kagura's eyes on him, knew that she was trying to bait him into using Tessaiga. Well, tough. He could defeat this demon with his own two hands and he'd take his time doing it!

And then Kagura lifted her fan, and the next wave of demons attacked. They didn't even bother with him, just headed straight for the storehouse and Miroku. The monk met them unflinchingly, blocking one's jaws with his staff before striking through another, using his spiritual power to enhance his blows. But Inuyasha knew that he was tiring, could smell it in his scent and see it in his increasingly restricted movements. Meanwhile, he continued in his own deathdance with the bull demon, getting absolutely nowhere.

"You're looking the fool, Inuyasha," Kagura called out mockingly. "I'm starting to think you can't even use that sword of yours."

"Oh yeah?" he hissed. His youki was churning in his gut. Miroku grunted as he was knocked to the ground, rolling to escape the barbed forelimbs of a demon. Inuyasha pulled out Tessaiga and turned to Kagura. "I'm going to silence you, once and for all!"

He lifted the sword, grimacing at the weight, and focused on the bull demon's youki as it rushed towards him. He swung Tessaiga in a wide arc, sending six lines of energy shooting out in broad formation, catching both the bull demon and all the demons behind it. He knew that he couldn't have gotten more than a couple dozen, but it was enough to wipe that smug smile off Kagura's face. Until it wasn't.

"What's this?" she cooed. "Seems you're having an awkward time of it with your sword."

He leapt for her and she easily jumped out of the way, leaving his blade to crash into the ground. _Damn it!_

Miroku pushed back a group of demons with his staff, pulling on more and more of his spiritual power. He could feel it draining him, but with Inuyasha now using Tessaiga, there was no doubt that the battle was growing more intense. More and more demons were pouring from the army, and he was being forced back to the walls of the storehouse. He reached into his robes and pulled out the last of his sutras. He stuck one on the head of his staff and then threw the others at the approaching hoard. Some of the weakest demons dissolved from the sutras alone, while most were killed off by a single strike of his staff. But then he was out, and there were plenty more demons to go.

A cluster of five or so lunged for him in a synchronized dive. He blocked their jaws with the length of his staff, and energy crackled through the air as their youki clashed with his spiritual power. He pushed them back as much as he could, but there was nothing that he could do about the centipede demon which shot past his left. Inuyasha must have heard his frustrated cry because he whipped around, and his eyes went wide.

"Pay attention!" Kagura snapped, sending another volley of blades at him. Inuyasha turned Tessaiga broadside along the ground to deflect them, but there was no hiding how heavy the sword had become.

The centipede circled round the storehouse several times, coiling its body around the structure. Miroku ripped his staff back and cut through the demons in front of him. He spun around, but it was too late. The centipede was crushing the storehouse to pieces, and as it fell apart, Kohaku was nowhere to be found.

"So the hut was empty all along?" Kagura said mildly. "Very clever. You had me fooled."

"You're not going anywhere, Kagura!" Inuyasha growled, hauling Tessaiga over his shoulder and preparing to rush at her. "This fight is far from over."

Kagura smiled obligingly and lifted her fan. A few demons obediently came between her and Inuyasha, where he met them with his claws. The rest stayed put. Miroku frowned. If they were really after Kohaku…

"Inuyasha, watch out!" he shouted, ducking as several Saimyosho flew for his head. "It's a trap!"

"What?" Inuyasha asked, taking an instinctive step closer to the monk.

"Why are none of them going after Kohaku?" Miroku pointed out. "This whole battle was staged from the beginning. Naraku was never after Kohaku!"

"He's still under Naraku's control!" Inuyasha snarled, finishing the thought. "Miroku, go find Sango and Kirara! They're not going to be able to handle Kohaku on their own."

Miroku spared a moment from cutting a lizard demon in two to shoot Inuyasha an incredulous look. "And leave you _alone _with _this?_"

"There's no time to argue!" Inuyasha snapped. "I can hold these guys off until you bring Sango and Kirara back!"

"Why bother?" Kagura smiled sweetly, passing her fan over her face. "It's probably too late."

"Miroku, go!" Inuyasha shouted.

Miroku went. He glanced behind him just long enough to see Inuyasha lift Tessaiga above his head, the blade glowing with the power of the Wind Scar. As he approached the edge of the forest, the endless shrieking of the demons faded away, and was replaced by another, even more horrible sound.

"_Kohaku!_"

Sango's scream rang through the trees. She was somewhere nearby, but he couldn't see her! And she sounded afraid – she sounded like her world was ending. And he knew with ice-cold certainty that her brother was behind it.

A rustling came from his right and Miroku rushed in that direction, only to run headlong into Kohaku. He barely had time to react before the boy's weapon was flying towards him. He ducked on instinct alone, and the blade of the kama imbedded itself in the trunk of the tree behind him. Kohaku didn't so much as blink, simply pulling the chain of his kusarigama and swinging the weapon forth once more. Miroku scrambled back.

"Kohaku?" he asked, knocking the kama away with his staff. "Kohaku, please listen to me-"

The boy shook his head, a look of pain flashing across his face before being wiped away. Kohaku lifted the kusarigama above his head and held it there for a moment. Miroku carefully backed away, keeping his movements calm and controlled. Why wasn't Kohaku attacking? Surely he couldn't be searching for an opening. Miroku knew that he was more than competent with his staff, but it was nothing against a slayer's training. Was it something else? Was this Naraku's doing? Or was Kohaku himself holding back?

"Kohaku…" Miroku said slowly, holding up one hand calmly.

Kohaku heaved his arm back and flung the kusarigama at Miroku. He blocked the weapon with his staff, deflecting it away from his chest. The blade of the kama struck his leg instead, deep into his thigh, glancing off the bone. Miroku fell hard, unable put any weight on the leg. Kohaku pulled the kama back by the chain, and it released with a sickly sucking sound. Miroku braced his staff in front of himself but he was stuck. Kohaku raised the kama again.

Miroku braced himself.

Nothing happened.

There was something in Kohaku's eyes, behind the blank expression. He was trembling ever so slightly, sweat dripping from his brow. He was hesitating. Miroku's heart pounded. He was hesitating! He was resisting Naraku's orders!

"Kohaku!"

The call came from behind him, deeper into the forest. Sango burst through the trees and froze, her eyes wide as she took in Miroku on the ground, his torn robes, and the trail of blood leading from him to Kohaku's weapon.

"Sango-" he started, pleadingly, but she stumbled back, one hand covering her mouth. "Sango, _listen_-"

"No!" she screamed, and it sounded like her heart was breaking. "Kohaku, _no!_"

Kohaku ran, back into the forest. Away from her. Away from his targets.

"Miroku, I'm so sorry," she whispered, and there was horror in her voice.

"Sango!" Miroku cried after her, but it was too late – Sango was already chasing him down.

He swore, tried his hardest to stand, but his leg collapsed under him. No! He had to get to them, to tell Sango what had truly happened. But his leg wasn't cooperating, and there was no way that he could walk properly, let alone run! He glanced wildly over at Inuyasha, who struggled to pull the Tessaiga in front of himself to block Kagura's attacks. Even if his leg wasn't injured, Inuyasha couldn't face down the entire hoard of demons alone! Miroku swallowed grimly, a horrible path opening up ahead.

He couldn't let Sango face her brother alone. Because Kohaku was still dangerous – but more than that, there had been a twisted, horrific kind of resignation in Sango's face as she left. Something told him that, by injuring one of her own, Kohaku had crossed a line in Sango's eyes. She couldn't let him be a threat to her family. And Miroku dreaded what she might do.

xXx

Inuyasha landed back in front of the ruined storehouse, keenly aware of Shippo still hiding underneath. He lifted Tessaiga, preparing to charge again, when a cry of pain sliced through his mind. He whipped around, immediately seeking out Miroku. He was on the ground, Kohaku standing above him, and Inuyasha's blood froze.

"Don't look away!" Kagura shouted, and a wave of blades flew at him.

He ducked, shielding himself with Tessaiga, but he needed to move now, _get to Miroku_\- Then Sango was there. Normally, she would be the one person in the entire world that he would trust to protect Miroku. But that was her brother standing over him. Inuyasha slashed through the demons that Kagura sent for him, but he barely even saw them. His pack was in danger, and Kagura was standing in his way! In an instant, Kohaku was running again and Sango was chasing after him. Miroku was shouting, desperately pleading for Sango to come back. Then the monk's eyes met his.

"Inuyasha, _please!_" he screamed, and that was it. Inuyasha ran for him, feeling Kagura's eyes following him. He skidded to a stop on his knees. Miroku's hands clutched his arms with bruising strength, but he was pushing him away. "You have to go after her!" he begged, real fear in his voice. "Inuyasha, she's going to kill Kohaku!"

Inuyasha froze. "_What?_"

"She saw him fight me, but he didn't kill me! He ignored Naraku's orders!"

He didn't kill Miroku. Kohaku was still a danger to everyone, he'd hurt _Miroku_, but he hadn't killed him…

"But Sango doesn't know – she only saw him attack. She's going to kill him and it's going to destroy her! Yash, she might-" Miroku's voice failed, but the horrified look in his eyes spoke volumes. Inuyasha swore loudly, glancing desperately between Kagura and the direction Sango and Kohaku had gone. What the hell were they going to do? He would be able to catch up to the slayers with Miroku on his back, but there was no _way _that Kagura would let them go. What were they going to _do?_

Sensing his hesitation, Miroku pushed to his feet, leaning heavily against his staff. "I got this! _Go!_"

He sounded so anxious, so _sure_ that Inuyasha went. He made it less than a dozen steps before he realized what Miroku was planning. He spun around, icy terror in his veins, just in time to see the wind tunnel open. Miroku was on one knee, the other leg trailing behind him at an awkward angle. From his position, he was sucking in the main hoard of demons, but Kagura was still out of reach, too close to the storehouse and Shippo. As the first Saimyosho disappeared into his hand, Inuyasha began running back.

"Don't!" Miroku shouted, not even turning to look. "Save Kohaku! Save Sango!"

Inuyasha stopped but didn't turn, indecision keeping him rooted to the ground. Miroku was killing himself so that Sango wouldn't die, and _what the hell was he supposed to do?_ He knew that Sango wouldn't be able to live with herself if she killed Kohaku. There was no doubt in his mind that she was in danger. Miroku told him to go, and he had to trust him. Inuyasha took a hesitant step away. Kagura lifted her fan, muttering "No you don't."

"Don't move, Kagura!" Miroku shouted, and he'd never sounded so convincing, so utterly out of options that they all knew he wouldn't hesitate. "All I have to do is turn and I'll suck you in, too!"

Kagura could sense it, too. She plucked the feather from her hear and lifted into the air. As soon as she was gone, Miroku closed the wind tunnel, gasping in agony. The sound drew Inuyasha like a moth to a flame. He caught Miroku as he fell forward, his muscles tensed to breaking from the insects' venom. The pain in his scent cut through Inuyasha's mind, and his vision flashed red. His instincts were overwhelmingly telling him to stay, to protect his injured partner, but Miroku said otherwise.

"_Go!_" he gasped, and it was almost a sob.

Inuyasha looked around frantically, but no other options presented themselves. The few demons that had escaped the wind tunnel had disappeared into the forest. Shippo was darting towards them, fear etched in his face. Distantly, he could hear Sango's footfalls and ragged breathing, sparking a new kind of urgency in his blood.

"_Please._"

He went. Whatever Miroku had done was over. He was safe for the time being – from demons at least. Now, the only thing Inuyasha could do was to keep his sacrifice from being in vain. To keep another member of his pack from dying. Heart-wrenching fear led speed to his legs as he burst through the forest, the trees a dark blur around him. His senses heightened to the point of pain, every sound and smell slicing into his mind. When he heard something crashing through the canopy above him, he almost reacted with his claws before her scent hit him.

"Kirara!" he gasped, surprised by how wrecked his voice sounded. "You have to get back to Miroku. He used the wind tunnel and he-" Kirara's eyes widened and she looked anxiously in the direction that Inuyasha was heading. "I've gotta stop Sango, but you _have _to protect Miroku and Shippo. _Please!_"

She took off without question. He continued tracking Sango's scent, though he could feel his youki rumbling beneath his skin. Damn that kid for pretending like he wouldn't even hurt a fly! Damn Naraku for manipulating them all again! Damn Sango for being so _stupid! _Damn _Miroku! Damn himself!_ But Miroku had said that Kohaku had resisted Naraku's orders. There was a chance, a small, frail chance, that the kid still had a will of his own. He wasn't a goner, and they couldn't give up on him! Inuyasha still had a chance to save two lives. He could still save his pack. And once they were safe, he would never leave Miroku's side again.

xXx

Sango's breathing was ragged in her ears as she ran, vision blurred by sweat and stress and tears. It was too late. She had allowed her brother to kill before, had looked the other way, and it had almost taken the life of her closest friend to force her to see the truth. It was some small mercy that Miroku hadn't paid for her mistake more dearly. She wouldn't allow him or anyone else to die because of Kohaku, because of _her_. She should have known that Kohaku would never be free from Naraku. She had promised him, promised _herself_, that she wouldn't let that monster take her brother away again.

She should have known. Kohaku was her weakness, and Naraku knew it. He assumed that she would be too weak to do what needed to be done, and thus far he'd been right. But no longer. This puppet of Naraku's was no longer her brother. He was a mindless drone, with nothing left… Except that wasn't true. She could see him struggling. Her brother still existed somewhere, trapped within his own mind. And she couldn't allow it.

Sango threw Hiraikotsu through the trees, cutting them all down. As they crashed to the ground, they revealed Kohaku, crouched to avoid the weapon's path. He rose slowly and turned to look at her, his kusarigama held loosely in his hand. It was still coated in blood. Sango caught Hiraikotsu as it returned to her and stared down this shell of her brother. His eyes were blank. There was no hint of expression on his face.

"Kohaku, don't move," she ordered. She shifted Hiraikosu behind her shoulder and pulled out her sword. "Let me free you from that demon."

She ran for him. Kohaku faced her unflinchingly, lifting his weapon. He swung the heavy weighted chain, in his hand, faster and faster, and leapt as he released it. The end wrapped around Sango's sword, and she used it to pull at the kama attached on the other end, to tug Kohaku off balance. He righted himself quickly and then launched himself at her, the blade aiming for her chest. She heaved Hiraikotsu over her shoulder and the tip of Kohaku's kama buried itself into the weapon. He landed on the broad side of Hiraikotsu and pushed off, causing Sango to stumble back from the impact.

She charged, striking at the kama with her sword, trying to dislodge it from his hand. He was barely moving to defend himself. She could have cut off his arm or stabbed him in the gut if she'd wanted to. But she couldn't. She knew that she had to free him in the only way left to her, but she couldn't do so with an opportunistic strike. He deserved better than that.

They were still connected by the chain, bound together as they should be. Sango swung her sword back, pulling Kohaku off balance once more, and when he stumbled, she used Hiraikotsu to knock the kama from his hand. She used her forward momentum to push him to the ground and pinned him there. She cast aside both weapons – now she only needed her sword. It would be quick. She would make it painless for him. And once he was gone… Silently, she promised whatever part of her brother was left that he wouldn't die alone. She wouldn't leave him again. She would be right behind. She just needed to _end it._

The sword shook in her hand, rattling the chain. She could feel herself trembling. It was the only thing she could feel anymore. With each gasping breath, she let her anger and despair and hopelessness and pain slide away. It would be alright. It was for the best. It was the only way.

"Forgive me, Kohaku," she whispered.

Through the hand on his chest, she could feel his heart pounding. She swallowed with grim determination, and angled the tip of her sword down to gently rest on his skin. It would only be a moment. Her tears fell on his face, his kind little face. He was looking up at her blankly, empty. She wasn't killing her brother. She was saving him. She was freeing him.

Sango lifted her sword.

"Sango, _stop!_"

The cry came from behind her, too close. It was now or never.

A hand knocked the sword from her hand and pushed her back roughly. Kohaku sprang to his feet and leapt back, out of reach. No, she couldn't let him get away! But Inuyasha's hands were on her shoulders, shoving her away. She fought weakly, but all the strength seemed to have left her body. She sank to her knees.

"Inuyasha," she gasped, barely looking at him, her eyes fixed on Kohaku. "Why did you stop me?"

"Listen here, you idiot!" Inuyasha growled, anger clear in his voice. "Killing Kohaku will only make Naraku happy. Don't you get it? He's just trying to get you to kill each other again!"

"But Miroku…" Fresh tears spilled from her eyes. Inuyasha looked like he was in pain.

"He's alive. Kohaku didn't kill him even though Naraku told him to. And you're not killing him! _Got it?_"

Kohaku snatched his weapon from the ground and began to run away through the forest. Inuyasha wasn't having it. He caught up the boy in a single leap. His claws dug deep gouges into the ground as Kohaku dodged. Inuyasha landed hard and crouched to throw himself at the kid. A strong gust of wind pushed him back. Kagura touched down gently behind Kohaku.

"Kagura…" Inuyasha growled.

"As commanded," she smiled. "At least _I _was able to follow Naraku's plan, unlike Kohaku."

"Oh yeah?" Inuyasha said, challenging, hatred and rage bubbling in his gut.

Kagura sighed as though she was disappointed in him. "Inuyasha, why do you think Kohaku has lost his memory?"

"That's obvious," he spat. "Naraku's controlling his mind!"

"That's part of it," Kagura admitted lightly. "But Kohaku himself doesn't wish to remember."

Sango sobbed. Inuyasha growled. If Kohaku was avoiding his own memories, then maybe…

Inuyasha darted forward before any of the others could react and snatched the front of Kohaku's robes, dragging him forward. "Kohaku, you gotta remember! Bring your memories back! Remember Sango and the demon slayers. Come on!"

"I'd be careful if I were you, Inuyasha," Kagura warned mockingly. "It might be quite a shock for him to get back such…_unpleasant_ memories."

Inuyasha growled and dragged Kohaku to his feet, giving him a small shake, his eyes fixed on Kagura. Instead, it was Sango's voice that rang through the clearing "Inuyasha, stop!"

He froze and stared at her, saw the horror on her face.

All the things that Kohaku had done while under Naraku's control… Sango knew that it would destroy him. She couldn't put her brother through that. She couldn't force him to remember their father, Eiji and Yasuo, the countless villagers… If those were the memories that Kohaku was resisting, then she didn't want him to remember.

"If you want the kid, you gotta take the whole kid," Kagura smiled. "Naraku did him a favour. He's much better as a blank slate."

"_Damnit!_" Inuyasha snarled, and his vision flashed red. Kagura chuckled. Inuyasha's youki sprang for her, the wave of pure power sending her stumbling back with a gasp. Inuyasha felt Sango stiffen behind him. "Remember!" he snapped at Kohaku, shaking him again. "Do it now if you want to live!"

"Inuyasha, _stop it!_"

He rounded on her, eyes blazing. "The only way to free him from Naraku's control is to get him to remember!"

"He can't-"

"He's going to kill Kohaku either way!" Inuyasha shouted, cutting her off. "He wants the Jewel shard in his back, and sooner or later he's going to take it! Naraku's only keeping him around because he's useful!"

Kagura laughed. "You always see the worst in people, Inuyasha."

She snapped her fan open and threw a volley of blades at him. Inuyasha swore and dodged to the side, dragging Kohaku along with him. The boy wrenched himself out of his grasp and ran, picking his weapon up from where he'd dropped it and darting to Kagura's side. She sent a powerful gust of wind at Inuyasha as he tried to follow, and he had to drop to his knees to avoid being blown off his feet. Kohaku followed Kagura onto her feather and they floated up into the sky.

"Come back here!" Inuyasha shouted.

"Kohaku!" Sango called out frantically.

"Let the poor lad die in bliss, Inuyasha," Kagura said, and she sounded oddly sincere. "His past really would destroy him."

They disappeared from view. Sango fell to her knees, a sob ripping from her chest. "_Damn!_" she swore, and struck the ground with her fist. "Not again…"

She was shaking, crumpling under the weight on her shoulders. Inuyasha dropped to one knee in front of her. "Sango…"

"I can't," she gasped. "It's the same thing all over again."

Inuyasha couldn't stop the growl that rumbled in his throat. "Damn, you really need to quit it." She glanced up at him, startled for a moment from her grief. "Maybe this will make you do things a little differently next time. Kohaku's not entirely under Naraku's control! He resisted Naraku's orders! He still has a human heart. Naraku's trying to manipulate you both to cause as much misery as possible, and that's not gonna happen. We can't kill Kohaku – we gotta take him alive!"

She shook her head, rejecting the words. "But Miroku…"

And Inuyasha snapped. "Miroku almost killed himself to stop you from killing your brother!" He was practically screaming, and he knew it, but he couldn't seem to stop. "He sucked in all the demons and those fucking insects so that I could come after you, and I'm _not going to let it be in vain. _You got that?"

Sango's eyes widened in horror. "He _what?_"

"Not pull yourself together so we can make sure he's not _dead!_"

Sango rocked to her feet and numbly gathered her weapons. Inuyasha didn't wait for her to say anything, just swung her onto his back and took off. With the threat gone and nothing else to distract him, the fear that had been clawing its way to through his chest was threatening to overwhelm him. Sending his youki after Kagura had helped some, but he could still feel it churning within him. He strained his hearing, trying desperately to find that precious heartbeat.

They were nearly at the edge of the forest when a roar came from overhead. Inuyasha snarled, panic fuelling his anger as he thought of anything else trying to come between him and Miroku. But then a voice called down to them, shrill with fear. "Inuyasha! Sango!"

Kirara dove down through the trees, Shippo on her head and Miroku splayed across her back. He was sliding off Kirara before she even touched down. Inuyasha leapt forward and caught him as he fell. He clutched the monk to his chest, but his breathing was ragged and shallow and he was barely conscious. His skin was ashy grey and terrifyingly pale. His fingers curled loosely against Inuyasha's arms, lacking the strength to hold on.

"No…" Sango whispered behind him, horror in her voice.

Inuyasha couldn't find the will to speak, every last speck of his focus honed in on the rapid heartbeat, the struggle for breath.

"We need to find the herbs to help him!" Sango was saying, his voice ringing hollow in Inuyasha's ears.

"You know which ones?" Sango asked brokenly.

"Yeah! I helped Kaede gather them before!"

"We need to get him somewhere safe," Inuyasha rasped, still curled around the monk.

With Sango's help, they maneuvered him onto Kirara's back. Sango climbed on in front of him and Inuyasha was behind, his arms wrapped around Miroku's chest with the monk's head leaning back on his shoulder. Inuyasha could feel him shaking. Kirara took off and he squeezed his eyes shut, focusing on the fact that everyone was still alive. Trying not to think about what he might have done.

xXx

Kohaku knelt in front of Naraku, eyes downcast, avoiding the demon's piercing gaze. Saimyosho buzzed around him like guards.

"Kohaku," Naraku said in a low, dangerous voice. "Remember that I spared your life and erased your terrible memories for you."

"Yes, master," he murmured, the words tasting like poison on his tongue.

"And yet you have failed me once again," Naraku sighed, hard-edged with anger. "Why is that, Kohaku? Do you deliberately disobey me? Do you want to regain your humanity?" His eyes narrowed, a predatory smile on his lips. "Then, do you want your memories returned? _All _of your memories?"

He reached out a hand, and pain shot through Kohaku's mind. No! His father's cry- The villagers screaming- Sango crying, beggin- _No! _"No! No, please!" He clutched his head and curled into himself, the memories searing into his mind, burning with fire.

"Good," Naraku said. His hand reached out again and pulled, drawing out the memories, the pain, and the _Kohaku_ that resided within them. "I'll let you live, for now. I have bigger problems to deal with than your little insubordinate act. Know that if you disobey me again, I won't be so lenient. Do you understand?"

The boy nodded numbly. "Yes."

He knew that he had lost something, he just didn't know what. He couldn't find it in himself to care. The mild curiosity, the spark of fear, everything was smothered and crushed until nothing remained. Still, something was ringing through his mind. A woman's face, twisted in agony as she stared down at him. He didn't know who she was, but she knew that he was important. For some reason, he couldn't forget.

xXx

Kirara landed in front of a small village. Inuyasha stayed on her back, clinging to Miroku, as Sango marched towards one of the houses with a threat written in every muscle of her body. She burst into the hut, causing the woman inside to let out a cry of surprise as she darted to her child's side.

"I'm not here to hurt you," Sango ground out. "We need help. My friend is dying, and we need a place to stay."

"There's an empty house," the woman said hesitantly. "At the edge of the village…"

"Show me."

Sango motioned for Kirara to follow her as the woman directed her to a small, shabby hut, somewhat separated from the others. Several other villagers had emerged to watch them warily, looking none too pleased. Sango shot each and every one of them a glare, the warning clear.

Inuyasha brushed off Sango's attempt to help them down and simply lifted Miroku into his arms. The outside world was strangely distorted, merely a blur of colours and faces and smells surrounding a rapid heartbeat. He fell to his knees inside the hut, squeezing Miroku fractionally closer.

"Keep him warm and try to get him to drink some water," Shippo was advising Sango. "He'll be getting a fever soon. Make sure he doesn't stop breathing!"

A rustling outside the hut announced the kit's departure on Kirara. Sango knelt in front of Inuyasha, pulling the blankets from her carrying cloth. She draped them all over the monk, her frown deepening as he shuddered.

"This has happened before?" she asked Inuyasha.

He nodded numbly. "Naraku gave a hive of Saimyosho to Sesshomaru. Miroku almost died."

"But he pulled through," she reminded him firmly. She'd heard the stories from all their encounters with Sesshomaru, and from what she could remember, timing had been crucial the first time Miroku was poisoned. She tossed Hiraikostu and her carrying cloth off to the side and stalked out of the house, intent on finding someone who would be able to help.

Inuyasha curled himself around Miroku, one arm supporting his shoulders and back, the other cradling the monk's head to his chest. He could hear the raspy quality of Miroku's breath, the struggle to take in air. He maneuvered his head so that it was tipped back slightly, opening his airway. It sounded like it helped a little, but not enough. Nothing was enough. Miroku was dying and he couldn't stop it! And he'd _left him-_

Inuyasha squeezed his eyes shut, shoving the guilt down as it threatened to choke him. That could wait until later, until Miroku was awake and recovering and could tell him that it was okay. His fingers grasped at Miroku's hair, somewhere between soothing strokes and desperate clinging. He hated every rasp, every tremor that passed through Miroku even as he cherished them as proof that he was still alive. He hated every moment that passed even though he knew that he would rather be nowhere else. He hated Sango for letting this happen even though he knew it wasn't her fault – and he knew that she couldn't let go of Kohaku. Her brother was her whole world, the reason that she was facing Naraku, and Inuyasha knew what that felt like. If he was in her position, he would have done the same. He probably would have done much worse.

Sango returned an indeterminate amount of time later with an old man following her. The man glanced between Inuyasha and Miroku uneasily before turning to Sango.

"There's your patient," Sango prompted roughly, jabbing her sword in Miroku's direction.

"You didn't tell me that there were demons here," the man said, eyeing Inuyasha warily. The hanyou growled softly.

"It doesn't matter!" Sango snapped. "That monk is dying because he fought off an entire demon _army _and was _poisoned _because of it!"

The man obediently shuffled over and knelt down by Miroku's side. Inuyasha couldn't help but shrink back slightly, pulling Miroku closer to his chest.

"Inuyasha," Sango said, low and firm.

With her help, he shifted Miroku so that his back was flush to his chest, his arms wrapped around the monk's torso, but the man could still examine the monk. The combination of a stranger beside the injured Miroku and the barely concealed hostility seeping from the man made Inuyasha's already strained youki rumble warningly beneath his skin. The sword that Sango had refused to sheathe, which lay on her lap as she knelt beside the man, helped a little.

"I don't see any bite marks or stings," the man muttered as he looked over Miroku's body. "Was the weapon that struck his leg poisoned?"

"No, it wasn't," Sango answered when it was obvious that Inuyasha wasn't going to. "He has a curse in his hand through which he can fight off demons, but their poison still affects him."

The man's lips pursed. "He's cursed?"

Sango's eyes narrowed dangerously. "He's injured, and you're supposed to be a healer. Why don't we focus on that?"

"I will bind his leg, but there is nothing I can do to help him against a curse," the man said, reaching for his bandages. "Perhaps you should try a priest."

"That's it," Sango ground out, dragging the man up by the robes and shoving him towards the door. "I can handle his wounds. I'll call you back if we need further _assistance._ Thank you for your time."

She snatched the medical supplies left behind and began carefully cleaning and stitching Miroku's leg.

"Who was that guy?" Inuyasha asked hoarsely.

"The closest thing this village has to a physician, apparently," Sango grumbled, not looking up from her task. "I thought he might be able to do _something._"

"Where are Shippo and Kirara?" Inuyasha asked, readjusting his grip on Miroku.

"They should be back soon," Sango said, her voice clipped and tight. "Shippo said that he knew where the medicinal herbs should be growing."

"Good thing he was paying attention to Kaede," Inuyasha muttered.

"Lucky we brought him with us this time," Sango sighed. "As much as I hate to admit it."

Sango tied off the bandage around Miroku's leg and leaned back on her heels, looking unsatisfied. The monk's face was slick with sweat and ashy white. His limbs were shaking from exertion and pain, interspersed with more violent shudders which caused him to jerk in Inuyasha's arms. Even in his unconscious state, his face was twisted in pain.

"I'm sorry!" Sango gasped, everything suddenly too much. "Kami, Inuyasha, I'm so, so _sorry_-"

"Don't," Inuyasha growled. "This shit isn't your fault. Naraku did this to him, and Miroku made his own choices. If you have to, you can apologize to _him_, once he's better."

Because he would be. There was no doubt in either of their minds that Miroku would recover. He had to. The alternative was simply out of the question.

"I can't believe I fell for it," Sango muttered, hugging her legs against her chest.

"He's your brother," Inuyasha huffed. "What else were you gonna do? And it's not like I was right, either. Yeah, it was a trick, but I was wrong about Kohaku."

"Naraku used me to let Kohaku get to Miroku," she said quietly.

"Maybe. Kohaku could have been sent after the Jewel shards, but I don't think that was it. How the hell could Naraku have known how today was going to play out? I think he just sent Kohaku to try and destroy us from the inside." He swallowed hard. "But he didn't."

Sango pushed herself over to Inuyasha's side, brushed her fingers down his arm before stroking Miroku's face gently. "No, he didn't," she agreed in a whisper.

"Sango," Inuyasha said, voice strained. "We're gonna try to get Kohaku back. You're not alone in this, okay?" She nodded silently, but he wasn't done. "We're gonna do everything we can to save him, but I'm not letting any of my pack die for him. Understand?"

She squeezed her eyes shut, fighting the tears which threatened to fall. It almost hurt more to know that he wasn't just talking about Miroku. They were pack. They were family. And even Naraku couldn't tear them apart.

* * *

Every time I finish one of these chapters, I promise myself that the next one isn't going to be so angsty. And then I look at the upcoming episode, and well…

I think we all need a friend who's more than willing to stab someone to get us the help we need. As always, it brings up the question "Who is the most overprotective – Inuyasha, Miroku, or Sango?" The answer is yes.


	51. Chapter 51: s2e24

Psst, hey kids, you want some aNgSt? Warnings for this chapter: serious injury, loss of self, massacre, mass slaughter, misogynistic slurs, discussions of sexual assault and imprisonment, poison, paralysis

* * *

Miroku's breath came in increasingly desperate gasps. Inuyasha readjusted the monk's head on his shoulder, trying to open up his airway. Sango knelt in front of them, holding Miroku's hand with one of her own and pressing a cool cloth to his forehead with the other. The fever was just beginning. The tremors had faded, but it seemed to be more because of exhaustion than any improvement. Inuyasha was utterly frozen, his entire world made up of counting each heartbeat, each breath, his eyes fixed on Miroku with unwavering focus.

When Shippo shouted outside the hut with the announcement "We're here!" Inuyasha visibly flinched.

The kit was holding a bundle of herbs almost as big as he was. He grabbed a handful and passed them to Sango. "Try to get him to eat them. They work better when they're steeped into a tea, but he needs something right away."

Inuyasha eased Miroku's mouth open as gently as possible, and Sango tore up the herbs and crushed them into a paste in her palm before shoving them to the back of his throat. Inuyasha stroked his throat to encourage him to take the herbs down, though it turned into more of a caress than was entirely necessary. After swallowing, Miroku shivered violently, his brows creasing even in unconsciousness. Sango left with Kirara to fetch more wood for the fire.

"How long until the herbs work, Shippo?" Inuyasha asked, still unable to take his eyes off the monk.

"I don't really know," the kit admitted nervously. "Kaede kept on feeding them to him whenever she could for two days. It might take a while to flush the venom from his system."

"Alright," Inuyasha said, sending him an encouraging nod. "You're doing good. I'm sure he'll be fine."

"Of course he will be!" Shippo said, with less of the blasé of childhood and more forced optimism than Inuyasha would have liked.

They were all doggedly silent as morning bled into afternoon. Miroku was only getting worse. His breathing was so shallow, so strained. His lips and the tips of his fingers had turned faintly blue. Inuyasha found himself matching each breath as though encouraging the monk to just keep going. When that didn't work, he started begging.

"Please," he whispered into Miroku's hair, his neck. "Just breathe. C'mon, you can do it. You've faced worse than this before. Just keep breathing. Please."

Sango watched like a stone statue, her eyes wide and shining with unshed tears, Shippo's face buried in her chest. Kirara periodically nosed the two of them and rubbed against them or nuzzled Miroku's cheek, knowing better than to try and pull Inuyasha's concentration away. Whenever the silence became too oppressive, Sango poured another cup of the medicinal drink and moved to crouch by Miroku's side. Initially, he had been awake enough to feel what was going on but not aware enough to recognize what was happening, and fought them as they tried to get him to drink. This time, he was too deeply unconscious to register anything, and lay unresponsive as Sango tipped the liquid down his throat. She honestly didn't know which she preferred.

By the late evening, his breathing had improved enough that the others could take their eyes off of him for more than a moment at a time. Sango pulled Shippo and Kirara away to track down some food. They had a small sum given to them by Kaede before they left, but it wouldn't last longer than a day or two, and certainly wouldn't cover any cost that the village demanded for letting them spend the night. Sango was prepared to threaten, barter, work with, or kill whatever or whoever she needed to in order to let them stay as long as they needed.

The night was rough. Even as the poison faded from Miroku's scent, the fever began to claim him. His rattling breaths turned to moans as he thrashed, his barely-conscious mind warning him of danger and pain. Inuyasha found himself wrapping his arms around the monk once more and holding him to his chest, struggling to keep him still and not injure himself. He cursed his own strength when it was turned against the human. The groans, whimpers, and intelligible words that poured from Miroku as he fought desperately against an invisible opponent were slowly but surely breaking Inuyasha's heart. He buried his nose in Miroku's hair and squeezed his eyes shut, keeping up a constant stream of reassurances that he knew the human couldn't hear.

Gradually he calmed, more from exhaustion than anything else. Sango wove her fingers through his hair and coaxed him to drink more of the medicinal tea. When she was finished, she pulled Inuyasha into a wordless embrace, Miroku pressed between them. She returned to her position by the fire, where Shippo and Kirara were sleeping, and knelt down to keep watch through the long night.

By the next morning, Inuyasha broke the silence to tell Sango to sleep. She blinked blearily and stubbornly at him as he argued with her.

"You've been going for two nights solid, Sango," he said, ignoring the rasp in his voice. "I can't nurse you as well. You already know you're going to have to take over in a few days when I pass out from exhaustion."

"The fact that you're incorporating that into your plan does _not_ make it better," she told him flatly.

"I'm serious," Inuyasha said softly. "You need to pace yourself. I can't have you getting sick as well."

She pursed her lips and looked away. "Maybe I can't sleep yet. Maybe I need to wait until we know that he's going to be okay."

"He will be. He's survived it so far."

She looked unconvinced, and he could see the pain in her eyes. His frown deepened, and she sighed. "I need to know for sure that I didn't kill him."

Inuyasha wished that he was surprised by the statement. Instead, he pressed his nose against Miroku's brow and huffed a breath. "You're not the one who left him."

"You only left to save me and Kohaku."

"I should have stopped him. I should have known what he was going to do."

"I should have known about Kohaku."

He growled softly and adjusted his grip on Miroku. He could smell the misery in Sango's scent. He saw Shippo and Kirara blinking at them nervously. "Fuck this!" he said, very suddenly and louder than he was intending. "Naraku did this to him! We messed up, but none of us would have had to make the choices we made if Naraku hadn't set the whole thing up to begin with."

Sango nodded slowly, still unconvinced. "Yeah. If Miroku's fine, then this was all Naraku's fault."

Inuyasha hated that she put it into words – because she was right. If Miroku woke up and smiled and laughed at them for being overprotective, sentimental fools, then it was all Naraku's fault that he had been hurt. If Miroku didn't wake up, then it was because of them.

It was some indeterminate time later, when Shippo and Kirara had gone out to forage more herbs for the pain and Sango was dozing fitfully against the wall, Miroku shifted slightly for the first time since well before dawn. Inuyasha startled, blinking himself out of the nothingness he'd been floating in and honed all his senses back on the human in his arms. Miroku's eyes moved slowly beneath their lids. His fingers twitched. A small crease appeared between his brows and his heartbeat rose.

"Miroku?" Inuyasha asked, voice fragile and frail with hope.

The monk made a small sound, barely there, but it was something. His hand slowly curled into a loose fist, and Inuyasha immediately took it and, unthinkingly, pressed it to his lips. Miroku let out a small puff of air that sounded like a relieved sigh.

"You're safe," Inuyasha murmured, brushing the fingers of his other hand through Miroku's hair. "Everyone's alright. Just rest."

This time, when the monk's heartbeat slowed, it didn't make Inuyasha's muscles tense or the breath catch in his throat. He curled tighter around his human and closed his eyes, letting the even beats lull him into a sense of calm.

The next time he woke, Inuyasha almost missed it. Sango was forcing a bowl of rice into the hanyou, threatening to tie him down if he didn't eat. Inuyasha was hissing at her quietly and busy shoving Shippo away when he felt eyes on him. His head snapped around so fast that he thought his neck would snap, but it was immediately worth it to see the tired violet eyes watching him. He and Sango both stumbled over in an uncoordinated mess to kneel by his side.

"Hey," Sango said, bracing a hand on his shoulder. "How are you feeling?"

"Good as new," Miroku rasped.

"You absolute liar," she said affectionately, squeezing his hand.

"M'alright," he sighed as he gave them a small smile. "Just tired."

"You should eat something," Inuyasha said, snatching the bowl of rice and soundly ignoring the panicky edge to his own voice.

Miroku frowned slightly and his eyes slid over to Sango. "That bad, huh?"

"Don't worry about it," she said reassuringly as she pursed her lips.

"If it's all the same to you," Miroku mumbled, gaze tipping back over to the hanyou. "Imma head back to sleep real quick."

"Tea first," Sango said firmly, already pouring him a fresh cup.

He accepted the drink and tried to hold it steady, but his limbs were heavy with fatigue. Inuyasha held it to his lips and coaxed him through each sip.

"Where are we?" he asked, shifting his head away slightly to look between them.

"Small village not too far from the storehouse," Sango smiled forcefully. "They're very generously letting us stay."

Miroku's eyes narrowed. "How generously?"

"Don't worry about it," she repeated unconvincingly. "Drink your tea."

He dutifully obeyed, and under the combination of his gentle looks and Sango's hot glare, Inuyasha ate the rice. Soon, Miroku's head was leaning heavily on Inuyasha's thigh. The hanyou curled his fingers into his hair, massaging gently until he drifted off to sleep.

xXx

Miroku woke but didn't open his eyes, letting the sensations wash over him before alerting the others. Everything hurt, a dull throbbing ache that used to be centred around his hand, but had long ago spread through his entire body. His chest was still tight, like it was being clamped down by steel bars, but breathing no longer sent a stab of agony through his lungs. They had told him that his fever broke that morning, though he didn't remember it. Most things were a pain-filled blur with occasional moments of clarity where he spoke to the others and tried to reassure them. He was getting better, after all. The danger had passed. He didn't know why they still looked at him with clenched jaws and drawn brows, tension framing their mouths and eyes.

Piece by piece, he constructed an expression of pleasant neutrality, and had it firmly fixed on his face before opening his eyes and looking around. Sango was stirring a pot of stew over the fire, Shippo and Kirara asleep beside her. Miroku didn't have to wonder where Inuyasha was – the hanyou hadn't wandered further than halfway across the hut since they got here. Miroku was leaning back against a warm, strong body, arms encircling his chest, and what felt like a cheek pressed firmly to the top of his head. He smiled gently and breathed in the scent surrounding him, soaking in the warmth.

"Hey," Sango whispered, looking relieved.

"Hey," Miroku echoed. "How long has he been out?"

"Just a little while. It's the first time he's let himself fall asleep since we got here."

"Stubborn," he said affectionately.

"Aren't we all?"

They shared a warm smile and Sango leaned back on her heels, surveying him. "How are you feeling?"

"Better," he answered truthfully. "Still pretty weak."

"That's to be expected," she sighed, suddenly looking exhausted. "You've barely eaten anything and that fever really run you down. But there's no rush – we can stay here as long as we need to."

"Thank you," he said earnestly. "I know you must have orchestrated all of this."

A small crease appeared between her brows and she looked away. "It's the least I could do."

"Sango…"

"No," she shook her head. "It was my fault that you sucked in those insects. You sacrificed yourself for Kohaku and me."

"I didn't sacrifice myself," he told her firmly. "I just did what I could to help. It's what you would have done for any of us." She opened her mouth to protest, and he shook his head softly. "Try not to dwell on the past. There's still hope for Kohaku. We know that he's trying to come back to you."

Tears stung her eyes. "That's true, but Naraku's still controlling him. How can I ask any of you to help him after what he's done? How can I let you try, knowing that you might die in the process?"

"We help you because we love you," Miroku whispered. "We're in this together for the long run. There's no question in that."

She gave him a watery smile. "Thanks, Miroku."

"You don't need to thank me," he said, then frowned slightly. "Though you could help me."

She eyed him critically and grinned, a little brokenly. "You need to pee, don't you?"

"Desperately."

"Alright." She shuffled over and placed a hand on the back of Inuyasha's neck, squeezing gently. He startled awake and looked around wildly, his lip already curling into a growl. "Miroku's awake," she told him, clearly and firmly, trying not to roll her eyes as Inuyasha's gaze flew to the monk so fast that he almost fell over. "He needs to pee. Up."

It took all three of them to maneuver him around. Just being upright had his head spinning and he still couldn't put any weight on his injured leg. He was breathing hard by the end of it, shaking slightly, and collapsed back against Inuyasha when they were done. Inuyasha and Sango both insisted that he eat something, but halfway through his bowl of stew, his head was lolling against Inuyasha's shoulder. He hated the weakness even more than the pain, the lingering frailty and fatigue that plagued him. The others seemed not to care about how long his recovery would take, but each day pressed on his nerves as another day that they could be finding Naraku – or that Naraku might find them.

xXx

"I have a suggestion," Miroku said mildly from where he was propped up against the wall. Inuyasha side-eyed him but didn't slow his pacing. "What if you actually let yourself relax? Just try it, see how it feels."

"You can't hear what those villagers are saying," Inuyasha huffed. "They don't want us here, and with Sango and the others out getting those herbs, if they attack us-"

"They won't," Miroku insisted. "They may not like it, but they would never risk starting a fight with us. We simply need to speak with them more and let them know that we mean no harm. Have you interacted with any of them?"

Inuyasha stopped and glared at him. "You're joking, right?"

Miroku smiled. "At least do your worrying over here."

He sighed dramatically but still moved to crouch by the monk's side. Miroku grasped his shoulders and tugged him closer. He ran his fingers through the long, silky hair, earning a slight noise of approval. Inuyasha tentatively leaned forward, gently pressing their lips together. Miroku's hand wound around the back of his head and pulled him down on top of him, deepening the kiss and eagerly taking the hanyou's weight on his chest. Inuyasha whimpered slightly, his whole body on fire with Miroku's taste, the tongue which brushed against his lips. Miroku's hands moved down his back, pressing into his waist, pressing their bodies closer to each other.

They were both a little breathless when the others returned, and staunchly ignored the smug looks that Sango kept on sending them.

xXx

They could all feel the tension rising in the hut as the days progressed. Miroku tried to lighten the mood with sly jokes and constant reassurances, but both Inuyasha and Sango were casting more and more looks outside. Kirara had taken up guard duty by the door, growling softly in warning whenever any of the villagers got too close.

"I'm going to speak with them again," Sango announced suddenly, dragging Hiraikotsu up with her as she stood.

"The key word there is 'talk,' not 'threaten,' right?" Miroku called after her as she stalked out the door.

"They're getting off way easier than they deserve," Inuyasha grumbled, playing with the hilt of Tessaiga nervously.

"They've been incredibly generous thus far," Miroku pointed out. "Letting us stay here for so long? They're right to be wary of strangers in their home."

The sound of raised voices came from outside. Inuyasha's brows crashed together and his muscles tensed. Miroku pushed himself upright, and was met with a firm grasp pushing him back down.

"If you even try to stand, I'll break your legs," Inuyasha growled.

Miroku smiled and patted the hand on his shoulder. "You're so sweet, you know that?"

Inuyasha huffed and released him, coming to sit beside him. He didn't look remotely apologetic. When Sango returned, she looked peeved.

"They say that, since you're not imminently dying, we need to start earning our keep." She sounded less than thrilled at the idea. "I'm going to do some small work around the village for a while until they can think of something more fitting."

"That's very kind of them," Miroku said slowly, and Sango shrugged.

She took Kirara with her as she left, and Shippo insisted on following them to help however he could. Inuyasha and Miroku were left alone once more, but the tension still remained. Miroku sighed, leaning back against the wall. "You look like you have something to say."

Inuyasha grimaced. "Yeah, I do, and when you're well enough, we're going to have a conversation."

"While that does sound very exciting," Miroku said slowly. "And I appreciate you waiting for me to feel better to yell at me, I'd rather get this out of the way now."

"You sure?" Inuyasha asked dryly. "'Cause once I get going, I'm not going to stop just 'cause you look like shit."

"Flatterer."

"I'm serious, Miroku! This stuff…" He heaved a deep breath. "You opened the wind tunnel even though you knew you would be poisoned."

"Ah."

"You could have died!"

"But I didn't."

"Don't you dare!" Inuyasha hissed. "Don't you dare look me in the eye after I sat by your side for _days_, watching you struggling for breath, not knowing if you'd even make it through the night, and tell me that it doesn't matter!"

"I did what I had to," Miroku said softly. "And it worked. We take risks for those we care about."

"And what if you had died? What would I do then? You can't put yourself in situations like that."

Miroku's eyes were solemn as he looked up at him. "And you can't ask me not to protect the people closest to me."

"There had to be another way! You didn't have to put yourself in danger like that!"

Miroku's expression hardened and his eyes flashed. "Tell me what other options I had, Yash. Tell me exactly what I could have done that would have gotten rid of the demons, scared off Kagura, and still allowed you to go after Sango and Kohaku. Tell me that."

Inuyasha looked furious for a moment before the fight bled out of him. "I don't know," he admitted softly, his hand curling around the back of Miroku's neck. "But sacrificing yourself isn't the answer. You're the one who's always coming up with the plans!"

"Sometimes there is no easy answer," Miroku sighed. "I can assure you that I'm trying to keep myself alive as much as possible, but sometimes we do what we have to. Sometimes there are no good options." They both sighed softly. Miroku glanced up at the ceiling thoughtfully. "I never thanked you, by the way."

Inuyasha frowned. "For what?"

"For saving Kohaku," he said softly.

He scoffed and looked away. "Yeah, well, I only did it to get under Naraku's skin. If we manage to get the kid back alive, it'll really piss him off."

Miroku smiled to himself. Even after all this time, he still refused to let others see how much he cared – even though there was no doubt in Miroku's mind that Inuyasha was quite possibly the most caring individual he'd ever met.

"Besides," Inuyasha continued, barely there, his eyes fixed on the floor. "You're alive. Kohaku spared you."

Miroku kissed him softly and rested his head on his shoulder. Inuyasha leaned into him and wrapped his arms around the human. Miroku relished his warmth and closed his eyes. Inuyasha didn't deserve all the pain he was put through. He deserved to be happy, with some beautiful hanyou or demon who would live as long as he did, who would love him and cherish him and explore the world with him. But for some reason Inuyasha had chosen him, and he seemed intent not to let go. Miroku didn't know which was better – to let him get close, to hold him tight and enjoy their time together before the inevitable heartbreak, or to keep him at arm's length, to try to stave off attachment to protect him. Protect them both. Because despite his Buddhist doctrine, Miroku couldn't welcome his death peacefully. And he knew it would be so much harder if he left behind more than a gaping hole in the ground.

But he knew that he couldn't let go. For better or worse, they were incontrovertibly intertwined. Even though it meant that Inuyasha would have to suffer by his bedside again and again, even though it meant that he would have to watch as his chosen human withered into old age, the hanyou had chosen him. And Miroku knew with every fibre of his being that he would do his best to live up to everything that Inuyasha deserved.

xXx

Inuyasha pressed down firmly as Miroku's hands wandered over his back and hips, before sliding down to grab his ass. Inuyasha moaned and arched against him, breaking their kiss, while Miroku chuckled into his mouth. He leaned back to look down at the monk suspiciously. "Are you just trying to distract me?"

"Yeah," Miroku breathed against his lips. "Is it working?"

One ear flicked and his eyes narrowed. "Maybe…"

"'Cause it's working for me!"

A quiet puff of air passed between them. "Not that I'm complaining, but it's a new tactic for you."

"I figured that before we got together, you would have removed any hand that landed on your ass." He leaned back to look at Inuyasha earnestly. "And I need you to maintain that fantasy, because if you tell me that I had a chance before, I will be crushed. Do you know how often I had to tell myself not to?"

Inuyasha laughed quietly and pressed forward for another kiss. The day had been spent with Sango rushing around, barely keeping the villagers off their backs. In the little spare time she had, she guided Miroku through movements to help his leg improve, as they'd been doing for the past two days. There had been a moment, when Inuyasha and Miroku were walking slowly around the hut, the monk's hands on the hanyou's shoulders and the hanyou's hands bracing his waist. Miroku's movements were painful and awkward, Inuyasha's grip a little too firm, but the more they moved, the more it felt like dancing. Miroku began exaggeratedly swinging his hips, and soon they were all laughing, with Sango sweeping Shippo up in her arms to mimic them as they swayed slowly around the fire. For a moment, everything else had fallen away and they were simply a group of friends enjoying the evening.

That had been before Sango was called away on yet another demeaning task by the villagers. They could all sense that the collective patience of the people here was running thin. They wouldn't be able to stay for more than a day or two longer. Inuyasha was ready to face them all head-on, but Miroku had managed to divert his attention for the time being.

Not so when Sango returned, grim-faced and pale. "They want us gone," she said before either of them could ask. "They said that we either need to start paying with actual money or they're going to flush us out."

"I'd like to see them try!" Inuyasha growled, surging forward, but Miroku pulled him back with a gentle hand on his shoulders.

"It's probably for the best that we leave," he said calmly. "Sooner or later, Naraku will find us here. It's safer to keep moving."

"You still can't walk," Inuyasha pointed out testily. "Not enough for a full day's travel, at least."

"Kirara," Miroku asked, drawing a questioning chirp from the twin-tail. "Would I be able to ride on your back for a while?"

She trilled enthusiastically, and Miroku sent Inuyasha an appeasing look. They began laying out their supplies for the next leg of their journey and discussed the layout of the area, seeing which villages were close enough that they could avoid spending another night outside.

"I think that should do it," Miroku said, nodding satisfactorily.

"Good," Sango said, and then she paused. "Before we go, I realized I never thanked you both."

They turned to look at her in surprise. "For what?" Inuyasha asked incredulously. "You're the one who's been running around making sure we could stay."

"That's nothing," she said, unusually subdued. "Nothing compared to what you've done for me. I wanted to thank you for believing in me, for saving Kohaku…and for letting me stay."

Inuyasha's ears flicked back and he looked perplexed. "Why the hell wouldn't we let you stay?"

Miroku met Sango's shocked look with an easy smile. Her eyes darted between them both before she let out a shuddering breath, a hidden tension falling from her shoulders. Inuyasha seemed utterly confused, but still caught her when she launched herself at them in a fierce embrace.

xXx

The calm stillness of the ancient forest was disrupted only by Jaken and Rin's constant chattering. Sesshomaru easily ignored them as he searched for their target. He'd heard much of Bokusen-Oh, and if anyone had the answers he sought – anyone besides Totosai, that was – it would be the old tree. There was an undeniable aura around the forest, which spoke of timeless knowledge and power.

"Welcome," a voice resonated from deep within the trees. "I have awaited your arrival."

"Who spoke?" Jaken asked, looking around wildly.

"I don't see anyone," Rin said from her seat on Sesshomaru's mount, which she'd taken to calling A-Un.

"I've been expecting you, Sesshomaru," the voice continued, and Sesshomaru followed the sound to a large, ancient tree, whose twisting branches reached out in all directions.

"You knew I was coming, did you?" Sessomaru asked the tree, coming to a stop before them.

"You've come to speak to me about the swords, I presume," Bokusen-Oh said calmly. The bark on the trunk twisted and warped until their face appeared, two small eyes creaking open. "Do you seek information regarding Tenseiga? Or perhaps Tessaiga? Or perhaps…"

Rin's hand tugged insistently on Sesshomaru's sleeve. "Is that a tree demon?"

Sesshomaru guided her back behind him with a hand on top of her head. "A two thousand-year-old magnolia tree."

"More than just that, I think," Bokusen-Oh said craftily. "My body resides within the most powerful artifacts around, including the sheaths carved from my boughs."

Sesshomaru forced himself to bow slightly. "And I am grateful for it. However, the information I seek is indeed about the swords. Bokusen-Oh, perhaps you can explain to me the link between Inuyasha and the Tessaiga."

The old youkai's eyes flashed. "What makes you think I know about the power of the sword? Or your younger brother, for that matter?"

"I have seen the power that Tessaiga's sheath holds," Sesshomaru said coolly. "You would know what the sword is capable of. Inuyasha's blood has changed because of Tessaiga; the first time when it broke, and the second when he let go of the blade while fighting me. His scent was no longer hanyou – it was pure demon blood, like mine and my father's."

Bokusen-Oh hummed. "The same scent?" they chuckled. "I have my doubts."

Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed slightly. "What do you mean by that?"

"The product of a demon and a human could never become a pure-blooded demon," they said flatly. "Sesshomaru, there is something that you, a born demon, are capable of accomplishing that Inuyasha could never do."

"Go on."

"I speak of maintaining oneself. In battle, for instance – if you find yourself in a hopeless situation, you are able to remain calm. You never lose yourself."

Sesshomaru scoffed. "It wouldn't be possible for me to fall into such a desperate situation."

Bokusen-Oh laughed quietly. "No, I don't suppose you would. Inuyasha is another matter, however. If backed into a corner to the point where his life is endangered, his demon blood takes control over the body to preserve his life. Unfortunately for Inuyasha, in that situation, the pure demon blood of his father outweighs his human half."

"What will the outcome be?" Sesshomaru asked.

"The demon blood will gradually devour his human aspects, right down to his human soul. He will not be able to recognize himself, or differentiate between friend or foe – he will simply kill."

"Why?" Sesshomaru asked. "Why would he be a different demon than I, if our demon blood comes from the same source?"

"You are born youkai," Bokusen-Oh explained. "Your body is adapted for your youkai blood. Inuyasha's is not. Each transformation will destroy him until he will eventually lose his very soul. He will become a monster who only knows how to fight and kill. He will continue to fight until he is destroyed. I sincerely doubt that your father would have wished that upon his own son."

"How do you know all this?"

"Lord Tōga came to me with the Tessaiga and asked me to make a sheath that could contain the power of Tessaiga while still allowing the sword to connect with the youki of the one who wields it. He needed to ensure that Tessaiga would continue to protect the soul of Inuyasha, as it was intended when he bequeathed the sword to the younger son."

Sesshomaru bowed curtly at Bokusen-Oh and turned, signalling for his followers that it was time to move on. He knew, of course, that some transformation had taken place, and that Inuyasha had not been himself in their last encounter. However, he had never expected such a permanent change could befall his brother. The idea that a mindless, death-driven monster could come from his house was the ultimate embarrassment upon his family name. Sesshomaru silently swore that he would track down the problem and ensure that it never came to light.

xXx

They made slow progress along the mountain path. Inuyasha had been on edge all day, senses heightened for any sign of danger while one hand rested on the hilt of Tessaiga and the other lay on Miroku's thigh as the monk rode Kirara. They had left the village before dawn that morning, as to not push the villager's goodwill. It was too soon – they should have rested for another few days at least. Miroku wasn't ready for long days of travel, and the rest of them weren't ready to see him in danger again. Miroku had insisted that he walk for the first little while, leaning heavily on his staff as he navigated the steep path. When the road became too rocky, he accepted the others' urges to ride Kirara. The scent of his pain and the residual anger from the villagers swirled in Inuyasha's mind, pushing out the surrounding farmland and keeping a constant thrum of nervous energy running beneath his skin. So when a frantic shout came from nearby, Tessaiga was in his hand in an instant.

"What was that?" Sango asked, Hiraikotsu lifted above her shoulder.

A young boy was careening towards them up the path, crying out desperately, limbs flailing. He tripped and fell but immediately scrambled back upright.

"What's wrong?" Sango called out to him, feeling Inuyasha pressing close behind her.

"It's my grandpa!" the boy shouted. "Please, you gotta help him!"

Inuyasha was running at him before he finished speaking. "Is it a demon? Where's the old man?"

He followed the kid's trembling gesture and his scent back through the fields, up the stairs of the rice paddies. The smell of human fear drew him forward, but oddly enough, there was no hint of demon.

"Help!" came a wild cry from just above him.

He craned his neck over the stairs to see an old man flopped over two of the levels, his legs barely resting on flat ground while the rest of his body hung flailing down the steep slope between levels.

"I've fallen!" the man said, somewhat unnecessary.

Inuyasha couldn't believe it. He couldn't believe it as he helped the old man down. He couldn't believe it as the others caught up, weapons at the ready, and were forced to hide their laughter. He couldn't believe _himself _as he found himself agreeing to the old man's pleas for a ride back to his village, unable to put any weight on his twisted ankle. Miroku began climbing down from Kirara to offer his seat, but Inuyasha stopped him with a growl, and hauled the old man over his own back instead.

"Thank you, lad," the old man said cheerfully. "That's a great help!"

"I thought a demon got you," Inuyasha muttered under his breath. "But _nooo…_ Getting us all worked up over nothing."

He could feel Miroku and Sango grinning at the back of his head, which made it all that much worse.

"It's a good thing they came along, huh, gramps?" the boy asked, looking up at Inuyasha with awe.

"I thought I would be stuck up there forever!" the old man said dramatically. "Unable to walk, starving, at the mercy of the elements…"

"No need to thank us," Miroku said, and Inuyasha could hear the smile in his voice. "This is more or less on our way."

"Well, I certainly am indebted," the man said, patting Inuyasha's shoulder with an arthritic old hand.

"It's the village!" the boy cried out excitedly, pointing at it wildly. "Gramps, we're almost home!"

They deposited the old man outside his hut, graciously waving off his thanks and the rather enthusiastic appreciation of his grandson.

"You saved us!" the boy was saying as Inuyasha tried surreptitiously to start walking away. "Thank you so much, dog-man-sama!"

"_Dog-man-sama_," Inuyasha grumbled as Miroku snorted quietly behind him.

"We were happy to help," the monk told them, slipping off Kirara's back as he did so. Inuyasha eyed him incredulously, and he shrugged. "It will be good to stretch my legs."

He began walking demonstratively, and Inuyasha had to admit that it was better than he'd feared. While Miroku still leaned rather heavily on his staff, his movements were relatively painless.

"You take care, now," Sango said to the two villagers, visibly pleased at the entire turn of events.

"Wait!" the boy called out as they began to leave, digging in his robes. "You need to be paid for your help! I'm giving you my treasure!"

He darted forward and pressed something into Inuyasha's hand before returning to his grandfather's side, smiling widely. The two waved the group off, thanking them all the while.

"What did the boy give you?" Miroku asked gently as they walked away.

"A molted snake's skin," Inuyasha said, holding it out for him to see. He kept his voice carefully flat, but he held it delicately as though it were made of glass.

"Just what you always wanted!" Miroku grinned, the warmth unmistakable in his voice.

"Wow," Shippo said, jumping onto his shoulder and tugging gently at his robes. "Can I have it, if you don't want it?"

Inuyasha handed it over wordlessly. He crossed his arms as they walked, ignoring Shippo's obvious delight at playing with the old snakeskin on Kirara's head, and shoving down the warm bubble in his chest.

"We don't have time for all this," he grumbled, walking ahead of the rest of the group.

Miroku and Sango exchanged a look, keenly aware of the small tirade the hanyou had gone on just the previous day, when Miroku said he was ready to set off again and Inuyasha insisted that they stay put as long as they needed to.

"We didn't go out of our way," Sango said. "And it didn't take too long. Besides, it's always good to make allies."

"Indeed," Miroku nodded sagely. "They will be more likely to give us shelter in the future now that we've made friends."

Inuyasha froze and spun around. "Should we be staying with them tonight? They'd probably let us, if we asked."

Sango deftly spun him around and pushed him forward. "We can make it to the next village over before dark."

Inuyasha glanced over at Miroku, unconvinced, but reluctantly followed as they continued on their way. While their movements were still hampered by the monk's slower speed, they made steady progress, and were well past the edge of the rice paddies and into the forest beyond when Inuyasha slowed down, sniffing the air.

"What's the matter?" Miroku asked, seeing the tension rising in his shoulders.

"I smell human blood," Inuyasha murmured, turning to look back from where they'd come. "Smells like a lot of people."

They all followed his gaze. Several thick plumes of smoke rose over the crest of one of the hills, in the direction of the village. When Inuyasha strained his ears, he could just make out the distant sounds of screams. They must have been attacked! The old man and the kid – he'd seen little of the village while they were there, but it was enough to know that there weren't enough people to mount a defense. He took off running, knowing the others would follow.

Miroku took off after him but immediately stumbled, his leg crumpling under the sudden pressure. Sango, who had already swung herself onto Kirara's back, caught him by the front of his robes and hauled him up behind her. As they approached the village, they saw a small figure walking along the path. They instantly recognized the boy, an arrow sticking from his shoulder. Inuyasha landed by his side as he sank to his knees but his hands hovered awkwardly in the air, unsure of how best to help. Kirara slid to a stop and Sango dropped down beside them, wordlessly reaching out for the bandages which Miroku pressed into her palm.

"Please, help gramps," the boy said, trembling from shock as tears streamed down his face.

"Stay with the kid!" Inuyasha ordered, honing in on the shouts and screams still coming from the village. He took off once more as the smell of blood, smoke, and pain accosted him. He could feel the heat from the burning houses scald the air as he approached. Bandits ran between the burning buildings, slaughtering the men and dragging the women off to the sides, killing any who fought back too much. The ground was already littered with dead bodies. Inuyasha caught the first bandit that ran past and knocked them man unconscious with a single punch, but he was at a loss. They were just humans – he didn't know how to fight against regular, unpossessed humans! But he knew that he couldn't just leave them to it. If he had to fight his way through all of them one by one, then so be it!

He rounded the corner of one hut to see a bandit dragging a woman across the ground by her hair. "Move it! He wants all of you in one place. Don't even try to escape, bitch!"

Inuyasha tore the man away from her and she scrambled back with a frightened cry. A group of women were huddled beside a house nearby, staring at him with wide eyes. The other bandits whipped around, alerted by his presence. Some of them were on horses, the rest on foot. Inuyasha unsheathed Tessaiga and swung it through the air sending a ripple of power shooting across the ground in a clear warning.

"Shoot him!" one of them ordered, and a volley of arrows flew towards him. He blocked most of them with the Tessaiga but pointedly caught a few in the air and snapped them with one hand.

"You done?" he growled as the bandits stared at him fearfully. "I'll deal with you spineless cowards later. Where's your leader?"

Because it wasn't just human blood and burnt flesh that stunk up the air – there was the clear scent of a demon amongst the bandit filth. That, at least, was something for him to kill. A laugh came from the other side of the gathered men. The bandits all moved aside respectfully, making way for a human-like demon on a white horse. He was dressed in brightly coloured robes made from fine silk, and his face was painted with rouge on his lips and blush on his cheeks, black lines curling above his eyes. His scent was covered with a fine perfume, and he moved daintily despite the large war ax slung over his shoulder.

"Little man," the demon drawled patronizingly. "That sword you brandish is most interesting."

Inuyasha's lip curled. "Controlling a bunch of bandits, are you? That's low, even for a weak demon like you."

A ripple passed through the bandits as they shifted and eyed one another nervously. Not common knowledge, then. Inuyasha guessed he could see why they wouldn't have suspected – the demon appeared more or less human, without the brightly coloured eyes or hair, or even pointed ears of most human-looking youkai.

"Demon?" one of the bandits asked his companion quietly.

"That's the stupidest thing I ever heard!" another announced more brazenly. "You must be kidding."

"Little man," the demon smirked. "Hand over your sword."

"What're you blathering on about?" Inuyasha sneered, lifting Tessaiga. "You're kidding yourself if you think I'm gonna let scum like you tell me what to do!"

The leader laughed and adjusted his ax over his shoulder. "If you won't hand over that sword, I'll have no choice but to take it from you."

"I'd like to see you try," Inuyasha snarled quietly, dangerously. "Take it if you can!"

The demon raised his ax in a clear taunt. Inuyasha knew he was being baited, but he didn't care – let the arrogant bastard be as cocky as he wanted! He'd show him what real power was. He hurled himself in a mighty leap, swinging Tessaiga over his head and bringing it down towards the demon, who was still atop his horse. The demon blocked the blow with his ax, the two blades clashing in a spray of sparks, and a chunk of steel flew from the demon's flimsy weapon. His horse was knocked to the ground from the power of the attack, and the demon leapt off nimbly.

xXx

"The arrowhead's embedded in the joint," Sango said, tearing through the cloth around the boy's wound. "We're going to have to bind it with the head still inside."

"We're going after him, right?" Miroku said, already unrolling the long cotton strip to prepare for winding around the boy's wound.

"I am," Sango said firmly. "You're staying here with Kirara and the children."

"Not here," Miroku countered, and pressed on when her gaze snapped to his, a protest on her lips. "It's much safer to stick close together. Kirara can take us to the edge of the village and we'll wait there."

"Fine," Sango said, grabbing the edge of the bandage from him and working together to bind it in a tight compress around the boy's shoulder and chest. She knew that he needed proper medical attention, better than they could give and more than they had time for. She helped him onto Kirara's back after Miroku and climbed on in front of them. The twin-tail bounded towards the village, slowing to a stop only when Sango told her to.

"I'll call if we need you," Sango said, tossing her carrying cloth with her travel clothes off to the side. "Stay out of harm's way and don't draw attention to yourselves!"

She left without another word, staying low to the ground as she approached the village unseen. Miroku waited for her to disappear from view before he also climbed off Kirara's back.

"I have to go help them," he said in response to her incredulous look. "Inuyasha still can't handle Tessaiga properly. Keep Shippo and the boy safe for me, alright?"

"Wait, where are you going, Miroku?" Shippo called after him as he followed Sango's path to the village. Miroku ignored him.

xXx

Sango crept in between the houses, taking in the human men stalking around with rusted swords and cheaply made armour, assessing the situation. She could see most of the bandits making their way to one side of the village, drawn by some commotion there. Those were the least likely to kill anyone, distracted by whatever was going on. She turned her attention to the few still scavenging around the houses, looking for anything to plunder or anyone trying to hide. Sango crept up behind one after another, striking them quickly and silently into unconsciousness. She checked each house that she passed – most of them were aflame, anyone inside long dead, but she came across a few survivors that the bandits hadn't yet managed to find. She ushered them out with a few quiet words of reassurance and sent them in the direction of Miroku and Kirara. She had to trust that Inuyasha was taking on the brunt of the humans. She would make her way to him as soon as she could.

xXx

"Boss, are you okay?" one of the bandits called out, almost concerned as the leader picked himself up off the ground.

"He chipped that giant ax!" another gasped in awe.

"Serves you right," Inuyasha spat, narrowing his eyes at the demon.

The demon continued to laugh, licking his lips satisfactorily. "That's a mighty fine sword."

Inuyasha heaved Tessaiga over his shoulder, grunting a little at its weight. "Yeah? If you like it so much, I'll give you a better introduction."

He charged. The demon glanced over his shoulder to where the group of women were huddled behind him, herded there by the bandits. He leapt back, landing next to them easily. Inuyasha slowed slightly – what the hell was this guy _doing? _As he watched, the demon picked up one of the women like she weighed nothing and hurled her bodily at Inuyasha. He struggled to catch her, but he couldn't hold Tessaiga's weight with one hand, and she ended up bouncing off him and to the ground. He tried to reach for her, to see if she was okay, but then the demon was rushing at him. He jumped back several times, drawing the fight away from the woman as she scrambled to her feet. She was quickly captured by the other bandits and yanked back to the others.

The demon opened his mouth and hissed, a waft of sticky yellow dust spewing from his mouth. It landed on Inuyasha's face and he gasped as it burned into his skin where it made contact. He could feel blisters already forming, and the fumes stung his eyes. The demon chuckled as Inuyasha stumbled back, blinking rapidly. He picked up his discarded ax and licked it with an elongated tongue, coating it with even more poison. Then he leapt, and swung.

With the fumes clouding his vision and singeing his nose, swarming his senses, and Tessaiga dragging his arms down, Inuyasha could do nothing as the blade sliced across his exposed belly. He roared and lunged, sending a wave of power shooting from Tessaiga. It raced across the ground but the demon jumped into the air with surprising agility.

"That sword is amazing," he said smoothly, slowing to a stop and hovering in the air. "I like it more and more!"

Inuyasha wished that he could come up with a scathing retort, but he could feel the poison burning into his abdomen, the blood dripping down his torso. The demon needed no response, merely opened his mouth, stretching it wide in a gaping display. Instead of poison, this time silk shot out, wrapping around Inuyasha with a life of his own. He swung at it with Tessaiga, but more and more kept coming, stinking of poison. This was bad! His limbs had grown unnaturally heavy, too much for just blood loss – the toxins must have had some paralytic effect. He couldn't get away, he couldn't defend himself, and for the first time in a long time, he was alone. There was no one around who could-

"Inuyasha!"

The shout came from the edge of the village, and Inuyasha's heart slammed somewhere around his knees. His gaze snapped over to where Miroku was running at him, stumbling a little as his leg buckled under his weight. Several bandits moved to intercept him but he ran straight through them, striking one of them in the head with his staff when the man reached for him, breaking his nose. Inuyasha began to struggle in earnest – because Miroku couldn't be here! Not with the poison! Not again! He channelled his youki through Tessaiga, burning through the silk which clung to it. With the last of his rapidly waning strength, he swung the sword in a wide arc around his body, slicing through the numerous silk strands surrounding him.

"No you don't!" the demon shouted, and this time the sticky web latched onto Tessaiga's blade, pulling it out of his hands before he had a chance to react.

Inuyasha fell to his knees, the poison surging through him faster than ever. The long lengths of silk began curling around him once more, creating an impenetrable curtain of white strands. But then Miroku was there, cutting through the wall with his staff, grasping Inuyasha's shoulder to keep him upright. Inuyasha leaned against him heavily, trying to find the breath to warn him, to tell him to escape. But he could only watch as Miroku braced against him and lifted his staff, the head glowing brightly with concentrated spiritual power. Miroku began swinging it in a wide arc around them, the silk sizzling whenever it got too close to the purifying energy. But it wasn't enough, there were simply too many strands, and the silk began to enclose them in a cocoon. Miroku kept up the broad strokes with his staff, leaving swaths of spiritual power trailing behind it with each pass, constructing a spiritual barrier piece by piece. His face was scrunched with concentration, sweat already adorning his brow. Inuyasha wished that he could do more to help than cling weakly to his robes, his other hand curled around his belly.

"Are you alright?" Miroku asked in a strained voice, covering his hands with his sleeves before wiping the stray silk off Inuyasha before it could burn its way to his skin.

"You idiot," Inuyasha gasped, voice rough with pain. "What are you doing here?"

"Saving your life," came the curt response as Miroku poured all his strength into forming the barrier. He knew that it wouldn't last for long – it was sloppy and malformed, took much more of his concentration that usual to uphold, and he could feel the poison which laced the silk already eating through his spiritual power.

Outside the cocoon, the bandits were shouting, confronting their leader.

"Is something the matter?" the demon's voice asked smoothly from just outside the cocoon. "Are you afraid now that you know what I am?"

"No chance, boss!" came the surprising answer.

"Who wouldn't want a strong demon for a leader?" another asked excitedly. "We'll be invincible!"

"Well, that figures," Miroku muttered grimly. "Yash, can you move?"

"Of course I can," Inuyasha hissed. "I'll rip this stupid cocoon apart and-"

He cut off with a sharp gasp, curling back against Miroku.

"Inuyasha?" Miroku asked sharply, craning his neck to see, wary of moving too much lest the barrier break apart completely.

"Damn," Inuyasha groaned, and when his hand slid from his abdomen, it was slick with still-bubbling blood.

"You're wasting your time in there," the demon said jeeringly, speaking to them through the thick walls of silk. "You cannot move. My poison will have entered your bloodstream by now, and will continue to fester until it has devoured you completely."

"Yash?" Miroku asked. Inuyasha back pressed against his chest, slumped on the ground as Miroku knelt behind him. His arms braced the hanyou's shoulders as best he could as he held his staff lengthwise in front of them. The spiritual energy running up and down its length was all that kept the oppressive walls of silk from tumbling down upon them.

"Fetch that sword for me," the demon called to one of the bandits, already bored with his prey.

"He's got Tessaiga," Miroku said worriedly. "Yash, I don't think I can cut through the cocoon on my own."

His mind was spinning, grasping at ideas, trying to find some way to escape. He could hear the bandit offering Tessaiga to the demon. Then a shout of pain and a swear, and the metallic clatter of the weapon falling to the ground. Tessaiga rejected the demon – some small comfort, at least.

"Little man!" the demon was back on the other side of the cocoon, angry and demanding. "What is the meaning of this?"

Inuyasha scoffed, though it came out a little choked. "I'll tell you something about my Tessaiga – it's choosy about its user. It would never let some weak demon like you come anywhere near it!"

"Then explain why this human scum is capable of holding it!" the demon demanded angrily. There was a pause, then a delighted sneer. "I see… Very interesting, little man. You're a half-breed!" He laughed. "What a joke! A hanyou had the gall to pick a fight with me, Gatenmaru?"

Inuyasha forced his breath through clenched teeth. Red hot pain ripped through his torso, the smell of his blood joining the stench of poison in the air, mixing with Miroku's own pain and fear in a potent blend which stained his mind. The wound refused to stop bleeding, coating his lap with a wash of deep red. Miroku was keeping up a constant stream of quiet reassurances, but Inuyasha could hear his heart pounding, smell the strain in his sweat.

"Hey, boss?" the bandit asked, jarring them both from their thoughts. "What should we do with the sword?"

"Do as you please," Gatenmaru said dismissively, his voice fading as he walked away from the cocoon. "I have no interest in a sword I cannot use!"

xXx

Sango crept along the side of the house, holding up a finger to her lips when the group of women saw her. She shook her head at the frantic question in their eyes and motioned for them to stay still. One of them caught her gaze and looked pointedly over to where a demon stood beside a large mess of silk. A human knelt at his feet, holding a rusted sword – not just any sword. That was Tessaiga! Sango glanced around the area but she couldn't see any sign of Inuyasha. But where could he have gone? Surely he wouldn't have left the villagers to their fate! Had he been drawn away somewhere?

She kept low to the ground as she moved, weighing her options. She knew that he couldn't take on the mass of twenty or so bandits alone – not if she was going to keep them alive. She could call Kirara, but that would leave the others unprotected, and she had no idea how many bandits were still wandering around the village. Her attention was drawn by a figure who lay just beyond the women. It was the old man from before! She winced as he pushed to his hands and knees, silently shouting for him to _stay still! _The bandits' attention was elsewhere as they admired Tessaiga, but it would only be a matter of time before he was seen.

"Bring me a woman," the demon instructed his men from where he sat on an old stump. The bandits rushed to obey, and Sango was forced to shrink back or else be discovered. The screams of the women pierced through her mind like a blade.

xXx

Inuyasha jerked back against Miroku as the panicked screams filled the air. The breath froze in his lungs and his muscles tensed to snap as his youki flared within him. His ears flattened against his head and his fingers curled, digging his claws into his thighs.

"No!" came another frantic shout.

"_Damn him_," Inuyasha snarled, his vision flashing red.

Miroku gasped as he felt the undeniable pull of power from Inuyasha. He could feel the energy around them changing, the transformation starting to take hold.

"Just hang on," he begged, but the words rang hollow in his ears. The barrier was pulsing with its dying presence, the poison starting to drip through in places. Outside, the desperate struggles of the unfortunate woman were growing louder as she approached the demon, her fate surely sealed. Even if there was a way to break through the cocoon without meeting a barrage of poison, Miroku knew he would be no match against the hoard of bandits – he could barely keep his feet as it was. And Inuyasha's breath was coming in sharp, rasping gasps, a thick demonic aura filling the air as the world dissolved around them.

* * *

Inuyasha and Sango chanting while banging their fists on the table: Guilt-Off! Guilt-Off! Guilt-Off!  
Miroku, shoving his own guilt back in the closet: nO!

If any of you are artistically-inclined, I would kill to see Inuyasha asleep while holding Miroku in his arms with his head resting on top of Miroku's.

I also want to mention that, while the bandits are all a bunch of irredeemable monsters because of what they were planning to do (and likely had done in the past), I appreciate that they all accepted what they thought was a flamboyantly gay man in makeup as their leader, and were totally fine when he was outed as a demon, too. Love it when the murderers are so progressive!


	52. Chapter 52: s2e25

Warnings for this chapter: serious injury, loss of self, massacre, mass slaughter, misogynistic slurs, attempted and the beginning of sexual assault of an unnamed character, imprisonment, poison, brief mention of animals (horses) being killed

* * *

Sango moved silently along the side of the house, peering around the corner to keep an eye on the bandits. They were pillaging the village, finding food and sake. She could hear them talking amongst themselves, though she was too far away to make out the words. The woman the bandits had chosen from the others was forced to kneel in front of the demon. At least it didn't look like they were going to kill her yet. Sango knew that she had to plan her next move very carefully.

Miroku curled tighter around Inuyasha, silently begging him to hang on as he tried desperately to come up with a plan of escape. Outside, a bandit dragged a woman over to Gatenmaru, ordering her to pour him a drink. After a moment, the demon laughed.

"You've weakened considerably, half-demon. Serves you right, siding with humans and meddling in my affairs!"

Inuyasha growled feebly and Miroku held him closer to his chest. It already took almost all his concentration to hold up the rapidly-weakening barrier, constantly distracted by Inuyasha's ragged breathing. A few silken strands were already sagging through the walls of the barrier. He knew they were in trouble – it wouldn't be long now before the barrier dissolved completely.

A bandit pushed another woman forward, ordering her to "attend to the boss." Miroku could just make out their silhouettes through the increasingly transparent cocoon. Gatenmaru chuckled, asked quietly "Are you afraid?"

Inuyasha snarled and leaned forward, pushing against Miroku's staff which cut across his chest. He couldn't smell the woman's fear, but he could hear her heartbeat hammering, and the tiny frightened breaths had his vision flashing red once more. _No!_ He couldn't transform!

"Such a lovely countenance…"

Sango watched in horror as the demon's tongue darted out and latched onto the woman's neck. The woman struggled and gasped. Murmurs and frantic whispers rose from the bandits and other women around her. By the time Sango realized what was going on, it was too late for the poor woman. The demon tossed her carelessly to the ground, her body a mummified husk. The women were screaming, and even the bandits seemed taken aback. They must have never seen their leader feed before.

"What's going on?" Miroku asked in a hushed whisper, trying to make out what was happening on the other side of the cocoon.

"Curse him," Inuyasha growled, lurching forward, his voice rising. "Leave them alone!"

He gasped and groaned, his body growing impossibly more rigid. He then sagged slightly, and Miroku struggled to hold him upright while still maintaining the barrier.

"Are you alright?" he asked frantically, unable to see the hanyou's face from where he sat behind him. "Yash, just hang on!"

Inuyasha pulled deep breaths in through his teeth, struggling to hold his youki back. But it was all too much – the humans screaming, the poison eating through his abdomen, the pain and stress in Miroku's sweat… And he couldn't _move! _He couldn't even lift a finger to protect himself. The demon's paralyzing poison sent an entirely new fear curling through him. He was losing himself again, and it was all he could do to hold it back for a breath, and then another, and then another.

Another woman cried out in fear, grabbed by Gatenmaru. The demon spoke to Inuyasha, then. "Observe me until you perish, half-demon. I will devour these women while the poison devours you."

Sango slowly rose to her feet. She couldn't wait any longer – it didn't matter that she was hopelessly outnumbered. That demon was going to kill the rest of the women, and she had to stop him! Her only hope was if taking on the demon would scatter the rest of the bandits. They looked rather disgusted with him – there was a small chance that they would simply let her do it. She took a step forward, and froze. While she, the bandits, and the captive women had all been distracted, someone else had been making their move. The old man had stumbled over to one of the bandits and, as the woman held by the demon continued to scream, he grabbed the Tessaiga from the man's hand.

"Hey, stop there!" the bandit shouted after him as he ran.

But the old man was hobbling, his leg still injured from the fall which introduced them to him in the first place. Sango ran, swinging Hiraikotsu above her head and sending it crashing into the bandit chasing after the old man. The rest of the bandits immediately began scrambling around her, surprised by the attack, and Sango drew her sword to keep them at bay. But she glanced over at the old man, confused to see him running at the demon. Was the old fool trying to take on a moth demon _alone?_

"The sword!" the old man shouted pleadingly. "You must use the sword and save our women from this terrible fate!"

And Sango realized her mistake. He wasn't aiming for the demon, but the large silk cocoon beside him. But why- _Inuyasha! _She suddenly realized. But the cocoon… She knew about moth demons, and the acidic venom they could produce. The same poison coated all their silk. Anything covered in the stuff, demon or otherwise, would be melted! So how could Inuyasha still be- _Miroku!_

"Fuck!" she swore, and charged.

But the bandits got there first.

"Where do you think you're going?"

One grabbed the old man's arm, the other struck him over the back with his spear. The Tessaiga clattered to the ground.

"Stupid old fool."

The old man cried out in pain as he was pushed down, the weight of the bandits' feet pressing against him.

"You've sealed your own fate."

Inuyasha thrashed weakly against Miroku, his elongated fangs pricking against his tongue as he roared. Fear and pain morphed into _anger _and _bloodlust_. He needed to get out. He needed to kill.

"That'll teach you, old geezer," one of the bandits said, raising his spear.

"Gramps!"

The cry came from the edge of the village. Sango whipped around, saw the boy struggling at the edge of the village, Kirara's jaws on the back of his kimono the only thing holding him back. The bandits she was fighting turned to look as well. She knocked them all down with Hiraikotsu and then threw the weapon, which struck the spear-wielding bandit to the ground. The rest of the bandits rounded on her, suddenly deeming her more of a threat.

"Kirara!" she called out. "I need help!"

Kirara tossed the boy back towards Shippo and growled warningly at them both before bounding over the heads of the bandits between her and Sango to land at the slayer's side. Sango began fighting in earnest, kicking the men down, knocking them unconscious and not pulling her punches. She didn't want to kill them, but she wasn't naïve – they couldn't afford to be polite. Beside her, Kirara head-butted the bandits more often than not, or snatched their arms in her jaws and hurled them bodily through the air with her powerful neck.

"Slayer…" a weak voice came from the ground.

The old man was looking at her, one hand clutching at Tessaiga as he wheezed for breath.

"You must give him the sword. _Please._"

Sango rushed to his side and picked up Tessaiga, kicking away two more bandits as she did so. The demon was watching them thoughtfully, looking amused. Beside him, the cocoon had gained a large divot in the top. _Damnit!_ Miroku's barrier must be failing.

The demon stood, his eyes fixed on Sango. "A delectable-looking woman. Bring her to me!"

The few bandits standing guard around the demon chorused "Yessir" and began to advance, weapons drawn. Sango glared at them, Kirara at her back, but the entire force was now staring her down. She didn't know if she would be able to fight through them to the cocoon, not with Kirara staying behind to guard the old man. And she kept one eye on the edge of the village, where Shippo and the boy were waiting.

"Yash, can you hear me?" Miroku's voice echoed in his ears, but he sounded oddly far away. Inuyasha was breathing as though the air was ripped from his lungs, the only thoughts in his head were _bad _and _hurt _and _protect _and _kill_. And then a spike of fear.

Miroku gasped as pillars of silk began to break through the barrier, falling down in thick swathes. He huddled down closer to Inuyasha, trying to shield the hanyou with his body and keep them both from being burned by the acidic poison coating the silk. Inuyasha was utterly still underneath him, besides the slight trembling running through his frame.

Sango threw her own sword to the side and stuck Tessaiga in the sheath instead. She snatched Hiraikotsu off the ground and swung it as hard as she could, knocking back a wave of bandits. She blocked incoming swords with the weapon, struck a few men on the head into unconsciousness, but there were still _so many! _Kirara stayed by her side, but Sango knew that she had to send her away, to get the old man out of harm's way so they could both fight unrestricted. She threw a wild glance back at the moth demon, who didn't appear to be interested in intervening just yet.

Two swords landed against Hiraikotsu and Sango desperately pushed them back. "Kirara…"

Kirara growled, snatching a spear from the hands of another bandit and snapping it in her jaws. The men were jabbing at her, afraid of getting too close, but they almost had her surrounded.

A length of silk landed on the head of his staff, and Miroku winced at the sizzling sound it produced. His spiritual powers purified the poison, sending it wafting into the air as a vapour. The barrier was all but gone. They had moments left before it collapsed completely. Miroku tugged helplessly at Inuyasha's chest, trying to get him to move, but the poison had rendered him almost entirely paralyzed. It would be up to Miroku to hurl them both through the wall of silk before it could dissolve them, but his leg was already screaming from staying crouched down for so long. It could barely take his own weight, let alone Inuyasha's.

As the thoughts swirled around his head in dark delirium, another swath of silk sunk through the barrier and landed on his shoulder. He cried out as the poison immediately ate through the cloth of his robes and bit deep into his shoulder. Inuyasha jerked in his arms. The youki that had been growing steadily stronger, pulsed.

Inuyasha's head snapped up.

Sango lifted Hiraikotsu, preparing to cut a path to the cocoon. The bandits formed a wall between them, swords raised. Then a wave of demonic aura shot through the air, knocking them all off balance. The bandits all turned to stare, horrified, at the amber light glowing through the strands of the cocoon. Then the entire structure burst apart. Shreds of silk went flying, some landing on the bandits and burning them immediately. Inuyasha shot into the air, claws raised.

He landed swinging, and his claws tore through the throats of a line of bandits in a single sweep. Twice more he struck, ripping through armour and flesh to the bone. Sango stepped back, Hiraikotsu falling from her hand as she watched in horror. What could she _do?_ Inuyasha was slowly tearing his way through the mass of bandits. Their cries filled the air.

"Inuyasha?" she called out. No response. Not so much as a glance in her direction. Inuyasha was snarling, saliva dripping from his fangs as blood slowly coated his hands and stained his clothes. Sango was frozen. She had no idea how to approach him anymore. Would he recognize her as a friend? Or would she simply be another enemy?

A choked-off cry from one of the women startled her into action. She ran over to where the women were still huddled together and wordlessly pushed them towards Kirara. They followed her silent direction, moving shakily and watching Inuyasha carefully. Sango also kept a worried eye on him. It didn't seem like he would be able to tell apart bandit and villager at this point. She couldn't risk him harming the innocent – he had already crossed a line that she hadn't though him capable of crossing.

Once the women were clear, she pressed forward to the shreds of the cocoon. Miroku had pushed himself upright and was absently wiping the lines of silk off himself as his eyes followed Inuyasha's path. Sango landed on her knees behind him, wordlessly reached into her robes and pulled out a thick white powder. She dumped it over his head and smoothed it down his torso. It sizzled where it met the acidic poison, neutralizing it and ridding it of most of its potency. Miroku would still need to wash off the poison, she thought faintly. Later. After. Once Inuyasha was…

He stood in the middle of the battlefield, breathing hard, blood-splattered from head to toe. He was surrounded by a dozen or so dead bodies. His eyes were glowing red, and he was smiling.

"Inuyasha!" Miroku shouted, suddenly finding his voice.

Inuyasha turned, but not to Miroku. Gatenmaru was walking towards him, laughing to himself. He came to a stop in front of Inuyasha, surveying him haughtily. "You amuse me, little man, but the show is over!"

His body convulsed, and a set of moth's wings burst through his robes. His face twisted and morphed, his muzzle growing longer, his eyes growing larger and more circular, and two feathery antenna springing from his brow. Venom dripped from his fangs and ran down his light blue-green skin.

"You're no more than a half-demon," he continued as his body continued to expand. He burst through his armour, losing any semblance of his human-like form. He became a giant moth, and flew higher into the air, each flap of his wings sending a gust of air shooting forth that threatened to knock over any human still standing.

"You cannot defeat me!" he crowed. "Die, little man!"

Poison dust fell from his wings and the next flap sent it flying through the air towards Inuyasha. The wind picked up and swirled the dust around him. Inuyasha grinned as the winds turned into a twister, pulling at his hair and robes. It grew to the point where it obscured him from Miroku and Sango's view. Then there was a laugh. Inuyasha burst through the cloud of dust, caught the top of one of Gatenmaru's wings, and ripped a long line down it until it was torn in two. Gatenmaru crashed to the ground. Inuyasha twisted through the air to land in front of him. He was still smiling.

Gatenmaru reared back and shot forth a long line of silk from his mouth. It wrapped around Inuyasha in a cloud of poison, and when it settled to the ground, he was gone. Gatenmaru laughed, spreading his remaining wing. "I melted him! He was merely a half-demon after all."

"You talking to me?" The growl came from far above Gatenmaru's head. Inuyasha was hovering in the air, his hair and clothes floating as his youki suspended him aloft. And then he dove. "Filthy vermin!"

His claws latched onto Gatenmaru's lower jaw and dragged down, tearing off his jawbone and ripping down the length of his body. The various severed pieces of his flesh splattered to the ground at Inuyasha's feet as he landed.

About half the bandits remained. They turned and ran. Some were on foot, but most of them leapt onto their hoses and rode away as fast as they could. Inuyasha's head swiveled to look after them, and his eyes narrowed.

"You won't escape."

His claws were curled in front of his face. A mixture of human and demon blood dripped from them. His youki flared even brighter.

Miroku shoved himself to his feet, hissing as his leg buckled under his weight. Sango rose and moved to support him, but he quickly shook his head. "Tessaiga!"

"I have it," Sango said, pulling it from her sheath. She glanced anxiously between Miroku and Inuyasha, who was crouched to pounce. "Stay here," she ordered Miroku firmly, and started running. "Kirara, stay and protect the villagers!"

She could hear the monk already stumbling behind her. Inuyasha leapt at the bandits, tearing through those on foot. Some were killed instantly, some were left to choke on their own blood or lay in shock, staring at their severed limbs. He then jumped high in the air, soaring over the bandits on horseback with unnatural speed. He landed in front of them with a smile, watched as their horses' momentum brought them straight to him. His claws flashed once more, slicing through man and horse indistinguishably. He aimed for their legs, sending them all crashing to the ground so they couldn't make their escape. Most of them didn't die immediately. It looked intentional.

Miroku reached out with his mind, through the panic and the pain, and found the nenju beads. He pulled as hard as he could, and watched as Inuyasha was yanked to the side. He stumbled a few steps and then turned glowing red eyes onto Miroku, growling slightly. Miroku didn't slow down, and neither did Sango – she was almost at Inuyasha, Tessaiga held out pleadingly before her. Miroku's heart sank as Inuyasha's eyes darted to her, no sign of recognition whatsoever. Only a predatory smile.

"Inuyasha!" Miroku cried out.

A few bandits, those that could still walk, scrambled to their feet and began stumbling away. Inuyasha's attention was immediately drawn to them. He leapt over their heads and landed in front of them once more. Fear filled the men's eyes as they realized there was no path to freedom. They fell to their knees, cries for help and pleas for mercy falling from their lips.

Inuyasha stood as though frozen, the only movement the heaving of his chest.

Sango slowed to a stop on the other side of the bandits, afraid to take another step lest Inuyasha strike.

Miroku soon caught up to her. He placed a hand on her shoulder, but his eyes were fixed on Inuyasha. He wordlessly reached down and took the sword from her hand, meeting no resistance. He moved painfully slow, and Inuyasha's gaze snapped to him. Sango followed right behind him – she couldn't let him go alone. Both Hiraikotsu and her sword were left behind in the village, but her hand reached into her robes and grasped a knife hidden there.

"Inuyasha," Miroku called, his voice calm and low and forceful. "It's over. You cannot harm these men – they're begging for their lives. They are no threat to you."

Inuyasha's gaze drifted almost lazily to the bandits and he laughed quietly. He laughed at the thought of slaughtering them. Miroku took another careful step forward. He was right behind the bandits, just a few paces from Inuyasha. If he could just reach him…

The man closest to Miroku surged to his feet. It looked like he was going to try to take cover behind the monk. He never got the chance. In a flash, all the bandits were dead. Inuyasha looked around erratically, sniffing the air. His eyes landed behind Miroku and Sango, to where the village women were crowded behind Kirara.

Miroku threw himself at Inuyasha, Tessaiga outstretched before him.

Inuyasha stiffened and leapt back. At first Miroku thought he was reacting defensively. Then he thought he was just trying to get to the women. Then, perhaps that Inuyasha was actively avoiding Tessaiga. But then he saw the aggressive stance the hanyou had adopted. He followed his gaze far down the road leading from the village, to where Sesshomaru stood immobile.

"_What-?_" Miroku gasped, Sango's hand on his robes, dragging him back.

Sesshomaru looked around in disgust. The smell of human blood drenched the air – it was what had led him there, coupled with the scent of inu-youkai. But the scale of the carnage surprised him. Two dozen humans lay dead on the ground, scattered amongst horses and demon remains. Inuyasha had been busy, it seemed. His brother was snarling at him, his previously gleeful scent growing bitter with anger. No fear. Only anger.

"Nothing more than a monster," Sesshomaru murmured, knowing that Inuyasha could hear him but not sure if he could comprehend. "You only know how to fight and kill – isn't that right, little brother?"

Bokusen-Oh had been right. There was no trace of human in the half-breed. There was no thought, no soul, only a desire for blood. And Inuyasha's scent… It wasn't pure demon. It was eerily similar to Sesshomaru's own, closer than a hanyou's had any right to be, but it wasn't youkai. It was wilder, somehow. Sharp. Uncontrolled.

"Come after me, Inuyasha," Sesshomaru ordered coolly. "I wish to test your strength transformed as such."

That was all the invitation he needed. Inuyasha charged recklessly, claws poised. He leapt high in the air. Sesshomaru pulled Tokijin from its sheath and swung it above his head to meet Inuyasha. An aura of power surrounded the sword, its pure energy pushing him back. Inuyasha roared and fought against it, his youki pushing him forward, leaving him hovering in the air as Tokijin's power slowly tore through him.

"Inuyasha!" Miroku screamed. "Fall back! You'll be destroyed!"

Inuyasha's hand curled into a fist and shot forward. It connected hard with the blade and knocked Tokijin aside. Sesshomaru's brows furrowed, an expression of concern flashing across his face before he leapt back to avoid Inuyasha's incoming claws. Inuyasha landed in a crouch on the ground. At first he seemed remarkably uninjured. And then the skin split open along the length of his arm, where Tokijin had passed straight through the flesh. Blood spurted from the wound but Inuyasha appeared to not even notice.

Sesshomaru sneered. "That was foolish."

Inuyasha roared and charged again.

Miroku ran. He ignored Sango's shout after him, ignored the white-hot pain shooting up his leg. Sesshomaru was going to cut Inuyasha to pieces with Tokijin, and Inuyasha was too far gone to feel any pain. Inuyasha hurled himself forward and Sesshomaru leapt into the air, easily dodging the wild attack. Inuyasha crashed into the ground, his claws digging deep gouges in the dirt. He rose to his feet and turned slowly, his eyes meeting his brother's once more. Sesshomaru had moved far enough away that Miroku was able to jump between them just as Inuyasha pounced.

Sesshomaru lunged past him close enough that their shoulders brushed. He jabbed at Inuyasha and then leapt back, away from Miroku. Inuyasha followed. Almost as though Sesshomaru had intentionally drawn him away.

Inuyasha struck for Sesshomaru's belly but Sesshomaru drove him back with a powerful swing of his sword. Power burst from Tokijin, following Inuyasha as he was flung back. He slowed himself to a stop by dragging his feet across the ground. Blood dripped steadily into the dirt around him. He had barely slowed before he pushed off once more, rushing recklessly back at Sesshomaru.

"Inuyasha, stop!" Miroku shouted frantically.

Sesshomaru watched him with morbid curiosity. No fear, no pain. He didn't know if this mindless beast might even turn on his own pack. It fascinated him. He dodged every attack, the claws which swiped for his throat. Inuyasha still held some thought, aiming instinctively for Sesshomaru's more vulnerable left side, but there was no plan in motion. The demon blood was coursing through his veins. It had corrupted his soul. His mind was blank. His brother had no idea who anyone was, even himself. There was nothing left of who he used to be. Sesshomaru had come in his pursuit driven by a desire for understanding, to see if Bokusen-Oh's words had been true. Now it was different.

"Pathetic," he sneered, lifting up into the air. "I understand now, little brother. You are not a pure-blood demon. All you are is a half-breed. Though now you're not even half a man. Know your place in the world." He touched down lightly, lifted Tokijin. Inuyasha leapt for him. "A hanyou should act like one. On your knees!"

A burst of red and white light shot from Tokijin. It caught Inuyasha in the air and ripped through his youki. Amber sparks crackled between them as Inuyasha roared. And then he was flung back with a cry. He landed hard and skidded along the ground, slowly sliding to a stop.

Sango ran, Miroku right behind her. Sesshomaru was walking towards Inuyasha's unmoving form, Tokijin still held loosely in his hand. She dove in front of Sesshomaru, a knife in one hand, a vial of poison in the other. Miroku fell to his knees beside Inuyasha behind her, braced himself against Inuyasha's shoulders. The hanyou's eyes were open wide, still red with an iris that was startlingly bright blue. He wasn't moving. Miroku wasn't even sure if he was breathing.

"Don't," Sango snapped as Sesshomaru took another step towards them.

He surveyed her thoughtfully, his face a blank mask. His gaze shifted past her to rest on Miroku. "If you wish him to stop, use Tessaiga to reverse the transformation." He sneered at the shocked looks which twisted both humans' faces. "Otherwise, he will continue to fight when he awakens."

Miroku swallowed hard and obediently pressed Tessaiga into Inuyasha's limp hand. There was a pulse of youki, and then Inuyasha's eyes slipped shut, and his body seemed to sag. Miroku watched him a moment longer before he looked back at Sesshomaru.

"You could have finished him off at any point," he whispered. "Instead you held him off with Tokijin. Why? Why stop there?"

Sesshomaru looked utterly disgusted. "I will slay him eventually. Why kill him now, when he doesn't even know himself? There would be no point."

He turned and slowly walked away. He disappeared down the path until he was almost out of sight before he rose into the air, a white light flashing around him before he took off into the sky.

"That's it?" Sango asked disbelievingly, lowering her weapons and glancing back at Miroku and Inuyasha. "It's over? Just like that?"

Miroku shook his head. "I can't believe that was a show of honour or humility. I don't think it was a test, either. Sesshomaru sought Inuyasha out knowing that he was transformed. He came to stop him."

"Why?" Sango sighed, coming to crouch down beside him. "He hates Inuyasha."

Miroku looked down at the hanyou and tenderly reached out to brush the hair from his eyes. "I thought so, too."

xXx

Their scent led him back to where he'd left them, deep within the ancient forest. Rin was sitting on the ground, feeding a handful of grass to one of the heads of his dragon mount. A-Un – what a ridiculous concept, naming a mount, but it seemed to make her happy. She gasped delightedly when she saw him and shot to her feet and ran to him excitedly.

"Lord Sesshomaru! You're finally back!"

She was happy to see him in a way he didn't truly understand. And for whatever reason, he cared. She came to a stop in front of him and he surveyed her coolly.

"Rin," he greeted. "I hope you have fared well."

"Mhmm!" she smiled. "A and Un and I were on our very best behaviour." She pointed behind the mount to where Jaken sat curled on the ground, tracing patters into the dirt. "Master Jaken has become most melancholy."

She stated the information as pure fact, without judgement. It puzzled him.

"Lord Sesshomaru!" Jaken exclaimed, leaping to his feet when he saw him. "How did you fare with Inuyasha? Were you successful? I still can't believe you would go off on your own-" His hand slapped over his own mouth, cutting himself off dramatically. "Master, that was most uncalled for. I apologize!"

Sesshomaru held back a sigh. He truly didn't wish to dwell on what he'd seen, though the image wouldn't leave his mind. Inuyasha had been monstrous. There had been nothing left of his little brother. There would have been no shame in leaving him in that state – even if they shared the same blood, he was a hanyou, after all. It was no poor reflection on Sesshomaru that such a weakling would come from his house. Though, it tainted his bloodline. If his father could produce such a creature, then what did that mean for his other offspring? It had been a matter of duty, even a precautionary one, to restore Inuyasha to his former half-life. To be fawned over by those wretched mortals.

"Rin, have you eaten?" he asked, pulling himself from his thoughts. He was still growing accustomed to how often he had to feed humans, especially the little ones.

In some small, indescribable way, for the first time in his life, Sesshomaru could almost understand what his father had seen in humans. Not enough to _breed _with one, heaven forbid, but he could almost see their appeal. They were different – the trust and devotion of a weak, subservient demon, and the gall to not see themselves as inferior. It created a creature utterly devoid of any sense of their rightful place in the world. It made them brazen and foolish in a way that demons or even animals simply weren't.

That was why he was fascinated with Inuyasha's pet humans, as well. A pack of weak mortals and pathetic demons with a hanyou for their leader? There was some kind of poetry to it. But those humans appeared to be even less aware of their own limits than most. They repeatedly threw themselves into danger that they had no hope of combatting. That monk had always been willing to stand between Sesshomaru and Inuyasha, and it seemed the slayer had inherited that trait. He had been tempted time and time again to show them just how foolish they were to assume that they could even hope to stand against him. But now, he felt the need to study them. After all, despite several chances to leave Rin at a suitable human village, he had not. For whatever frivolous human reason, she was happy in his company. And he was increasingly inclined to let her stay.

xXx

A groan spilled from Inuyasha's lips as he came to. He felt as though he'd been thrown off a cliff and hit every rock on the way down. He could hear heartbeats around him, and took a careful breath. The scent of human blood hit him like a punch to the gut. His initial panic faded some as he realized that he couldn't recognize any of it. Familiar scents rolled around him, too, marred by fear and pain. He desperately wanted to go back to sleep until the world stopped being one giant blur of agony, but he couldn't let his weakness keep him from making sure his pack was safe. He pried his eyes open, waited for the fuzziness to fade.

A strong hand braced his shoulder, a careful voice asked "Inuyasha?"

He blinked a few times up at Miroku, knowing that something was off even before he focused on the tight frown.

"What-" he asked, pushing himself up, and paused at the pull of pain from his abdomen. Something told him that it should be hurting a lot more than it did. Why was that? What had happened? He tried to recall what had happened, but nothing came.

"Take it slow," Sango's voice came from his other side. "You're injured."

Well, that checked out. Was that why he couldn't remember anything? Was it a head wound? His head certainly ached, pounding with every beat of his heart, but it was a dull throb that wasn't entirely unpleasant. His muscles felt sore and well-used. He didn't feel anywhere near bad enough to warrant the looks of deep concern on Miroku and Sango's faces.

He pushed himself fully to a seated position and looked around. The scent of blood lay so thick in the air that it almost made him gag. It didn't take long to find the source. Dead bodies lay scattered in all direction, most of them ripped to shreds or missing limbs, all covered in red. What could have done this? He eyed his companions again, more critically this time. Sango seemed unharmed, though she oddly didn't have either Hiraikotsu or her sword with her. Miroku was obviously favouring his injured leg, and there was an odd scent mixed in with the pain radiating from his shoulder. It was a sharp smell, some kind of poison-

The cocoon. Gatenmaru. Inuyasha's head snapped up as everything fell back into place. The silk shooting at him, the fear and pain, the poison dripping down, the barrier… Then everything faded, growing dimmer and dimmer until there was nothing left. Just a large, empty space of whatever had followed. Inuyasha swallowed hard – he'd transformed again. He must have. The pain, the fear for his life, his pack in danger… It was some mercy that he hadn't hurt his companions. A mystery how they'd all survived. He could see pieces of giant moth wings scattered along the ground. He assumed he must be responsible for it. After all, his claws-

His claws were caked with blood. Demon blood…and human blood.

No.

No, no- This couldn't be happening!

Panic ripped through him, stealing the air from his lungs. He pushed himself to his feet, ignoring Miroku's slight noise of protest. One hand curled around his abdomen, which pulsed with residual pain. He took a few staggering steps forward, nausea rolling in his chest.

"Did I do all this?" he asked, barely a whisper.

Neither of the others answered. They didn't have to. The horror still hadn't faded from their expressions. The blood was still wet on his hands. Still dripping down his clothes. The panic and disgust and bone-crushing guilt all swirled together until they seemed to drain away, leaving him hollow and empty. Strangely calm.

"Inuyasha?" Miroku asked carefully. He should be careful. He should be frightened. Inuyasha was a monster to be avoided. "Inuyasha, you did it to save the villagers. To protect us."

The words fell to the wayside, discarded before they had a chance to hit home. Instinctually, he knew they were a lie.

At the edge of the village, Kirara stood with Shippo on her back. Beside them, a small group of humans huddled. Mostly women, a few men, and a young boy. The boy was staring him. Blood had spread down his shoulder, but Inuyasha knew _that _wasn't his doing, at least. The boy looked conflicted. Stunned. When Inuyasha met his gaze, he took a few tentative steps forward.

One of the women beside him immediately snatched him back. "No, he's a monster!"

Another immediately joined in, placing herself protectively in front of him. "If you get close, he'll rip you to pieces!"

All the villagers were glaring at him, some in fear, some in hatred.

"I don't care if he's a monster!" the boy shouted, wrenching himself free. "He did everything in his power to save my grandpa! He got rid of all the bad men!"

Inuyasha's claws curled loosely into fists. No, he hadn't saved anyone. He'd hunted those men down. He could remember nothing, not even confusing fragments of emotions like his first transformation, but he could taste the cruel satisfaction on the back of his tongue. He hadn't been protecting his pack. He'd been enjoying it. The demon he'd become…the power in his hands… It had been what he'd wanted for so long. It had been everything he'd strived for, for years.

Not like this.

He'd never wanted this.

He could hear Miroku come up behind him. The monk reached out and then stopped himself, his hand hovering above his shoulder. Inuyasha didn't blame him. He wouldn't want to touch him, either. He didn't want Miroku tainting himself with the monster he'd become.

"Yash?" Miroku asked quietly.

He didn't answer. He couldn't.

Sango walked past him, towards the ruins of the village. He didn't fail to notice that she gave him a wide berth. She approached the villagers and spoke to them quickly and quietly. Inuyasha tuned out her voice – he didn't want to hear what she had to say. Either she was defending him, or she was telling the villagers how dangerous he was. Both options made him sick to his stomach.

She moved past them, said a few quick words to Kirara, then disappeared into the village. Inuyasha stared at the ground, rooted to the spot until she came back. A heartbeat pounded in his ears, and he couldn't tell whether it was his or Miroku's. The monk held his post just behind him. He didn't say a word.

After a long while, Sango re-emerged from the village. Kirara and Shippo followed her back to Inuyasha. He refused to meet their eyes – he couldn't stand the thought of the fear he might find there. Or worse, the pity.

"There's a river nearby," Sango said, her voice uncharacteristically subdued. "We can clean up there."

Inuyasha started in the direction she pointed without bothering to wait for the others. He knew they couldn't afford to let him out of their sight. He knew they wouldn't come close enough for him to harm them unless they had to. He found the river by sound rather than smell – he started breathing carefully through his mouth, but then he could practically taste the blood so he stopped.

When he reached the river, he waded in without pausing. He crouched down, letting the water flow over his chest as he scrubbed furiously at his hands. He needed the scent to be gone from his claws. He needed his crimes to be wiped from his skin. It wouldn't change what he'd done – he knew that. He needed it all the same.

Miroku and Sango knelt by the riverbank a respectful distance away, Kirara and Shippo a little upstream. Neither of them spoke, though they shared the occasional worried glance at Inuyasha's increasingly frantic movements. It was testament to how distracted he'd been that he hadn't asked about the fate of the old man. Hadn't checked on Shippo or Kirara to make sure they were okay. Hadn't offered to help Miroku even though, after such heavy activity far too soon, his leg had cramped to the point where he could no longer walk. Sango had had to drag him onto Kirara's back. She had no idea what this all meant for Inuyasha. She didn't know how she could help him.

For the time being, she turned her attention solely on what she knew she could control. Miroku's robes were still ashy from the alkaline powder she'd covered him with, the poison still dangerously present on his skin. She tugged at his robes without a word, and together they stripped the heavy fabric off him. An area of skin on the back of his shoulder the size of a melon was mottled and blistered from where the poison had settled. She pushed him down closer to the water's edge, and poured handfuls of the icy water over the wound. It took a long time to clean it thoroughly. His mouth was set in a tight line, his eyes fixed deep into the water.

When she finished, she began washing the poison from his robes while he cleaned off the rest of his body. Before long, he was shivering. She didn't think it was just the late-autumn chill, or the freezing water, or even the lingering effects of the Saimyosho venom. There was a slight shake to her own hands which she carefully hid in the fabric of his robes.

She laid out the clothing to dry and wrapped their collection of blankets around him in the meantime. He gave her a small smile, but it didn't reach his eyes. They both glanced back at Inuyasha. He hadn't moved from his post in the middle of the river, hadn't stopped scrubbing at his robes, his hands.

"He couldn't hear my voice this time," Miroku murmured faintly.

"Myoga said that every time would be worse," Sango agreed quietly.

"He did it to protect us," he continued in a whisper. "I know they were human, but they were going to kill us. They'd already killed so many. He wouldn't harm the innocent."

Sango swallowed. "They were begging."

Miroku closed his eyes. "I know."

"Before Sesshomaru arrived, it looked like he might have gone after the villagers."

Miroku dragged a hand down his face. "There was no awareness this time. And he was smiling…"

They both fell into grim silence. There was no way to justify what had happened. They knew they didn't have long to come to terms with it – Inuyasha needed to be alone for the time being, but sooner or later he would turn to them. Their reaction would change the course of whatever came next.

"We drew the line at killing humans," Miroku said rather suddenly. "That was where we stood. Almost nothing has a clear answer – Kouga? Sesshomaru? – nothing makes sense, but that was one thing we could be certain about. But what makes demons and humans so different? We destroy demons that are a threat to humans. We pass judgement on them, but not on our own kind?"

Sango sighed. "I used to think that it wasn't our place to decide. If we kill humans because they've killed others, it would make us no better than them."

"But demons?"

"Some of them are like animals." She shrugged hopelessly. "You kill a wild beast before it can kill you."

"But the others?" Miroku pushed. "The ones who are acting on more than instinct? The ones who _decide_ to kill? Arguably, animals cannot be evil because they are not killing out of malice. Humans, demons, kami, we all have the capacity for good and evil. Does that not make our actions worse?"

"In our society, there are laws," Sango said. "If a human has killed, they are brought to justice by the law, not individuals. Youkai are not tied to human law. If they are killing humans, it's up to us to stop them."

"And what of roving bandits?" Miroku asked. "We know they've killed. We know that in all likelihood they will kill again. If they're not captured, not bound by law, and we let them go on to kill again, what then?"

"I don't know," she ground out. "There's no answer, Miroku."

"I know."

"We can't go around killing every murderer we find," she said firmly. "That's not who we are. That's not what we do. We fight demons, not humans. We fight them because we're the only ones who can. We can't solve the world's problems, but we can control this one thing."

"So we don't kill humans," Miroku murmured. "We cannot do that to ourselves."

"No."

"It's not his fault."

Sango looked at Miroku then back to Inuyasha. "No. He couldn't control himself. He didn't _decide _to kill them, like you said."

Miroku closed his eyes again. "And that's what matters," he said, though he didn't sound entirely convinced.

"Of course it is," Sango growled. "How can it not be, when that's how we've treated Kohaku?"

He looked at her in surprise.

"He's killed people – far more than Inuyasha – and we haven't given up on him. _You _haven't given up on him. You haven't given up on _me _for standing by him! Even if Inuyasha keeps getting worse, even if he fully transforms into a demon, I'm going to stay with him."

"Sango…"

She shook her head. "You've all stood by me like it was the natural thing to do. He's determined to save Kohaku even though he almost killed you. I'm not giving up on either of them."

Some of the tension fell from Miroku's shoulders. "Yes. Yes, I suppose you're right."

She watched him carefully. "But you need to be careful."

"I know."

"I'm serious," she said, forcing him to look at her. "You've been stupid with your own safety and that includes with him. He's our friend, but he's dangerous. He has the power to kill and he can't control it."

Miroku's eyes dropped to his right hand. His lips pressed together but he stayed silent.

xXx

The sunset painted the sky in rich reds and golds, the air had the bite of winter, but Inuyasha still couldn't stop. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't get the smell of blood off his hands. It was sickening. It was repulsive. He didn't know if he would ever be free of it. He couldn't believe what he'd done. He couldn't believe it… The only thing holding him together was that he hadn't hurt his pack. Not physically, at least. If their blood had joined the stains on his hands…

He stalked out of the river with a huff. Miroku and Sango broke off their conversation and watched him carefully. He moved downriver before climbing onto the grassy bank and dropping to the ground. He shouldn't have been surprised when they wordlessly stood and followed, Miroku leaning hard on Sango for support. They settled down a little ways away and carried on their conversation. He wasn't fooled. He knew that they were tracking his every move. He growled at them, but it quickly died in his throat. He was a monster.

"You don't have to force yourselves to stay by me," he muttered instead, barely loud enough for them to hear.

He looked away, but he could _feel_ them exchange a glance before turning their pity-filled eyes back on him. Anger flashed through his chest, and he rounded on them.

"Quit it, okay? Everyone needs to stop tiptoeing around me like I'm going to snap and kill everyone any fucking moment! I don't have a problem with what happened. I don't give a damn what I did!"

Sango's jaw clenched. Miroku looked indescribably sad.

"Don't," the monk whispered. "Don't do this."

Inuyasha growled and tore his gaze away, blinking hard against the stinging in his eyes. "Don't? That's rich. It's too late for 'don't!' I _did, _Miroku! I'm a fucking monster, so you better get used to it!"

A hand came to rest on his shoulder, and he wrenched away before turning back with a snarl. To his surprise, it was Sango kneeling beside him.

"You're not a monster," she said firmly. "And we're not leaving. We're family now, and nothing could ever change that. We don't give up on family."

He stared at her, struck. She squeezed his shoulder before tugging him forward gently into an embrace. He was frozen for a moment before he clung to her. Her strong arms quieted the wordless voices screaming in his head. Eventually – too soon – she pulled back with a small nod. She rose silently and took a few steps back before turning to walk away. She gathered Shippo into her arms from Kirara's back and the three moved back upriver.

Inuyasha turned his cautious gaze onto Miroku. He wasn't met with a smile or reassurance as he'd been expecting. Instead, the monk was looking back with quiet understanding. Inuyasha's brows furrowed and he looked away once more, somehow overwhelmed. He heard Miroku shuffle a little closer. Inuyasha's breathing was ragged, and his eyes stung. He held out a moment longer before falling into Miroku's waiting arms. He hid his face into the monk's chest and took a few deep, shuddering breaths. He couldn't cry. He wouldn't. He had no right to spill tears over what he'd done. Instead he trembled, and dug his claws into the earth because he couldn't bear the thought of them puncturing delicate human skin. Miroku's arms wrapped around him, cradled him. Gave him the comfort he didn't deserve but desperately craved.

"I don't remember anything," Inuyasha rasped, voice hoarse. "It wasn't like that before. There was always _something._"

"I want you to think about the other times you transformed, or almost did," Miroku murmured into his hair. "I won't deny that you lost control today. Myoga said that each time would be more difficult. But think about what happened after the first time you transformed. You got close, but you held yourself back. You learned how to keep control."

Inuyasha pushed himself away gently. "That won't matter when I _do _transform again."

"Maybe it will," Miroku said, and brushed his fingers down Inuyasha's cheek. "Nothing is certain. You may be able to learn how to keep from transforming. You may learn how to control yourself once you're transformed. There is no precedent for this. We cannot give up hope."

Inuyasha huffed and stared at the ground. He wanted so badly to believe what Miroku was saying, but he couldn't. He still didn't know if he could even risk staying.

"It's like how Kohaku is learning to resist Naraku's control," Miroku continued, looking out over the water. "It's like how I learned to use the wind tunnel. There were moments that I thought it was impossible – moments where I was convinced that I could never learn to wield this impossible force inside myself. We cannot choose what life gives us, Inuyasha – only what we do with it."

Inuyasha squeezed his eyes shut. His fingers curled against his abdomen. "How can I take that risk? How can I put your life in danger? I had no say over what I did today. The next time I transform, I may even come after you with these claws."

Miroku looked at him calmly. He reached out and gently pried one of Inuyasha's hands from his chest and lifted it to his lips. Inuyasha watched, breath caught in his throat, as Miroku placed a soft kiss on the end of his fingers, one by one.

* * *

Popular opinion: Gatenmaru's demon form is stupid. He has moth wings, like any moth demon should, and then his arms are? Bird wings? And he has no legs? Wat.

Also this is one of the few scenarios where the "sit" command would be helpful but they just, don't?

Miroku knows a lot of tricks, but "stay" isn't one of them.

In my mind, I had this great image of Sesshomaru wielding Tokijin in one hand and Tenseiga in the other – the power of life and death simultaneously – but then I realized "Oh, wait…"


	53. Chapter 53: s2e26

Warnings for this chapter: lots and lots of negative self-talk and self-hatred, reflections on murder and mass slaughter, reflection on and depictions of loss of self, discussions of emotions similar to dissociation, angst

* * *

Neither of them let go for a long time. Inuyasha couldn't find the will to move. He didn't want to. Moving would mean confronting what had happened – what he'd done. And he couldn't. How could he ever come to terms with it? He'd never been the type to run from his problems, to hide away rather than facing it head-on, but now… His pack was still beside him. His partner's arms were safely around him. They'd said they were family, that they'd stay, but how could that be? When they moved past their shock, when they were confronted with the stark reality of what he'd done…

They had every right to leave. They _should _leave. He was a danger to humans. He was everything they'd ever feared him to be. And that's why he couldn't move. Because he couldn't be the one to shatter the false calm that had settled over his pack. He couldn't be the one to break the spell.

But he couldn't let it be any of them. He couldn't bear for any of the others to be the one to look him in the eye and tell him it was over. And he wouldn't put that on them, either. He knew that they would blame themselves – probably did already, the sentimental fools. No. If it was the last thing he would ever to for them, he would protect them this last time.

He pulled back gently. Miroku's arms slid from around his back. Violet eyes followed him carefully. He shivered, suddenly cold. He stood – he could still feel the eyes of the villagers at his back.

The words wouldn't come. Even though he knew it was the right thing, he couldn't let them go.

"We should find a place for the night," Miroku said quietly.

Sango nodded as she approached. "We can find a storehouse or something."

Inuyasha swallowed. He knew that it would be easier to spot a village from the air, but the thought of being near unfamiliar humans again made his skin crawl and stomach churn. If it were up to him, he would simply sleep out in the woods again, but – he glanced up at the sky – it was about to rain, and the late autumn nights were too cold already for his companions. He couldn't risk them getting sick because of him. He looked past the river, to the forest and shadow of the mountains beyond. "I know a place."

Miroku offered him a small smile from the ground. He maneuvered himself onto one knee and used his staff to push himself half-way up before Inuyasha's mind caught up and he rushed to help. Pain dripped from his scent. He had overused his injured leg to the point of undoing all the healing that had been done – he couldn't put any weight on it again. Then there was the wound to his shoulder from the poison, and his robes were still damp from washing the rest of the silk from them and- Inuyasha squeezed his eyes shut. It was all his fault. Miroku shouldn't have been there in the first place. He should have been able to fight off Gatenmaru! If he hadn't been so pathetic, so _weak_-

"Yash?"

Miroku's voice cut through his thoughts. He shook his head and took the monk's arm over his shoulder, helping him onto Kirara's back. The others followed suit, and he directed them towards the cliff face of one of the mountains. Kirara touched down in front of the cave, partially hidden amongst the rocks, and they all peered inside. It was small but not too shallow, with a flat ground where they could easily lie down to sleep.

"You knew this was here?" Miroku prompted gently.

"Lived here for a couple years awhile back," Inuyasha shrugged.

They looked silently at one another before Sango broke the tension by hopping off Kirara's back. "This will work nicely for the time being. Kirara and I should grab some firewood before the rain starts, but first we need to clean your wound."

Right. Inuyasha glance down at his stomach and winced. He didn't particularly want to look at it again. Even the faint smell of moth poison clinging to his robes made him sick. He shirked off his suikan and hadagi, and heard a gasp from the others. He looked down to see a deep, red scar slashed across the skin of his abdomen. No bleeding. No infection. No irritation from the poison.

"I don't get it," Inuyasha sighed, running his fingers gently over the newly-formed scar.

"Your youki heals your wounds," Miroku reminded him softly. "It's there to help you survive."

"Yeah," he grumbled, plopping himself down on the cave floor. "But if it's such a survival mechanism, why does it make me want to fight and kill?"

"I imagine it could help you escape as well," Miroku shrugged. "Most threats will follow you, though. Your instincts are likely based on what you've experienced in life."

"My instincts don't tell me to kill," Inuyasha whispered. "Not while I'm _me._" He looked up at Miroku with shining eyes. "And what about my instincts to _protect _humans? To protect you all?"

"We don't know," Sango said, joining him on the floor. "You haven't gone after humans who weren't threatening you."

Inuyasha's quiet voice hung in the air. "But I could."

xXx

They were far enough up the cliff that neither of the humans could easily climb up to the cave with an armful of firewood. Inuyasha volunteered, but Sango insisted that she and Kirara would go. She left the blankets with Miroku for him to spread out around the circle of stones that Inuyasha arranged for the fire pit. Miroku then began laying the contents of his robes out to dry – particularly the unused bandages that Sango had washed the moth poison from – and Inuyasha sat at the mouth of the cave, looking out at the dark forest and cloudy night sky.

He startled when Shippo sat down beside him. The kit had been so quiet that he'd almost forgotten he was there.

"That was pretty scary today," Shippo said, following his gaze outside.

Inuyasha's gut twisted. "Yeah."

"Kirara kept me and the human boy away from the village," he continued. "She wouldn't let us help, even though we both wanted to. I thought that moth demon was going to kill you and Miroku. And the bandits were _everywhere._"

Inuyasha blinked slowly. "That's what scared you? Us being in danger? Not…?"

"They would have killed all of us if you hadn't stopped them," the kit said with an odd, solemn certainty.

"They were humans."

"And I'm a demon," Shippo pointed out. "You kill demons all the time, but I'm not worried when I'm around you, because I know you only fight the demons that would hurt us. Miroku and Sango should feel the same way about you with humans!"

Inuyasha sighed, a half-smile twisting his lips despite himself. "I wish it was that simple, kiddo. I really do. But I couldn't control what I was doing. It's not the same as when I usually fight. I'm dangerous."

"It's based on your instincts, right?" Shippo shrugged. "Then you won't attack us. You're a dog demon and we're your pack. It wouldn't make sense for you to turn on your own pack."

Despite its flaws, the childish logic did make him feel a little better. A little.

xXx

It was pouring by the time Sango and Kirara returned. The wood was damp and refused to light to the point where Kirara had to transform over it several times to get the fire going. They all huddled close, blinking the smoke from their eyes. Shippo was the first to drift off, but the others found it difficult to follow suit. Everything hung in the air around them, heavy and unresolved, but there was nothing more they could say.

Miroku's hand found its way to the top of Inuyasha's head, massaging his scalp and slowly stroking his soft ears. Inuyasha resisted at first, but soon found that he didn't have the energy to put up a fight. His churning emotions had settled into a dull hollowness that left him exhausted and drained. He just wanted to sleep. But he couldn't. Every time he closed his eyes, he worried that he'd open them somewhere else, surrounded by bodies again. He gradually leaned heavily into Miroku and eased him to the ground to lay half on top of him. He couldn't sleep, but with Miroku's arms resting on his back and his ear pressed against the even heartbeat, he could let go.

Sango was the first to fall asleep. Her back was to the cave wall opposite him, Hiraikotsu next to her, Shippo and Kirara cuddling on her lap. For some reason, her falling asleep put him at ease. She trusted him enough to take her eyes off him. That had to mean something.

Miroku stayed awake for half the night. He was silent throughout, but occasionally he'd play with Inuyasha's hair or run his hands up and down his back. Inuyasha suspected that he knew he was awake as well. Having him so close was a balm on Inuyasha's tattered nerves, but he should also be resting. Though the insect venom was long gone from his system, he still hadn't fully recovered. Inuyasha could feel the slight frailty in his arms, hear the faint wheeze in his breath.

They should never have left that village, even with their useless healer and hostile glares. Inuyasha should have stood his ground. He should have fought to protect his wounded partner and pack! The one time he'd run from something, and look where it got him! Miroku was right – fighting was what he did best, and his youki instincts knew it. He couldn't afford to back down. Not when he had so much to lose.

Eventually, Miroku drifted off as well. Inuyasha blinked slowly into the fire, letting his mind wander but careful of where it might go. Every so often, he saw Kirara open her eyes to blink back at him before settling down again. Shippo murmured and turned over in his sleep, a tiny hand whacking her in the face. She groomed the kit's hair for a while before she finally fell asleep. Sango woke a few times after that, eyes darting around the cave and the faintest reach for Hiraikotsu before forcing herself to hold back. Inuyasha didn't want to imagine what twisted images his actions had brought back to her mind. He closed his eyes whenever she looked at him – he didn't want guilt to be added to her pain.

Dawn came and brought no answers with it. Inuyasha shifted to his hands and knees as gently as he could, but Miroku still woke with his movements. He blinked up at him softly, openly. Inuyasha reached out and brushed the hair from his eyes, let his fingers trail down Miroku's cheek. It was the sort of moment between them that would normally prompt him to lean down for a kiss, just a simple chaste press of their lips – or whatever version of chaste existed with Miroku around. But he couldn't. Not now. Not yet.

Miroku didn't stop him when he stood, watched him as he walked to the cave entrance. The rain had slowed to a light patter, leaving a thick fog in the cold morning air. The first traces of sunrise were visible through the clouds. Inuyasha sat at the edge of the cliff and simply breathed for a while.

xXx

No one felt particularly eager to leave the cave as the day went on. The rain returned in bursts of showers, they were all exhausted from the day before, and besides, where would they go? There were no Jewel shards around, they couldn't stay in a human village so soon, and they needed shelter for the night. Particularly this night. The new moon always brought with it a certain sense of dread, but Inuyasha didn't even want to think about what emotions his mortal transformation would bring. The last cycle, he'd been thinking about similar things – the safety of his pack, Miroku injured, and the fear of his own demon side. He'd barely been able to handle the barrage of human feelings _then_, and that was before he'd become a monster.

At least his youki couldn't take over when he was mortal – at least, he didn't think so. It was one night that he didn't have to worry about losing himself. He could focus his energy on protecting his pack in his useless, squishy, overly-emotional human form. Fucking fantastic.

Sango took Kirara and Shippo out fishing when the rain slowed down. Inuyasha pretended not to see the silent conversation she and Miroku had through their eyebrows and significant looks before she left. Subtly had escaped most of them, it appeared. He sat at the edge of the cliff and wasn't surprised at all when Miroku sat next to him, lowering himself down stiffly. He didn't say anything, which meant that Sango's intense glances had been instructions for some time alone, rather than a pointed speech. Just as well.

"I want you to tell me about Buddhism," Inuyasha murmured. "All that meditation garbage and controlling your emotions. You know how to control what you're feeling – if I learn, I might be able to keep from transforming."

The surprise faded from Miroku's expression into a look of gentle understanding, and he nodded. "Meditation techniques can certainly help. Do you want to try it together?"

Inuyasha shook his head, picking restlessly at a loose thread in his robes. "I want you to tell me everything – the rules, the techniques, the _point _– I wanna do this right."

Miroku was looking at him a little more quizzically, a little guarded. "I grew up as a monk. You can't expect to learn everything in one day. What is it you really want to know?"

Inuyasha shrugged and didn't meet his eyes.

Miroku frowned slightly but looked out over the forest. "Well, there are many things to consider on the path to enlightenment. You have to be aware of all aspects of yourself, from your actions to how you view the world. You must know the influences on your mind, the things you will experience in life. You must understand yourself before any other." He glanced at Inuyasha somberly. "There are the precepts of what to refrain from in an ethical life. Is that what you're wondering about?"

A grimace was his only answer. He sighed.

"Yes, killing is forbidden. All life is sacred, and we should not take what is not ours to take. But you know what else is forbidden?" His eyes were piercing. "Stealing. Lying. Drinking. Some say, even sex. Do you believe that I cannot be Buddhist because of this?"

Inuyasha frowned, confused. "Of course not! That's not what I-"

"I'm not saying that killing those men was right," Miroku cut him off smoothly. "But you can't place blame on yourself for something you did not intend to do. And I would appreciate it if you don't try to use my faith to aid in your guilt. I am here to help you, not chastise you, as your friend and partner. Buddhism is about finding balance in life. Let's focus on that."

Inuyasha growled. "You can't just ignore what I did!"

"I'm not," Miroku said calmly. "And I'm not asking you to forget it or move past it, either – that's not my place. You asked about my faith, so I'm going to tell you the most important part."

His eyes narrowed skeptically. "And what's that?"

"There are four aspects of life that everyone should have the chance to receive – everyone should be happy, healthy, free from danger, and be able to love with ease. To achieve enlightenment, you must show kindness, compassion, joy, and equanimity. The first stage of loving is to love oneself. Do you see what I'm getting at here?"

"You're saying I should be happy that I killed those men?" Inuyasha asked bitterly.

"I'm saying that all this hatred and blame you have towards yourself is poison. It does nothing but harm you and those who care about you. Nothing can change what happened. Our only course is to learn from the past, but you cannot let it control you."

Inuyasha looked down at his hands. "I can't move on when I don't even remember what I did."

Miroku closed his eyes. "You don't have to move on just yet. Just don't let it destroy you."

Inuyasha drew in a shuddering breath. "I can't stop it."

Miroku leaned closer and wrapped his arms around him. "I know. You're doing the best you can. Just let it happen."

Neither of them moved for a long time. Inuyasha hid his face in Miroku's chest and tried to stop the shudders running through him. He focused on Miroku's deep, even breaths, and tried his hardest to match them. Eventually, he heard the others returning. He pulled back just enough that he wasn't entirely shielded by Miroku, but kept their sides from their shoulders down their legs pressed together.

When Kirara touched down gently beside them, Miroku gave Inuyasha an appraising look. "Sango?" he asked gently. "Would you be able to prepare the food? I think we need to stretch our legs before the rain returns."

"Can you even walk yet?" Inuyasha asked suspiciously, helping him up.

"Well enough," Miroku smiled. "Though perhaps you could give me a hand down the cliff?"

Inuyasha rolled his eyes and maneuvered the monk onto his back. It was the first time they'd been in this position in months. Rather than hold on to Inuyasha's shoulders as he'd done before, Miroku draped his arms over his chest and shamelessly buried his face in the side of the hanyou's neck. Inuyasha carefully gripped his legs and hopped down the cliff to the forest below. At Miroku's request for a "nice spot," he sniffed his way to a wide clearing by a small stream. He'd been there many times before, some sixty years ago. It hadn't changed too much.

They sat by the stream on the damp grass. Inuyasha copied Miroku's cross-legged meditation pose, wondering what was going to happen next. The monk shifted slightly so that they were facing each other.

"I want you to follow my breathing," he said calmly.

Inuyasha did. Just like before, he let the slow, steady rhythm wash over him. Breathe in, and the scent of rain and earth and Miroku washed over him. Hold, and he was floating on nothingness, bound only by the faint murmur of the river and Miroku's heartbeat. Breathe out, and some of the tension fell from his shoulders. He started to feel calm, relaxed.

"Now," Miroku said, drawing him back to the present. "I want you to tell me how you feel."

All the tension came flooding back. "Why?"

"Because you won't be able to meditate when your mind is in turmoil. If you try to focus too much, I'm worried that you'll go to a bad place. I want to keep you here for now, but I need you to be honest about what you're feeling."

Inuyasha's lip curled distastefully and his ears flicked back. "What good is that gonna do?"

"It will help you," Miroku answered evenly. "Which will help everything else. There will always be suffering, but there will also be a path to stop it. We're going to find that path together."

It went against every instinct he had. Why should he dump all the hurt inside him onto someone else? It wouldn't do any good. It wouldn't _fix_ anything, just made Miroku feel bad as well. But then, the distinctly Miroku-sounding voice in his head reminded him, hadn't they agreed to be open with each other? Wouldn't he want to know if Miroku was going through something similar? Hadn't he begged his partner to share with him in the past?

Fuck.

"Fine," he grumbled, not looking at the monk. "I feel guilty for killing those men." Miroku inclined his head to keep going. "I also feel guilty for you being there, especially when you're still recovering. I feel guilty for making Sango watch another massacre. I feel guilty for scaring Shippo and turning someone he looked up to into a monster. I'm angry at myself for not being able to keep my youki under control. I'm furious that I'm so weak, even after so much training."

His breathing was growing rapid, his claws digging into the damp earth.

"And I'm fucking _terrified _of myself. All my life, everyone was always telling me that I was a mistake – that hanyou shouldn't exist. I fought so hard to prove them wrong, but what if they were right? I can't control myself! I don't even _know _myself anymore! I'm losing everything I ever had – things I never expected to have in the first place, and things I never thought I could lose. And I _know _that eventually I'm going to lose you, too – no, I'm serious! One way or another, this is going to destroy my pack, and I almost want to chase you off now rather than watch you all become disgusted with me. Or what if I kill you? I can't-"

"Inuyasha," Miroku said firmly. "Come back."

He looked away, blinking furiously. Fucking stupid. He should never have opened his mouth. So _stupid._

"None of that," Miroku chided gently, taking Inuyasha's hand in both of his. "I asked you to tell me, and I'm glad I did. You have every right to feel everything that you're feeling."

Inuyasha shook his head, eyes stinging, swallowing hard. "But I don't know what to _do. _I can't stop it from happening again, but I can't let myself hurt anyone else. And I can't watch you all hate me-"

"Stop," Miroku murmured. "Stop and take a breath." He waited for Inuyasha to comply before continuing. "You remember what I told you back when you were worried about Kouga? I told you that if I was unhappy with you, I'd tell you. I promised. Now, I can't say that watching your transformation didn't frighten me, but I don't hate you, and I'm not afraid of you, or disgusted by you, or any of the other awful things you fear. If I start to feel that way, I will tell you. If I feel that I need to leave the pack, I will tell you. And I can promise that the others will do the same. That's one part that you don't need to worry about."

"That's almost worse," Inuyasha whispered, voice choked. "You need to stay away from me. I'll transform again and kill you."

"You won't," Miroku said, and his voice had gained a steely edge. "We won't let you. What happened with the bandits was as much our fault as it was yours – we should have moved earlier to intervene. And I'm not saying we should be blamed – and neither should you. Just as you were not in control of your actions, we were put in an unfamiliar and difficult situation. Sango, Kirara, and I will be prepared next time. If you can't trust yourself, then trust in us. We won't let you harm anyone, including yourself."

And Inuyasha broke. He fought against the few errant tears that escaped him, bit down hard enough on his lip that he tasted blood. "I can't put that on you. I can't have you putting yourselves between me and whatever I'm trying to kill. I'll rip right through you."

"You won't," Miroku said. "We'll all work together to make sure that won't happen. And you and I can work together to try and prevent you from transforming at all. I can look into making sutras that will disperse your youki. _We will work this out together._"

Miroku pulled Inuyasha into his arms as he shook apart. The harder he fought against the sobs clawing at his throat, the more violently they ripped free. The world felt like it was crashing around him and it wouldn't stop. Miroku held him tightly, an unwavering presence and the only thing keeping Inuyasha grounded anymore.

Little by little, the swirl of fear and panic and pain quieted. Miroku's hands shifted from his back to his ears, petting softly, encouraging a few more tears to fall. Inuyasha's breath hitched once more and he shuddered. He eventually pulled back and Miroku let him. He offered a broken smile which Miroku returned.

"Alright," the monk said, breaking the heavy silence. "What do you need? Do you want to stay here for a while, or go back to the others?"

Inuyasha looked away, a little uneasily. "I guess we should head back soon. I just…I need a little time to think. On my own?"

Miroku nodded instantly, and a little anxious coil in Inuyasha's chest eased in relief. The monk squeezed his hand one last time and stood, waving him off as he moved to help. Inuyasha closed his eyes and listened to his quiet footfalls travel across the clearing, making it back into the forest before they paused. There was a small shuffle, and Inuyasha turned to see him making his way back towards him, something cupped in his hands. Inuyasha craned his neck to see what it was, but then Miroku knelt down and placed the large red flower on his knee. It was a wild camellia, knocked from its bush by the heavy rains. The only flower still blooming so late in autumn. Inuyasha opened his mouth, but no words came. It didn't matter. Miroku pressed a kiss to his temple and walked away once more.

Inuyasha closed his eyes as a few more tears slipped down his cheeks.

xXx

Sango readjusted the fish over the fire for the tenth time. She was determined to keep herself focused on the here and now, but that was difficult with Shippo asleep, Kirara grooming herself, and the rest of her companions off who-knows-where. She knew that Miroku would be handling things, which meant that she would have to handle him when he inevitably ran himself into the ground. It was the night of the new moon, which meant that no one would be getting much sleep. Inuyasha would insist that he was fine to travel the next day, unless persuaded otherwise for the sake of someone else. Miroku wouldn't be a willing participant in her plot unless he knew it was to allow Inuyasha to rest. Shippo wouldn't object to staying put for another day, at least, and she knew that she could count on Kirara.

For now, she would make sure that they all ate something. She poked at the fish a little moodily and watched them roast. Kirara lifted up her head with a trill and, after a moment to listen, got up and padded outside. Good. Miroku was back – but not Inuyasha? The hanyou would've brought them both up together. She hoped that wasn't a bad sign. She ground her teeth and waited testily for Kirara to bring Miroku up the cliff. She turned to the monk as soon as he emerged into the cave. "How's he doing?"

Miroku sighed and knelt down beside her. "Well, he cried over a flower, so I'd say middling."

Sango frowned. "That doesn't sound too bad…"

He turned to her flatly. "Have you ever cried over a flower, Sango?"

"No," she replied instantly. "All my crying is reserved strictly for squirrels and small birds."

"Fair enough," Miroku said with a tired grin, before the humour faded from his eyes. "He's better, I think. It'll take some time."

"He's alone now?"

"Not too far away," he shrugged. "He said he needed to think. He's still processing everything – he still can't remember what happened."

Sango swallowed and asked cautiously "You think he'll do anything stupid?"

"I don't think so," Miroku sighed. "He was thinking about leaving – or forcing us to go. I think I've convinced him that it's better if we all stay together, at least for now."

"Well, that's something at least."

xXx

The sun set on the other side of the mountain, so Inuyasha couldn't see it happen, but he felt it. He felt the world turn dark and dull, felt his youki settle down as his emotions ran rampant through his mind. And yeah, just like he thought, it was the worst. He bit the inside of his cheek and curled his hands into fists, the blunt nails digging into his palms, to keep from breaking down again. He wouldn't allow himself to be to be that weak again. He was just a disgrace.

Miroku and Sango had taken up positions near the cave entrance and were chatting quietly, their weapons on their laps. Inuyasha clutched Tessaiga, even though he knew it wouldn't transform for him that night. He just needed to feel it close. He'd been continually checking that it was there ever since… Well. It was just another thing to worry about. He'd gotten better at handling the sword, at least, but it was still heavy more often than not. Even in its lighter moments, it was more than double weight it used to be. He was slower with it than before, all his training wasted if he couldn't even use it when he fought.

And he needed to be able to use it. He could never let it go again. He couldn't risk it. He knew that if he was going to risk staying with his pack, to work things out together as Miroku had said, he needed to be stronger than ever before. He had to master the Tessaiga so there was no way he would be put in the position to transform again.

As the night wore on, Miroku came to sit beside him, Kirara taking his post next to Sango at the mouth of the cave. He gently pressed Inuyasha's head down to rest on his shoulder, smiling when he met no resistance. Inuyasha tried to focus on his breathing, to not let the emotions run over him, but it didn't work. He was restless, the usual anxiety from the new moon compounding his other fears. There was an itch under his skin, the need to move.

It didn't take long before he started pacing. He considered asking Sango to spar again, but throwing weapons around didn't seem like the best idea for anyone's nerves. He wished he could just go outside, run through the forest and burn off some of his energy, but he couldn't risk anyone seeing him. Besides, he was exhausted. He should have listened to Sang when she tried to get him to sleep that afternoon.

He ended up sitting at the edge of the cliff, letting the autumn breeze flow over him as he watched what looked like an owl circling overhead. Miroku sat with him for a while, then let him be. Inuyasha knew that he was trying to give him what he wanted, either company or space. In truth, Inuyasha himself didn't know what he wanted – both to be left alone and to be held safely in Miroku's arms. He wanted things to be right again, to be as they had been, but every time Miroku's eyes fell to his lips, he felt sick. It was better to watch the few birds as they passed, to imagine what it would be like to fly and to forget about the rest of the night.

Eventually, he heard footsteps again, and looked over his shoulder to see Sango approaching.

"You looked like you needed company," she said, sitting down beside him. She caught his glance back inside the cave and smiled. "I convinced him to rest for a while."

Inuyasha frowned suspiciously. "And he listened to you?"

"Of course not. I threatened him a bit. And promised that you'd try to get some rest as well."

"That's cheating."

"Yup."

He huffed a quiet laugh and looked back out into the night. Everything was calm and quiet. He wondered how the villagers were faring. The rain would have put out the fires, but did they have enough houses left undestroyed to give them shelter? Did they have any food, or had the bandits taken it all? Would they be able to survive the upcoming winter?

He shook his head to clear his thoughts. It didn't make a difference. He could never go back there again.

"Inuyasha?" Sango asked softly, drawing his attention. "I wanted to say that I'm sorry."

"What for?" he asked suspiciously.

Her jaw clenched. "After the last new moon. You asked me to make sure that you wouldn't hurt anyone."

He huffed. "That's not something you need to apologize for. It's not your fault that I was out of control."

"No, it's not," she sighed. "But still. Miroku and I have been talking. If it happens again, we're going to be ready."

"Miroku said the same thing," Inuyasha grimaced. "Just don't let him be stupid, Sango. Watch out for him when I can't."

She smiled softly. "I always do."

xXx

Inuyasha leant back against the cave wall, gently massaging Miroku's scalp, the monk's head in his lap. He eased his fingers from his hair just long enough to watch his nails grow back into claws. Miroku's eyes blinked open and he gave him a small smile before slipping shut once more. Sango stood from her post at the edge of the cliff and walked with Kirara deeper into the cave, sending him a nod as she passed. He took a moment to let the sounds and scents of his pack wash over them, reassuring him that nothing had drastically changed through the night.

He lifted Miroku's head from his lap and carefully laid him back down on the blanket. Miroku hummed slightly and rolled closer to the fire. Inuyasha tossed a few more branches into the flames and walked out to the cliff. He watched the sun as it rose, watched the birds weaving in and out of the clouds. He waited until Miroku's heartbeat slowed once more, until Sango's breathing deepened and she curled tighter around Shippo and Kirara. Then he stood. He looked over them all, just to be sure, and flexed his fingers. He scratched a few quick characters into the wall, his claws digging into the stone. He stepped back to admire his work, and glanced over his pack one last time.

Kirara was watching him with narrowed eyes. He frowned, shook his head. She blinked at him and lowered her head back to rest on her paws, tucking her tail neatly over her nose. He nodded in thanks. And he left.

xXx

The smoke stung his eyes. The molten ground burned his feet as he walked. He ignored it. The acrid smell of the lava had drawn him here. He knew the old demon changed his forge every so often, but he was prepared to go through them all one by one. He looked down at his claws – the phantom traces of blood still remained. His hand curled into a fist. Never again.

It seemed he was in luck – steam rose from the inside of the giant demon's scull resting in the middle of the volcano floor. He ducked under the protruding teeth from the skull's upper jaw, wrinkled his nose as the wave of heat which greeted him.

"Hey, you there, Totosai?"

The old demon glanced over his shoulder, his hammer in one hand, a red-hot sword in the other.

"We need to talk," Inuyasha said, coming to a stop behind him.

"Ah, yes," Totosai said, oddly solemn. "I expected you would come."

He gestured for Inuyasha to take a seat. Inuyasha did, jaw clenched, a pit in his stomach. He watched the old demon cool down the sword in a pit of water gouged into the earth, and set it aside for the time being. When Totosai held out his hand for Tessaiga, he hesitated for a moment before pulling the sword and sheath from where he'd tied it at his waist. Totosai examined the sword for a moment, then his eyes snapped up to Inuyasha.

"If you haven't managed to break it again, why are you here?"

"I need you to make Tessaiga lighter," he muttered. "I need to be able to use it like I could before you fixed it with my fang."

"What?" Totosai exclaimed indignantly. "You're still having trouble wielding it? I'm so disappointed in you. How can you let the weight hinder you still?"

Inuyasha swallowed the growl in his throat as his vision flashed red. He forced himself to take a breath. "Shaddup, you old codger. I _know _I'm not good enough for your precious sword, but tough. You gotta make it lighter for me, because I can't. There must be something you can do!"

Totosai scoffed. "Why don't you figure it out yourself?"

"I'm in a hurry!" he shouted. Swallowed. Looked down at his hands. "I don't want to transform again."

"Ah," Totosai said quietly, almost sympathetically.

"There was a demon. I couldn't master the Tessaiga, so I was trapped. I totally lost control of myself. I- I killed humans." His voice broke. "I don't wanna go through that again."

There was the fainted click, and then a pinch at his neck. He clamped his hand down and sighed as he pulled the flea away. "Myoga…"

"Master Inuyasha, nice to taste you again," he grinned.

"So this is where you've been hiding out?" Inuyasha grumbled. "Thanks a lot for lying to me about the sword, by the way."

The flea's eyes darted nervously to Tessaiga. "What do you mean?"

"Don't act innocent!" Inuyasha snapped. "You're the one who told Miroku and Sango about Tessaiga keeping me in check."

Myoga clicked his tongue and shook his head. "I should have known better than to trust _them _to secrecy."

Inuyasha couldn't suppress his snarl. "You had no right to keep that from me – not that it matters anymore. Knowing the truth won't help me keep hold of my sword." He picked Tessaiga up from the ground. "I gotta master it, or else…" He shook his head. "It's the only way."

Totosai hummed and leaned back, crossing his arms. "You've put quite some thought into this, haven't you?"

"Yeah."

"Well, that leaves but one choice," he sighed, looking up at the roof of the forge before lowering his gaze to Inuyasha. "You must kill Ryukotsusei."

"What?" Myoga gasped, jumping to his feet. "You can't be serious!"

Totosai surveyed him levelly. "Myoga, it's the only way."

xXx

When Sango opened her eyes, she immediately knew something was off. Her gaze darted through each of her companions, and they were not as she had left them. Kirara sat at the mouth of the cave, looking out into the forest beyond, and Inuyasha was gone.

"Miroku!" she called, scrambling to her feet.

He was awake in an instant, and she saw the flash of fear on his face. "Where is he?"

Kirara looked back at them both calmly. Sango's stomach dropped. She and Miroku followed her gaze to a few shallow marks on the wall.

"Totosai?" Miroku read aloud, and frowned.

"You think he's really gone after him?" Sango asked nervously.

"No doubt he wants to make Tessaiga lighter," he said, running a hand down his face. "We spoke about ways of keeping him from transforming. He would have gone to Totosai for help."

Sango watched him carefully. "What do you think we should do?"

His lips thinned as he pressed them together. "He's gone to Totosai before on his own. If he wanted us there, he wouldn't have snuck out. I think he needs some time alone to think."

Sango didn't bother pointing out how unconvinced he sounded. "But you can find him again if we need to, right? With the beads?"

"If I have to. It usually means that something's wrong when I summon him. I won't unless there's reason to suspect that is the case."

But she could see the unease in every line of his body as he sat back down by the fire. Her instincts were telling her to go, not to let a friend go through unknown danger alone. She tried to tell herself that Miroku was right – Inuyasha knew how to take care of himself, and Totosai hardly posed a threat. She tried to ignore the last time one of her friends had gone off on his own, at the break of dawn, without telling anyone, and what a disaster that had been.

By the evening, they took turns pacing the length of the cave.

Throughout the night, Miroku kept on reaching for the nenju beads with his mind, just to reassure himself that he still could.

By the next morning, they decided that they had waited long enough.

xXx

A demon his father had battled some two hundred years ago. How was fighting some crusty old daiyoukai that his father sealed away going to make Tessaiga lighter? Totosai said that it was his own fang weighing down the sword because he wasn't as powerful as his father. How would killing one demon fix that?

Inuyasha stalked through the forest in frustration. "You sure you know the way, Myoga?" he grumbled.

"Of course I do!" the flea snapped from his position on the nenju beads. "I am the keeper of your father's memory. I know the site of all his greatest battles."

"And you really think that destroying some demon will make me surpass him in strength?"

Myoga scoffed. "Now listen, Master Inuyasha. To 'destroy' the demon, all you have to do is stab the demon's heart. He still lies dormant from where your father left him, his powers sealed away by your father's claw. There is no need to be rash."

"I don't even have to fight him?" Inuyasha asked incredulously. "Then why did you get in such a huff back at Totosai's? Come to think of it, why didn't you tell me about this earlier? What else have you been keeping from me?"

"Even being near Ryukotsusei is a terrible risk," Myoga warned. "It took every last speck of his strength for Lord Tōga just to put this demon under a seal. He wasn't even able to deliver the finishing blow!"

"So now I'm the one stuck with slaying him like a coward?" Inuyasha growled distastefully. He didn't like the idea of fighting a defenseless opponent at the best of times, but now the thought made him sick to his stomach.

"It doesn't matter what Totosai said," Myoga told him sternly. "You are not your father. Slaying Ryukotsusei may make Tessaiga stronger, but you have no hope of defeating him in equal combat."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence." He looked down at the flea thoughtfully. "You think this will really stop the transformation?"

"Not directly," Myoga admitted. "But making the sword more powerful will allow you to escape from situations which would normally trigger your youki."

Well, it wasn't as though he had a choice.

The dense forest gradually thinned as he moved further up the mountain, following Myoga's directions. He leapt across a rapid river and began to climb the steep, rocky mountain face. The cliffs broke off at odd angles, leaving stone spires jutting up into the sky. He had to scale sheer walls of rock more than once – no wonder Totosai had said it was a full day's journey!

He'd left the others the morning before last. It was almost evening. He wondered if they were looking for him. He hoped that his note would buy him enough time to get this over with. He couldn't believe they'd hold back for too long.

"How much further, Myoga?" he growled, huffing for breath.

"Not much," the flea said placatingly. "We'll be able to see it soon."

"I should squash you," he muttered under his breath, and kept climbing.

He pulled himself up one handful of rock after another, and eventually hauled himself over the top of the cliff to the plateau beyond. He rolled onto his back for a moment to catch his breath.

"Master Inuyasha!" Myoga said urgently from his shoulder. "Over there!"

He looked over to the right, to where the plateau dropped off into a short valley. On the other side of the valley, pinned to a cliff, rested a giant dragon. His body stretched twice as long as a tree, the lower half buried deep into the mountain. A mask-like face was embedded on his brow, eyes closed. A huge claw pierced deep into his chest.

"Look where your father's claw sealed him," Myoga said. "His heart contains his powers, which is why the seal has immobilized him. That is where you must strike him."

Inuyasha frowned. He still didn't like this plan, but what else could he do? If killing a sleeping demon meant that he would be able to rely on Tessaiga, to keep his pack safe…

A white-clad figure dropped down from the clifftop above Ryukotsusei, landing lightly on the claw. When he stood, the hollow eyes of the baboon mask stared down at Inuyasha.

"Naraku!" he growled.

The demon's laughter echoed off the walls of the canyon.

"What're _you _doing here?" Inuyasha spat, venom in his voice.

Naraku cackled and crouched down on the claw, pressing his hands onto the old bone. A dark purple miasma dripped from his fingers, quickly eating through the claw. Naraku looked back at Inuyasha as he lifted into the air, disappearing as quickly as the claw did.

"The claw sealed his power!" Myoga shrieked, tugging earnestly at Inuyasha's necklace. "Run! Quickly, before we're both killed!"

As the last remnants of the seal dripped away, the puncture wound at Ryukotsusei's chest glowed red. A loud heartbeat stuttered back to life. The dragon's giant head shifted from side to side, and both his eyes and the eyes of the mask opened, glowing a deep scarlet. He blinked down at Inuyasha and flexed his claws, his hands as tall as the hanyou.

"Ryukotsusei," Naraku's voice boomed around the valley, and Inuyasha saw him standing back on the cliff above the dragon. "Over there is the son of the demon who hurled you into dormancy. Do with him as you please."

The cliff began to rumble and chunks of rock broke free as Ryukotsusei shifted free.

xXx

"You think this is it?" Miroku asked as they flew towards the volcano.

"This is the only active volcano in the direction he was heading," Sango shrugged. "If he isn't here, Kirara will track him wherever he went next."

"Look down there!" Shippo interrupted urgently, pulling on the collar of Miroku's robes. They all leaned over Kirara's side to see what had drawn his attention. A figure dressed in faded green and black robes rode an ox below them.

"What's he doing out of his forge?" Sango asked as Kirara instantly veered for the old demon.

"Who knows what he does when he's not making swords?" Miroku sighed. "Totosai!"

"Huh?" the demon said, turning to meet them as Kirara touched down behind Mo-Mo. "What are you youngsters doing here?"

"We're looking for Inuyasha, and we thought he may have come to see you," Miroku answered, sliding off Kirara's back.

"Inuyasha, hmm?" Totosai hummed, scratching his head thoughtfully. He closed his eyes and crossed his arms. "Inuyasha…"

None of the others were convinced.

"What are you hiding from us, old man?" Sango asked sternly. "We're not in the mood for games."

"No need for anything dramatic!" Totosai said, shrinking back against Mo-Mo. "He's gone to the Valley of Ryukotsusei."

"Where's that and why would he go there?" Miroku prompted with steel-edged calm.

"To make Tessaiga easier to handle," the old demon shrugged. "He couldn't seem to figure it out on his own, so I sent him to fight one of his father's old enemies for some good old-fashioned training. If he actually manages to win, Tessaiga will certainly be lighter. He might even be able to access a new technique!"

Miroku eyed him suspiciously. "If there was such a simple way to master Tessaiga, why didn't you tell him earlier? The last time you saw him, for example?"

"That'd have been too easy," Totosai shook his head. "He won't learn if I hand him all the answers, now will he?"

"Nothing about this has been easy," Sango growled.

"He's agonized over what has happened, and he came to _you_ for help," Miroku continued.

"That's why I told him what he needed to do," Totosai told them. "If he felt nothing after killing humans, he'd have no right to wield Tessaiga – but he still needs to put in the work on his own. Ryukotsusei is a dangerous opponent for even the most powerful of demons. If Inuyasha kills him while he is dormant, Tessaiga may grow lighter. If he decides to stand and fight a true battle, it would allow him to completely master the sword."

"Did you tell him that he would get stronger by fighting Ryukotsusei when he's not dormant?" Miroku asked, sharing a worried look with Sango.

"I don't believe I mentioned it, why?"

"We need to go after him either way," Sango said, already heading back to Kirara.

"You younglings – always so hasty," Totosai shook his head mournfully. "How is he supposed to learn to fight his own battles if you go running in to save him all the time? It's better to let him be."

Sango blinked. "Well screw that."

"Your advice has been noted," Miroku grumbled at the old demon as he climbed onto Kirara's back behind her.

"Wait, where are you going?" Totosai called up to them as Kirara lifted off the ground. "You don't even know where the valley is!"

Miroku and Sango exchanged a glance – he was right. Well, there was only one thing to do about that.

xXx

"Run, Master Inuyasha!" Myoga begged from his shoulder. "_Run!_"

"What?" Inuyasha scoffed, crouching down as a wave of dust flew from the crumbling mountain. "No way! I gotta fight him, and this way is much better than slaying a defenseless demon like some pathetic coward!" He pulled Tessaiga from its sheath and raised his voice. "You hear that, Ryukotsusei? I'm gonna take you out!"

"Inuyasha," the dragon rumbled thoughtfully, his voice coming from the mask at his brow. "You think that you can destroy me?" He chuckled. "How very entertaining. I shall have some fun with you."

"Fun?" Inuyasha echoed.

Then Ryukotsusei lunged. He struck like a snake, jaws snapping at where Inuyasha stood. Inuyasha leapt to the side, barely dodging the attack. The ground shattered from the impact, the plateau he'd been standing on breaking apart entirely. Inuyasha twisted in the air, landing the only place he could – on Ryukotsusei's outstretched neck. He ran down the dragon's body, pulling on his youki to keep him upright as he aimed for the heart. Ryukotsusei's head snaked around and struck at him. Inuyasha leapt off him, onto the face of the closest cliff. He ran to keep his footing on the sheer surface, and he could sense Ryukotsusei watching him.

"You shall indeed prove amusing," the dragon grinned, and his jaw dropped, revealing two jagged rows of teeth. A white light began to emerge from the back of his throat, and Inuyasha could feel the immense pull of the dragon's youki through the air. A ball of sizzling energy formed in his gaping mouth before shooting at the cliff. Inuyasha jumped into the air, a feral grin spreading across his face as the rocks burst apart below him.

But Ryukotsusei was laughing. Inuyasha looked over his shoulder, following the path of the energy blast through the cliff, through the air, and just in time to see it catch Naraku. The baboon-clad figure dissolved instantly. Inuyasha growled for good measure, but he knew better than to think it was the real Naraku. That monster's scent was nowhere in the valley.

"Only a demon puppet," Ryukotsusei said mournfully. "Hardly a worthy opponent."

Inuyasha landed on the valley floor, somewhat less optimistic that he had been moments earlier. The dragon hadn't even been aiming for him, and he'd almost killed him.

"Little man," Ryukotsusei's voice echoed from above him. "I hope you'll provide more amusement than he could."

Inuyasha snarled, his vision flashing red at the mocking name. "More than happy to oblige you!"

Ryukotsusei opened his mouth and roared, loud enough to shake the cliffs and leave Inuyasha's ears ringing. He tightened his grip on Tessaiga as the dragon lowered his head to look back down at him.

"Come at me, little man!" he demanded. "Don't deny me my entertainment!"

Inuyasha growled and charged. He leapt for the still-open wound left by his father's claw – if he could just hit that spot, he could win! The Tessaiga would be lighter! He would be safe!

He struck at Ryukotsusei's chest, hitting the spot dead-on. His sword bounced off the dragon's hide like a twig. Energy burst from the old wound, throwing him back and knocking him to the ground. He gasped at the impact and slid to a stop along the rocky ground. Tessaiga's blade rang from the impact.

Ryukotsusei laughed. "It is useless, no matter how hard you try. My body is harder than steel!"

His jaws dropped open again and another orb of energy began forming in his throat. His head reared back and shot forward, sending the blast of energy hurling forward like an arrow. Inuyasha launched to his feet and pushed into the air, but the blast struck just below him, the impact sending him flying. He flipped through the air and landed on a narrow shelf of rock on another of the cliffs, breathing ragged.

"Master Inuyasha, we don't stand a chance!" Myoga's voice shouted pleadingly from somewhere tangled in his hair.

"Save it," Inuyasha growled, somewhat surprised that the flea was still even there.

"I told you, your father could barely face Ryukotsusei long enough to seal his power!" Myoga cried. "The wounds inflicted upon Lord Tōga during the battle were ultimately what killed him!"

"_What?_" he gasped, ice flooding his veins. He'd never…

"He perished, did he?" Ryukotsusei asked, his head snaking forward in front of Inuyasha. "Little man, don't tell me you've come to avenge him with that ridiculous little sword."

Inuyasha scoffed, lifting Tessaiga. "Sorry to break it to ya, but I don't even remember my old man's face! As if I'd even care about avenging him!"

"How _dare _you!" Myoga demanded, jumping onto his nose. "You've been saved countless times by the very sword your father gifted you!"

"Stop interfering!" Inuyasha growled warningly.

"Traitorous son!" Myoga gasped, and hurled himself away and bounced down the cliff. "I'll have nothing to do with you!"

Inuyasha watched him in shock, actually feeling bad for a moment before he realized what was happening. "Don't pretend like you're not just running away!" he shouted after the flea, but it was no use.

But Myoga had distracted him enough that he didn't notice Ryukotsusei's tail whipping towards him until it was too late. It crashed into the cliff, slamming Inuyasha into unforgiving rock. He fell as the cliff crumbled, sending a shower of rocks crashing to the ground around him. He coughed and pushed himself back up, ribs aching. He lifted Tessaiga over his head, arms shaking from the strain at the still-heavy sword. No choice. It didn't matter that he was a weak hanyou – that there was no way he could face an enemy that had killed someone as powerful as his father. It didn't matter. He had to destroy Ryukotsusei, sealed away or no.

Even if it killed him, too.

xXx

"Do you feel that?" Miroku asked nervously. A demonic aura, stronger than any he'd ever felt before, pulsed from the mountains before them. It hit him lick a kick in the gut, and he could feel Kirara tense below him.

"That fool!" Totosai wailed from Mo-Mo beside them. "He's awakened Ryukotsusei!"

"He's fighting Inuyasha?" Sango demanded. "Totosai, how much trouble is he in?"

"Like father, like son," the old demon tutted, shaking his head. "What a bad day this is."

"Hurry, Kirara," Sango urged. "He's going to need our help."

"You won't be able to do anything against a demon like that!" Totosai scoffed. "Though I see why you would want to. If Ryukotsusei rises once more, the area will be razed to a field of ashes."

"So how can we possibly hope to defeat him?" Sango asked. "How could Inuyasha stop him?"

"Only Ryukotsusei's own power would be strong enough to defeat him. Inuyasha must use the Backlash Wave."

"What's that?" Miroku asked sharply.

"A powerful technique of the Tessaiga."

"Even stronger than the Wind Scar?" Sango prompted.

"That depends entirely on how powerful the opponent is," Totosai shrugged. "If their power is greater than the Wind Scar, then the Backlash Wave will be more powerful as well. It simply throws the other's power back at them."

"How do you know all this?" Miroku asked. "Did you test all this with the Tessaiga when you made it? Or do you instill these techniques in all your swords?"

"No time for stupid questions," the old demon huffed. "It doesn't matter how powerful the Backlash Wave is if Inuyasha can't use it."

"He's barely been able to use the Wind Scar since the Tessaiga was repaired," Miroku said.

Totosai looked up at the sky and sighed. "Then I suppose it's impossible."

xXx

Ryukotsusei shot blast after blast of sizzling white energy at Inuyasha, who could barely outrun the attacks. They were approaching faster and faster, to the point where he could feel their heat at his back. One caught the ground right below his feet and he fell with a cry as the rock crumbled. He fell hard, shaking from exertion. He groaned as he tried to push himself back up, but his arms weren't cooperating.

"Pitiful," Ryukotsusei rumbled. "This is more tedious than I expected. I thought that killing the son of Lord Tōga would bring me some satisfaction, but it means nothing to destroy a weakling like you."

Inuyasha heaved Tessaiga over his shoulder and ran with a shout. Ryukotsusei's hand shot out and caught him easily. The claws wrapped around his torso, crushing his ribs. Inuyasha pierced Tessaiga into one of his fingers, the blade glowing amber, but just as before, it couldn't pierce through his hide. Ryukotsusei slammed him into the cliff, and Inuyasha's vision whited out. He could feel his ribs fracture. He couldn't breathe. Ryukotsusei pushed harder and the rock began to crack from the strain. Inuyasha knew that his spine wouldn't be too far behind.

The dragon pulled back carelessly, letting Inuyasha fall to the ground. The rush of air brought him back to his senses and he coughed. He tried to lift Tessaiga but his hand clenched around nothing. His eyes snapped open and he grasped wildly for the sword – it was just within reach, falling right beside him. _So close! _Tessaiga! He couldn't lose the sword again! He couldn't!

Tessaiga struck the ground and Inuyasha followed a heartbeat later. A small sound of pain was ripped from his throat, but he still reached for the sword. He heard the crackle of energy as Ryukotsusei produced another blast. He could do nothing as it flew towards him and struck him into nothingness.

xXx

A deep rumbling came from the mountains as they approached. Light illuminated the cliffs in waves.

"Over there!" Sango shouted, and Kirara dove for the valley.

The silhouette of an enormous dragon stood out against the darkening sky. Broken rock littered the ground around him. Miroku could just make out a dash of red amongst the grey. Inuyasha wasn't moving.

Ryukotsusei didn't so much as glance at them as Kirara and Mo-Mo hovered in the air above him. He was looking down at Inuyasha scornfully.

"How pathetic," he said in a low, rumbling voice. "Dead already."

Miroku's heart clenched. _No!_

But then a pulse of youki shot through the valley, cutting through even Ryukotsusei's immense aura. The dragon reared back, eyes widening.

"Inuyasha!" Miroku shouted, careless of the attention he might draw. Because Inuyasha was injured. He was barely conscious. His youki was taking over.

And he wasn't holding Tessaiga.

Another wave of youki shot from the hanyou, and his eyes snapped open. They were blood red.

Inuyasha didn't know where he was. He didn't know what had happened. All he knew was _rage _and _pain _and the sound of Miroku screaming his name.

* * *

Miroku, bursting into the room wielding a metaphysical bat: You'd better be loving yourself, or I'm gonna have to hit you with the loving stick!  
Inuyasha: What the fu-  
Miroku: Are we sometimes enablers? Yes. Are we huge hypocrites? Of course! Do we know what we're doing? Not at all! Are we good at this? That's hilarious – have you met us? But I can tell you…uh… I forgot where I was going with this.  
Sango, kicking down the door holding a giant sword: Did someone order the anti-blame poker?

Also, guess whose new pain meds activated her heart condition? *This idiot!* Gotta love having multiple conditions. Keeps things exciting


	54. Chapter 54: s2e27

Warnings for this chapter: some more self-hatred, internalized hate, loss of self, unhealthy attitudes towards self-worth

* * *

"_Inuyasha!_"

He didn't know where the voice was coming from. Maybe it was all in his head. But it took hold of all his pain and anger and fear, narrowed it down to a singular point of focus. His eyes snapped open, and he snarled.

Ryukotsusei scoffed. "I see you're still hanging on. I'll end your misery."

_Survive._

The dragon was slithering towards Inuyasha, his body moving across the valley floor, knocking aside the untransformed Tessaiga with disinterest. Miroku and Sango could feel the pulse of Inuyasha's youki all the way from Kirara's back. The sky darkened as storm clouds gathered. Miroku and Sango exchanged a worried glance – they needed to get Tessaiga back to Inuyasha.

"Inuyasha!"

_Miroku._

Ryukotsusei reared back, almost right on top of him.

_Kill_.

He dug his claws into the ground. Pushed to his feet. Honed his gaze on the dragon. He growled.

"Your blood has awakened," Ryukotsusei grinned. "So be it. All the more entertaining."

_Kill!_

He raised his claws and crouched. He leapt. His claws caught the side of the dragon's neck. Ripped. Tore open flesh. Blood followed him through the air. Whet his tongue. He smirked. The dragon bellowed.

Inuyasha's youki was almost visible around him. His eyes were glowing red, the irises an electric blue and pupils narrowed to slits. His claws had grown longer and sharper. They'd torn through Ryukotsusei's hide like it was nothing. They had to stop him.

"If he fights like this, he may come out of this alive," Totosai said flatly from beside them.

"That's not living!" Sango snapped, gesturing at the salivating hanyou. "That's not him!"

Inuyasha was snarling as he leapt at Ryukotsusei, a speck less than half the size of the dragon's head. Yet he charged head-on, had no sign of fear. Even with Sesshomaru, he had held back, waited to test his opponent. This time, he dodged Ryukotsusei's snapping jaws, moving as though he was jumping from rock to rock rather than thin air, and sliced a long line down the dragon's neck. He landed lightly and laughed.

"Don't be so sure of yourself, little man," Ryukotsusei sneered, and light formed between his jaws.

_Move._

The crackling ball of energy shot from the dragon's mouth and gouged deep into the earth. Ryukotsusei laughed in apparent success. Miroku and Sango had seen the red blur shoot into the sky. Ryukotsusei saw him as well as he dove down, claws outstretched, a wordless roar following him through the air. He struck the dragon with enough force to shove him back against the opposite cliff, sending a shower of rocks down into the valley. The long coils flailed in an attempt to keep him upright, and Sango could see the Tessaiga shifting beneath him.

"He's so powerful," she muttered, shaking her head.

"He might be able to kill Ryukotsusei," Miroku said quietly behind her.

She glanced at him over her shoulder. "We can't just sit back and watch. Even if he's winning…"

He grimaced. "No. We promised."

She looked back down as Ryukotsusei shifted amongst the rocks. "We need to find a way down there without either of them stopping us."

"Don't bother," Totosai grumbled sourly beside them. "Let's retreat."

"_What?_" Miroku and Sango asked in unison.

"Isn't it obvious?" the old demon asked. "Inuyasha has chosen to fight as a demon."

"He can't _choose _anything when he's like this!" Sango snapped, gesturing down at the cackling hanyou.

"He'd need to use Tessaiga against Ryukotsusei if he's to master the sword," Totosai continued.

"That's not what matters now!" Miroku almost shouted. "I don't give a damn about him mastering Tessaiga – only about getting him out of here alive!"

_Tessaiga._

Another pulse of youki shot from the valley. They all looked down to where Inuyasha was walking along the ground, towards Ryukotsusei, slowly, purposefully. He wasn't laughing anymore. He wasn't even smiling. He almost looked like he was in pain. Each step was jolted and stiff. Ryukotsusei's head shifted, watching the hanyou carefully. Inuyasha didn't so much as glance at him, only continued on his path – to where Tessaiga lay on the ground.

"Do you see that?" Miroku gasped.

"Kirara, go!" Sango shouted. "We have to keep Ryukotsusei from attacking him!"

Kirara dove for the dragon, keeping just out of reach of his jaws. Sango reached into her robes and pulled out a vial of poison and threw it at the dragon. The lilac powder spread across his face, sizzling where it came into contact with the mask. Kirara landed on the cliff above him and tore some of the rocks from the ledge, sending them showering down onto him. Shippo threw his spinning top and a few jizo statues. Miroku threw his sutras. Ryukotsusei roared and his head thrashed back and forth.

"Surely that must have done something!" Sango said as Kirara passed back overhead.

Miroku frowned. "Yes, it made him mad."

Inuyasha took another halting step towards Tessaiga, hand outstretched. His breath came in ragged gasps as he blocked out the rest of the world. He could hear Ryukotsusei above him, hear the voices of his pack, and he knew if he focused on any of them he could lose himself. _Tessaiga_. Then he could fix everything. But first Tessaiga. The red was fading from his vision. His hand was shaking. The ground before him blurred, but he kept on walking. The sword pulsed, as though reaching out to his youki. His spirit settled a little in response. So close.

He was so close.

He wouldn't lose himself again.

Ryukotsusei whipped around, his eyes narrowing at the hanyou. "Impudence!"

Another attack formed in his jaws. Kirara twisted in the air and veered towards the dragon. Sango threw Hiraikostu. The ball of energy shot from Ryukotsusei's mouth, and Hiraikotsu struck his jaw and bounced off like a fly. Miroku's heart dropped.

"_No!_"

Light flooded the valley floor. They had to close their eyes against the immense glare. The sound of the impact ricocheted off the cliffs in a booming echo. When Miroku dared look, he could have cried with relief. A glowing half-circle lingered at the bottom of the valley, surrounded by scorched rock. Gradually the light faded to reveal Inuyasha, Tessaiga's sheath clenched in his hand. Amber sparks crackled along the wooden sheath.

"It's the barrier!" Shippo exclaimed, climbing over Miroku's shoulder to get a better look. "Just like with Hiten, remember?"

"It won't withstand a second attack," Totosai muttered as he and Mo-Mo flew closer. "That blast is too powerful."

Inuyasha had fallen to his knees, his claws digging gouges into the rock. His whole body was shaking violently, and his eyes were glowing red once more. They could see the struggle raging between his mind and his youki, how desperately he was clinging to control.

"Shippo, stay with them," Miroku ordered, picking the kit off his shoulder and tossing him over at the ox demon. "We need to draw him away from Inuyasha!"

"You're going to use the wind tunnel?" Sango asked sharply as Kirara took off towards the dragon.

Miroku ground his teeth and grasped the mala beads. "I don't know if I can suck him in, but we can at least distract him!"

Kirara dove first for the edge of the cliff where Hiraikotsu had struck into the rock. She braced against the side as Sango worked the weapon free. Miroku's hands were tight on her shoulders, and she felt his fingers squeeze in warning. He raised staff and began chanting, and a barrier formed around them as Ryukotsusei approached. The dragon struck hard enough to shatter the rock around them, his teeth gouging along the barrier, piercing through but not breaking it entirely, sending sparks flying along the surface. Miroku grunted but the barrier held. Sango ripped Hiraikotsu free and shouted for Kirara. Ryukotsusei was poised to strike again and they shot out of range, his teeth snapping shut just behind Kirara's tail.

Inuyasha's head snapped up.

_No!_

"How do we fight him?" Sango yelled back to Miroku over the rush of the wind as Kirara dodged to and fro, evading both jaws and grasping claws. They held on for dear life as she rolled in the air, her breath starting to come in harsh pants.

"His hide is too thick for Hiraikotsu," Miroku said, his eyes darting over the dragon's body. "We have to aim for the cuts that Inuyasha made!"

Sango drew her sword and angled it down as Kirara dove down towards Ryukotsusei's throat. She thrust the blade deep into the gouge made by hanyou claws, slicing through muscle and tendons. Ryukotsusei roared and pulled back, twisting his head around to snap at them.

"Has he got Tessaiga yet?" Sango asked breathlessly, clinging to Kirara's fur with her free hand as the twin-tail climbed higher into the sky.

Miroku glanced down, and his heart sank. Inuyasha hadn't moved. He crouched low to the ground, head down and shoulders hunched, shaking. Tessaiga lay just out of his reach.

_Pack. _His pack was in danger. _Help. _He couldn't. Tessaiga. _Help them now! _No! A whine turned into a growl. He couldn't stop it! _He couldn't stop it!_

"What's he waiting for?" Sango gasped.

Miroku turned to answer her. Instead, his eyes widened. "Look out!"

Ryukotsusei's tail whipped towards them. Kirara rolled to the side. The tail struck her along her flank, knocking both humans from her back. She yowled and dove for them. Sango instinctively caught a handful of Miroku's robe and yanked him towards her. His arm grasped her waist and the other flailed out with his staff. Kirara caught the fabric of his sleeve in her teeth and pulled, yanking them to the side. Sango used the momentum to snag onto her fur and hauled herself half-way up onto Kirara's shoulder. Miroku's hand braced against her back before dropping away, swinging back to be held by Kirara's jaws. He met the twin-tail's eyes, which were wide as her gaze darted between him and Ryukotsusei. As soon as Sango was situated, Kirara swung Miroku back at Sango, she caught him and hauled him back to his seat behind her.

And then a roar sounded from below them.

And it wasn't Ryukotsusei.

Inuyasha hurled himself at Ryukotsusei, caught the dragon's back, and ripped stripes down his flank. He was gnashing his teeth, the front of his robes quickly becoming stained with blood. He wasn't laughing. His ears were pinned back and his movements were increasingly erratic. Ryukotsusei flailed and writhed, trying to fling the hanyou from his body.

"What happened to Tessaiga?" Sango asked, eyes darting back to where the sword lay, abandoned.

"It's because we're in danger!" Miroku suddenly realized. "He's trying to protect us!"

"Shit," Sango swore, assessing the situation. "What can we do to get him back on track?"

"I don't know," Miroku shook his head. "Sango, he won't stay back if we're down there – he'll only keep on fighting. But I don't know if he'll be able to get back to Tessaiga on his own…"

"Do you think he'll listen to you?" she asked nervously. "We can try and lure him back while keeping our distance."

"We need to find some way to get Tessaiga to him!"

She grimaced. "You really think Ryukotsusei will let us get that close?"

Miroku's eyes darted back to Inuyasha as he bit into Ryukotsusei's throat. "You need to drop me off. I can reach him with the nenju – I can drag him to me if I have to – but we can't let Ryukotsusei follow after him."

"You want to go down there alone?" she asked incredulously as Kirara hovered in the air, unsure of where to go next.

"Put me on that far cliff," Miroku told her, gesturing at the ledge opposite Ryukotsusei.

"Alright," she said, sounding unconvinced. "We'll draw Ryukotsusei away if you can keep Inuyasha in the opposite direction."

He swung one leg off Kirara's back even as she approached and dropped down to the plateau. They took off, back towards Ryukotsusei, and Sango threw Hiraikotsu at the dragon's head. It struck him on the temple, still not breaking skin, but it distracted him for a moment. Miroku caught the nenju beads with his mind and pulled, hard. Inuyasha was dragged off of Ryukotsusei and landed hard on the ground. He spun around, his blood-red gaze locking onto Miroku.

_Wait._

Miroku swallowed – he needed to get Inuyasha away from Ryukotsusei as quickly as possible, but he strongly suspected that dragging him back with the beads would only register as a threat. Regretfully, he pulled a sutra from his robes and, before he could think too much about it, threw it down at Inuyasha. The hanyou leapt back, closer to Ryukotsusei, and the paper struck the ground uselessly at his feet. Miroku grimaced – so much for that.

"Miroku!" a voice sounded, and then Myoga landed on his shoulder. "What are you doing here?"

"What does it look like?" Miroku snapped incredulously. "I need to get him to listen to me."

"You can't stay here!" the flea insisted, tugging on the collar of his robes. "Master Inuyasha might come after us!"

"That's the point!" Miroku hissed, pointedly ignoring what he knew Myoga meant.

"He's lost his sense of discrimination," he warned urgently. "He's lost his senses!"

"Then why is he still trying to protect us?" Miroku asked sharply, his voice rising. "Why did he try to reach Tessaiga? Myoga, you don't know what's going to happen any more than I do, but I _do_ know that I'm not giving up on him!"

He ignored the loud protests in his ear and took a step closer to the edge of the cliff.

"Inuyasha!" he shouted down. "Inuyasha, listen to me!"

The hanyou froze, then slowly lifted his gaze back to Miroku.

"I need you here!" he tried, hoping that there was some recognition left of his words. "Please!"

Inuyasha's lip curled and he crouched, paused, and sprang forward a few steps. Away from Ryukotsusei. Miroku risked another tug on the nenju – much gentler this time – and Inuyasha's pace increased.

And then Ryukotsusei's hand caught Kirara and slammed her against the cliff face. She yowled in pain. Sango cried out in a mixture of shock and anger. Inuyasha's head snapped back around.

_No!_

"No!" Miroku shouted, and he was running. Along the top of the cliff, towards Ryukotsusei. If he couldn't keep Inuyasha away from the dragon, then he'd keep the dragon away from Inuyasha. Even if he couldn't suck Ryukotsusei into the wind tunnel, he could at least scare him off. Kirara was struggling against Ryukotsusei's grasp. Sango thrust her sword into the dragon's hand, but the tip of the blade snapped off. Inuyasha roared, raised a hand. Ryukotsusei's head swung around to stare down the hanyou. He widened his jaws and light pooled along his tongue.

Miroku was ripping the mala from his hand before Ryukotsusei loosed the blast. He braced himself along the cliff's edge and aimed the wind tunnel at the ball of energy. The edge of the void caught Ryukotsusei and the dragon shrieked and reared back, releasing the pair. They dropped down for a heart-stopping moment before Kirara righted herself and shot up, away from Ryukotsusei. Miroku's attention was focused solely on the blast as it careened towards Inuyasha. The hanyou hadn't moved. Neither had the blast – not enough, anyway. It was too strong! Even as the void gained momentum, and the glowing orb began to splinter, sending shards of energy spiralling up into Miroku's hand, he was barely pulling it off its course. Inuyasha was staring into the light. It struck the ground just a few paces to his right. Miroku sucked in a sharp breath as he wound the mala back over his hand – the full force of the wind tunnel, and the blast had barely moved!

Ryukotsusei rose into the air, locked his eyes on Miroku, and dove.

_NO!_

Inuyasha slammed into Ryukotsusei in the air, wrenched him off course. He clawed at his eyes, bit into the flesh of his face, a wild howl emanating from his throat. Blood poured down Ryukotsusei's neck as he grasped at the hanyou, trying to drag him off. Sango was shouting something above them, voice lost as the winds raged around them. A powerful storm was brewing. But then a bellow came from above them, Totosai raised his hammer, and a bolt of lightning shot from the sky. It struck the side of Ryukotsusei's head and Inuyasha instinctively leapt away to avoid being caught as well.

Before the dragon could recover, Kirara dove for him, biting at the wounds that Inuyasha had already created. Sango followed suit, digging her sword into the exposed flesh. Miroku tugged on the nenju beads once more but Inuyasha didn't look at him, his gaze fixed on the battle above. But he wasn't moving. He wasn't attacking.

Miroku took a deep breath and stepped off the edge of the cliff. It was barely more than a straight drop down, but he dug his staff against the rock to slow his fall. He caught himself on several larger boulders, forced himself to move slower than he would have liked. Breaking his neck would be counter-productive to his goal. He stumbled a little as he landed on the ground, pain lacing up his leg. Judging by the conspicuous absence of yelling in his ear, he guessed that Myoga had given up on him. Just as well. He wasn't exactly keeping himself out of danger. He ran for Tessaiga, keenly aware of Inuyasha's eyes on him. The hanyou was about half-way between him and Ryukotsusei. He looked torn.

He had to dig through the shattered rock to find where the sword was buried. As soon as he grasped the handle, he was running. Inuyasha was watching him, expression pinched, ears flat. Ryukotsusei was writhing, coming dangerously close to hitting the hanyou. He could tell the moment that Sango saw what he was doing, heard her shouting something at Totosai. Inuyasha was breathing raggedly again, one hand lifting awkwardly, almost tentatively. Tessaiga pulsed in Miroku's hands, and he could feel the youki around them shifting.

_Tessaiga?_

Miroku was almost to him when Inuyasha's eyes snapped up above him. Miroku still trusted his instincts enough, even when transformed, that he immediately ducked. Ryukotsusei's tail whipped over his head. Inuyasha leapt. Miroku braced himself. Then an arm curled around his waist and he was yanked to the side. Inuyasha bounded up the side of the cliff like it was nothing, dragging Miroku along none-too-gently. But he wasn't attacking. He wasn't acting remotely aggressive towards Miroku. He deposited the monk firmly back on the plateau and turned back around without a moment's hesitation, flung himself back at Ryukotsusei. Miroku was left still grasping Tessaiga and lost for words.

"Kirara!" he shouted once his mind had caught up. He saw her pause in the air, looked over to him worriedly. "I need you to bring me to him."

She looked incredibly dubious but began towards him regardless. Sango was staring at him, and forced Kirara to stop when they reached him.

"You saw that," Miroku said as she opened her mouth. "He's not going to attack me, a least not while Ryukotsusei's around. I just have to get close."

"You'd better be right about this," Sango sighed and helped him up.

Kirara flew low to the ground, approached Ryukotsusei cautiously. Inuyasha was still clawing at him. Miroku tugged gently on the nenju. The hanyou whipped around, his eyes narrowing as they landed on him. Sango raised her hand, and another bolt of lightning shot down at the dragon on Totosai's command. Inuyasha leapt back and landed on the ground before them. Miroku slid off Kirara's back and she and Sango took off. Inuyasha was staring at him with wild eyes.

Miroku lifted Tessaiga, and the sword pulsed in his hand. Inuyasha's eyes flashed and his youki swirled. He took a tentative step forward. Miroku held carefully still, intent on not appearing as a threat. Another step. And Ryukotsusei's tail slammed into them both.

Miroku connected hard with the cliff and slumped to the ground, stunned. Inuyasha landed not far away, head bowed, panting. Tessaiga lay between them. Miroku shifted slightly, reaching out for the sword. Inuyasha's head snapped up.

_Now._

He crawled forward and grasped the hilt of the sword. His youki flared and rumbled, and energy crackled down his arm where he connected to Tessaiga. Inuyasha gasped as his vision snapped back into focus. His breath came in shuddering gasps, and he tasted blood on his tongue. Not human. But there was a familiar scent nearby, sharp with pain. He looked up to see Miroku staring at him, splayed out over a pile of rocks, chest heaving. Inuyasha blinked a few times, his ears flicking back in distress. Miroku's face split into a relieved smile.

"What happened?" Inuyasha asked as the monk stumbled towards him. "You're okay?"

"Well, we're still imminently going to die," Miroku sighed, nodding pointedly at Ryukotsusei behind him. "But I'm glad you're back."

Inuyasha looked back at the dragon and growled, stepping further in front of Miroku. "Right, okay. Great." He lifted Tessaiga. "Ryukotsusei, this is it for you!"

The sword transformed and instantly tipped to the ground from its weight. Inuyasha growled as Ryukotsusei laughed. "You are so very weak as a hanyou, you can't even hold up your sword! Pitiful!"

"Shut up!" Inuyasha shouted. "I'm still going to kill you, but I'm going to do it the right way." He glanced over his shoulder. "Miroku, get out of here. I can't do this with you in danger."

"Just don't die," the monk warned him sternly, and he ran along the base of the cliff, away from them both.

Ryukotsusei coiled back, lifted a hand. "This time, I won't hold back for your sake!"

Before Inuyasha could respond, Kirara dove for the dragon, and Sango dug her sword into one of the multiple wounds down his neck. Ryukotsusei roared and shook his head, dislodging them.

"Sango, get out of there!" Inuyasha shouted up at them. "I need to be the one to kill him!"

Mo-Mo and Kirara both flew away from Ryukotsusei, and moved to hover above his head.

"You don't need to do this alone!" Sango called down to him. "You can be the one to take him down if you want, but don't be stupid – you can use all the help you can get!"

He shook his head, eyes darting to Tessaiga. "I need to kill him so I can surpass my father."

"Is _that _what this is about?" Sango asked incredulously. "Inuyasha, why the _hell _would you need to do that? What are you trying to _prove?_"

The question pulled him up short. He wasn't trying to- He needed to fix Tessaiga! He needed to keep his pack safe! Killing Ryukotsusei wasn't about-

Except it was.

Because if he could kill an opponent that even his father couldn't, then the world was wrong about him. He wasn't a pathetic half-breed, a waste of space. He wasn't too weak to handle his demon blood. If he could just do this one thing…

He lifted Tessaiga above his head and locked his eyes on Ryukotsusei. He would kill this dragon, and he'd do it with his father's sword, but he wasn't doing it for him. He closed his eyes, let out a breath, and channelled his youki into the blade. He raised the sword, focusing on it and it alone. There was no mistake about it – it was lighter than it had been just a moment earlier. It felt like an extension of his hand. He lifted it above his head. And he leapt.

A ball of energy shot above his head. He yelled. And Tessaiga buried itself in Ryukotsusei's chest. The dragon exclaimed in surprise. Inuyasha was almost as startled. He did it!

Blood spurted from the wound, and a strange force pulled him forward. Ryukotsusei's roar shook the valley. The dragon's youki shot out in a wave, throwing Inuyasha back. He heard his companions cry out as the immense power hit them. A blinding white-blue light swirled around Ryukotsusei as he lifted into the air. A blast was forming in his jaws, aiming straight at Inuyasha.

There was a grunt, then a shout from his right. The wind tunnel burst open beside him. Miroku had his eyes fixed on Ryukotsusei, was braced against the void. Ryukotsusei's jaws snapped open and the blast shot forth, this time heading for the monk. Miroku closed the wind tunnel, was reaching for his staff. Inuyasha landed in front of him, youki blazing, and cut straight through the blast instead.

Everyone froze. Inuyasha let out a shuddering breath. What the _hell? _Miroku's hand grasped his shoulder, and he caught the monk's arm.

"Kirara!" he shouted, and as she dove, he wrapped and arm around Miroku's waist and threw him into the air. He caught Sango's outstretched hand and she pulled him onto Kirara's back. Inuyasha barely had time to glance back at Ryukotsusei before he dodged the next blast.

The dragon was pissed. He hurled shot after shot of the energy at Inuyasha, forcing him to run along the cliffs, duck and weave. His youki was still thrumming under his skin, and he used it to twist in the air and slow his fall. An unusually long pause after a blast made him whip around, and he saw Kirara tearing into Ryukotsusei's wounds again. It was his chance!

Miroku caught his eye and shouted something at Kirara, who instantly kicked off the dragon's neck and flew to a safe distance. Inuyasha narrowed his eyes at the dragon, honed in on the aura surrounding him. To his utter shock, there was a familiar crackling line of energy building between them. The Wind Scar! But how- He hadn't even-

He wasn't going to complain about it.

He lifted Tessaiga, which felt as light as air, and hurled the Wind Scar at Ryukotsusei. The dragon shrieked as the six lines of energy raced along the ground and struck him, hard. He was thrown back, long wounds running down his body wherever the Wind Scar had connected. Inuyasha curled his lip in grim satisfaction and lowered his sword. He could still see the energy crackling down the blade. He could feel Tessaiga's power at his fingertips, could feel the Wind Scar sitting heavy in his mind.

"You did it!" Shippo exclaimed from Mo-Mo's back as he scampered over Totosai. "Did you see that? He _did _it!"

Inuyasha smiled tiredly, looked over to where Miroku and Sango were cheering on Kirara.

"I'll give you points for controlling the sword," Totosai said, shaking his head. "But it's too early to celebrate."

With a cold ball of dread settling in his stomach, Inuyasha glanced back at Ryukotsusei. He could hear the dragon's heartbeat. Could sense his youki still sitting heavy along the valley floor.

"Aw, come on!" he shouted. "Isn't this thing dead yet?"

The ground rumbled as Ryukotsusei rose, his eyes blazing. "Is that the best you have, little man? You disappoint me. I told you, my body is harder than armour."

"Inuyasha!" Miroku's voice called down urgently, and he was unwrapping his mala beads. "Get back!"

Inuyasha's eyes darted back to Ryukotsusei, saw the ball of energy forming in his jaws. His youki pulsed around him in an identical blue light. A pull of immense power came from the dragon, and even the gravity around them shifted. Smaller rocks began to float up from the ground to hover around him. The ball of energy in his mouth continued to grow.

"Don't just stand there gawking!" Totosai was yelling at him. "Run!"

Inuyasha lifted Tessaiga. The Wind Scar crackled to life around him.

"Inuyasha, _run!_" Miroku shouted.

He ran, towards Ryukotsusei. The blast shot forth. The Wind Scar didn't fade, only shifted to form around the giant ball of energy. It was now or never – if he couldn't avoid the attack, then he'd cut through it! Aiming for the amber line of the Wind Scar dancing along the surface, he swung Tessaiga with all his power. His youki flared around him. The Wind Scar burst forward, a wave of amber light shooting through the blast. Rather than dispelling it, the attack swept Ryukotsusei's energy up in its wake, sending it all hurtling back towards the dragon in a crackling, swirling mess. Ryukotsusei cried out. Lines of power shot out in all directions, slicing through his body, gouging into the cliffs around them, digging craters in the ground. A pull of power drag Inuyasha in a step before it burst out in a blinding light. He swore and dropped to the ground, shut his eyes and dug his claws into the rock.

When the buffeting winds died down, Inuyasha glanced around in a daze. Ryukotsusei's body was scattered in pieces across the valley floor. There was almost nothing left. What had _happened? _That was totally different than any other Wind Scar! He looked down at Tessaiga, felt the hum of energy running along the blade. Carefully, he transformed it down, keeping his eyes fixed on the blade.

"Inuyasha!"

Miroku was calling for him.

"Inuyasha!"

Shippo had leapt off Mo-Mo's back before the ox even touched the ground, took off running towards him. He deftly sheathed Tessaiga and caught the kit as he leapt for him.

"You did it!" he was babbling as he wrapped his arms around Inuyasha's neck. "There's nothing even left of that dragon! It was the most spectacular thing I've ever seen! You must be the most powerful person in the whole _world _now!"

Inuyasha barked a startled laugh and hugged the kit close as the others approached. He shared a look with Miroku and Sango that was equal parts amused, exasperated, and stunned with disbelief.

"How were you able to do that?" Sango asked with a crooked smile, propping an elbow on Miroku's shoulder and leaning against him tiredly.

"Uh…" Inuyasha said slowly.

"Very impressive, Master Inuyasha!" a voice announced as Myoga hopped from Kirara's head onto Inuyasha's nose. "I knew from the start you had the strength to defeat him."

"Myoga, where the _hell _did you come from?" Miroku asked incredulously as Inuyasha slapped the flea away.

"Totosai," Inuyasha said, walking up to the old demon. "I gotta say, I'm impressed. What the heck was that – some extension of the Wind Scar or something? Was that just from stabbing Ryukotsusei in the heart? Why didn't you tell me about that?"

Totosai stared at him incredulously. "You mean you used the technique without realizing?"

"What technique?" Inuyasha asked. "That was just the Wind Scar!"

"That was far beyond such a simple maneuver," the old demon shook his head grimly. "That was the Backlash Wave."

"The what?"

"You maneuvered your opponent's attack into being ensnared by the Wind Scar," Totosai explained patiently. "You were able to harness them both together to reverse the energy upon Ryukotsusei. That was how you were able to defeat him – he was struck with both the Wind Scar and his own youki. It is Tessaiga's ultimate technique."

"Huh," he said, looking down at the sword. "I didn't think about any of that. I just listened to my instincts and followed my nose."

Totosai actually looked impressed. "Just remember, to use the Backlash Wave, your opponent's power must be much greater than your own. Otherwise, the Wind Scar will simply dispel it."

"This should make battles somewhat easier," Miroku grinned tiredly.

"No shit!" Inuyasha muttered thoughtfully. He felt a little giddy. "And I can see the Wind Scar whenever I want, now! Watch this!"

He pulled out the sword and, with one hand, sent a line of amber light shooting into the closest cliff. The rock split open and huge chunks split away to crash into the ground.

"Very impressive," Sango said, watching the burning energy fade from the ground. "Be careful where you're aiming it, though, please."

"Heh, don't worry," he grinned, sheathing Tessaiga and turning to face her and Miroku. "I think I've had enough killing things for one day."

"I'll say!" Miroku sighed.

Inuyasha eyed them both skeptically. "You guys okay? I don't really remember what happened after you showed up."

"No one's badly injured," Sango reported. "Just a little battered, I think."

"What about you?" Miroku asked gently. "That couldn't have been an easy battle."

"Actually, I feel fine," Inuyasha shrugged. "More than fine, in fact. The transformation must've healed all my wounds."

"In that case, I vote we find someplace to rest for the night," Miroku smiled.

"Seconded," Sango muttered.

Inuyasha glanced up at the sky, at the sunset which painted the clouds in rich colours. It was so strange – he hadn't slept in _days, _and yet he felt more alive than ever! Was this what his transformations could be like? Was this what full youkai felt like all the time? It was exhilarating! But he looked down at the blood splattering his robes, clinging to his skin. It would never be worth it. He'd been lucky, _so fucking lucky_, that he'd gotten a hold of Tessaiga before he'd hurt anyone. He'd need to get the whole story from the others later, but based on how ragged they all looked, it hadn't exactly been an easy time.

They all clambered onto Kirara's back, held each other tightly as she followed Mo-Mo out of the valley. They said goodbye to Totosai in the air, send him and Myoga off with their thanks. Inuyasha was a little hesitant when Miroku suggested going back to the cave for the night, but he couldn't argue. As the heat of battle faded, both humans began to slump against each other, and Shippo had already fallen asleep on Miroku's shoulder. They agreed to head in that direction and stop in any storehouse or shelter they came upon first.

They ended up finding a small, run-down hut in the middle of a field. Inuyasha offered to go fishing as the others flopped dramatically to the floor, but a small chorus of grumbles assured him that it was fine. He chuckled and crouched down next to them, sniffing them all over again just to be sure before heading off to find some firewood.

Kirara and Shippo were deeply asleep by the time he got back. Sango had propped herself up against the wall and was propping her head up with her hand. Miroku had thrown the blankets over the floor and was lazily drawing swirls in the dust covering the floor. He wordlessly passed over his striker and agate when Inuyasha held out a hand for them, and watched idly as Inuyasha built the fire.

Sango unceremoniously slumped down on the floor and rolled over towards the irori, wrapping herself in one of the blankets as she did so. Inuyasha dropped one of the other two over Shippo and Kirara, and brought the last to Miroku. His partner shot him a grin and reached out with a hand, catching his shoulder as he knelt down and dragging him closer. Inuyasha wrapped his arms tightly around the monk and buried his face into his neck, pressing gentle kisses along the skin. Miroku hummed appreciatively and brushed his fingers along Inuyasha's ears. Inuyasha nipped gently at his jaw then pressed their lips together firmly.

Miroku chuckled when they broke apart, eyed the hanyou thoughtfully. "You're not tired at all, are you?"

"No," Inuyasha admitted a little wryly. "But you're clearly exhausted, so I'll be good."

"Come on," the monk said, pushing himself up. "Let's head outside so we don't wake the others."

"Wait," Inuyasha frowned in confusion. "I just said-"

"I've been waiting to kiss you senseless for days now," Miroku told him firmly. "And I have things planned that I feel like the others shouldn't see."

Well, when he put it like _that. _Inuyasha quickly followed him outside, excitement buzzing under his skin. He snagged an arm around Miroku's waist, pressed a kiss against his cheek. "Just for a bit, though. It's no fun if you pass out on me."

"You can carry me back once we're done," Miroku told him reassuringly.

They sat down on the grass just outside. Miroku shivered a little from the chill of the night air, and Inuyasha instantly wound his arms around his shoulders. They exchanged a few lazy kisses, breathing each other in. Then they simply held each other close for a while, looking up at the crescent moon.

"I don't think I've ever felt this good after a transformation," Inuyasha murmured into Miroku's temple.

"There were slightly different circumstances this time," his partner pointed out gently. "What do you remember?"

He sighed. "Not much. It's still mostly a blur, but I remember the Tessaiga calling out to me."

"You were trying to get to it. You wanted to come back." Miroku held his gaze evenly. "And even when you were transformed, you still recognized us as pack. You fought so hard to protect us."

Inuyasha frowned. "I didn't attack you? At all?"

"I don't know if it was because you weren't so seriously injured, or if it was because we were in danger, but you never even tried to fight us. You even pulled me to safety at one point."

Inuyasha huffed, closed his eyes. "What does that mean, for next time? Am I learning to control it? Will I be safe to be around? Myoga said it would only get worse, that each time the transformation would get even stronger. I don't-" He grimaced. "I just don't know what this all means."

"It means that you're constantly defying expectations," Miroku murmured against his neck. "It means that this thing doesn't define you."

Inuyasha pressed Miroku closer, buried his nose in his hair. He wanted to believe it – he really, really did. He wanted to believe that things would be somehow better. That he didn't have to worry about transforming anymore. That he would be safe to be around. That he'd come out of it with the enemy dead and his pack smiling and be floating on his newfound power. But life was never that easy. He still couldn't remember most of what had happened. His pack had still risked their lives to get him back under control. Even if he would protect them in his mindless state, the same couldn't be said for any other humans around. In their eyes, he would still be the monster.

"You were incredible today," Miroku said quietly, pulling him from his thoughts, placing a kiss on the corner of his mouth.

"I definitely got lucky," he sighed. "But Totosai's right – I used the Backlash Wave without even realizing it. It took me ages to understand the Wind Scar, and there's no guarantee I'll be able to use the Backlash Wave the next time I try. I still don't even get what it is."

"You just need practice," Miroku assured. "I'm sure you'll figure it out."

"Yeah, maybe." Inuyasha sighed and leaned back. "One thing's for sure – it'll be a lot safer for everyone once I become a full demon."

Miroku blinked, his heartbeat rising. "What?"

"Tessaiga's becoming more powerful, but I still can't control it," he explained. "And I risk transforming every time I lose it. I know, the transformations might be better, but that's one hell of a risk that I'm not prepared to take. Once I use the Jewel, I won't have to worry about transforming or figuring out the sword."

"You can't," Miroku breathed. "Inuyasha, you must realize you can't-"

"Why can't I?" Inuyasha retorted. "It would be better for everyone if I did!"

"It's not worth the-"

"I _know_ the Jewel is dangerous!" Inuyasha snapped, exasperation colouring his voice. "Obviously I know, but isn't it worth the risk? I could transform at any moment and kill you without a second thought. I _know_ that my body can't handle the demon blood, which is why my youkai form is so awful. If I use the Jewel, I could make myself _right!_ I could get rid of the Jewel once and for all – we wouldn't have to worry about anyone taking it ever again – and I can finally become a proper demon! You saw how powerful I was when I transformed, and I can use that power safely if I use the Jewel."

"It's not worth it!" Miroku argued, his voice rising. "A transformation by the Jewel-"

"Would make everything better!" Inuyasha shouted. "I can't stand losing myself all the time and coming back not knowing what I've done or who I could have killed. Using the Jewel would _fix_ me! Even if I'm not perfect, it _has_ to be better than this. It's worth the risk!"

"That's not the problem!" Miroku insisted. "I'm not disagreeing because using the Jewel is too risky – which it _is_, by the way. I'm saying that I don't _want_ you to turn into a demon! I want you to remain as you are. I fell in love with _you_, Inuyasha! I love _you_, not some permanently altered version of yourself that you think you should be."

Inuyasha went rigid. He blinked rapidly. His mind tried to process the words. "You…you love me?"

Miroku froze before a sorrowful smile formed on his lips. "Yes. Yes, Inuyasha, I love you." He swallowed hard. "And I can't stand the thought of losing you for good. Not to a transformation, with the Jewel or otherwise."

"But…" Inuyasha shook his head, chest heaving. "That was never… You don't need to worry about losing me. I'll still be there for you as a demon."

"It's not about me," Miroku whispered. "It's not about _us_. I know you've wanted to use the Jewel from long before I met you – that you wanted to use it to become human for Kikyo. It's not right. You'd be sacrificing half of yourself, either way. You'd be losing half of your soul."

Inuyasha squeezed his eyes shut. "I don't get it. I don't understand why that's such a problem. I'm a hanyou! Half-breeds aren't supposed to exist! They're trapped between two worlds. Everyone hates us. _Everyone_ knows we're the worst of both sides. Miroku, I'm _wrong!_"

"No, you're not!" Miroku shouted, and Inuyasha was startled at the intensity of the words. "I know you've been told that you're whole life, but it's _not true. _Anyone who's gotten to know you can see that! Inuyasha, everyone around you – me, Sango, Shippo, Kirara, Kaede, even _strangers _from that boy in the village to Nobunaga to Nazuna, _everyone_ who's been able to look past their stupid, hateful prejudice has seen how amazing you truly are."

"Miroku-"

"What about Jinenji?" Miroku snapped. "What do you think Kura would have to say about hanyou? What about Sango? She's studied every youkai in existence. Don't you think she would know if there was something wrong with you? And what about me?" he asked finally. "Inuyasha, I've travelled with you for more than half a year. I've seen your anger, your grief, your hate, all the worst parts of you. And I've seen your compassion, your intelligence, your courage – your _strength_. I've seen _you_, and I can tell you with absolute certainty that there is _nothing _wrong with who you are now."

Inuyasha gasped. The breath stuttered in his lungs. His eyes were fixed on Miroku, stinging with unshed tears, and he couldn't move.

"I know the transformations frighten you," he continued, his voice dropping to a gentle murmur. "I can't imagine all that you've been through over the past few months. But the Jewel isn't the way. _You _are the one who will overcome this. Today was proof that you _can _learn to control this thing. I know it's difficult, and it will be a long and uncertain path, but we're all going to stand by you and help however we can. Just don't give up on yourself."

He wrapped his arms around Inuyasha, pulled him close. He pressed his face against his neck, whispered the words into his skin.

"We'll never give up on you."

* * *

Important Announcement: Well, here we are. Two seasons down, 400k+ words, approaching a year in the making. The next chapter is going to cover the first movie, and since it's around 5x longer than the episodes, I'm going to need a bit longer to write it. After that, I need a little bit of a vacation. However, I will also be doing some editing in that time, fixing spelling errors and doing some formatting on previous chapters, tweaking a few scenes here and there. I'm not sure if people who've bookmarked/favourited this story will get notifications when I edit, but if so, I apologize and please ignore them. Here's the schedule:

Friday, November 6: no update  
Friday, November 13: the entire movie  
Friday, November 20 AND 27: on vacation  
Friday, December 4: first chapter of season 3

During this time, I need your help to determine some crucial aspects of where this story is going. Firstly, season 3 and ESPECIALLY season 4 have a whole lotta filler episodes, so I would love any suggestions you have regarding things you want to see (specific scenarios, showdowns between specific characters, a day at the beach, etc.)

Secondly, I've seen several people wondering about who Sango will end up with. The answer? I don't know. I don't have any strong leanings in any particular direction, so I'm absolutely open to suggestions. Here's what I have thought of so far:

A) No one. She doesn't need romance as her plot is more centred around Kohaku  
B) Kouga (remember that Ayame still exists and I actually like her as a character, so she will be featuring in more of the story than in the show after she gets introduced)  
C) That random suitor guy from the episode with the bear demon where Kagome's playing matchmaker  
D) Sesshomaru. More open to humans, interesting dynamic with the pack already…  
E) Amari Nobunaga. A pacifist clutz with a highly-skilled demon slayer? There's potential  
F) Someone else entirely (man or woman (or nb), human or demon (or hanyou) possibly an OC)

I don't necessarily feel the need to make a romance with her a huge part of the plot, but it's definitely something I'm open to exploring.

Please let me know in the comments and I'll see you all in two weeks!


	55. Chapter 55: Movie 1

This chapter is for the first movie, Affections Touching Across Time. The plot is somewhat condensed, because the regular 20-minute episodes are running about 7-10,000 words these days, and this is an hour-and-a-half long. Warnings for this chapter: canonical violence and death, threats of death, angst, trauma, mind control, loss of autonomy, self-inflicted injury leading to unintentional death, lots of characters in bad places mentally

* * *

Inuyasha leaned back against a boulder by the water, simply watching the others. Shippo and Kirara were splashing around, utterly distracted from their attempts at fishing, to no one's great surprise. Sango was keeping an eye on them while she washed her armour, her leather tunic and pants already laid out to dry under the late autumn sun. And Miroku… The monk was humming softly as he repaired a small rip in his kesa, a carefree smile on his face. The sight made Inuyasha's heart clench.

They had all been taking a well-deserved rest after Ryukotsusei, safe in the knowledge that nothing was trying to kill them at that exact moment. It should have been relaxing – and it _was_, and Inuyasha was grateful that his pack could have a moment to themselves. He was also unspeakably relieved that the looming question of his transformations had been quelled – at least for the moment. He was still a danger to humans, and they theorized that he might still view his pack as threats if they were the only ones left alive in the vicinity and his youki hadn't settled. But he would still protect them. Even in his worst state, he would try to keep them safe.

The stress that had been building since Goshinki was finally fading, and he could focus on other things. Unfortunately, this had given him some time to think, something he didn't particularly want to do at the moment. Because his last conversation with Miroku was still slamming around his mind with all the grace of a drunken bull. That Miroku didn't want him to turn into a full demon not only because he feared what using the Jewel may do, but because he liked him as a hanyou. That he didn't see Inuyasha's bloodline as a weakness. That he would accept him for who he was, for _what _he was, even when the whole world said otherwise.

That he loved him.

It was so unreal. It didn't make sense. He had loved Kikyo, and he knew that she loved him as well, though they had never said the words. Not before she died, at least. Their relationship had been so fraught, and he was never entirely certain where they stood. He'd been so desperate to cling to her. And then with Miroku… He had shied away. Like a fool. Like a coward. He hadn't said the words back. He couldn't. He'd felt the moment suspended in the air around him, knew what he was supposed to do, and he'd choked on the words. And the worst part was that Miroku hadn't pulled away, hadn't demanded a response. He remained a constant presence by his side, all warm smiles and gentle touches.

No, the worst part was that Inuyasha knew how he felt. And yet he couldn't say anything. The words got stuck in his throat every time he tried. Because if he said them, they would be real. _This _would be real. And it terrified him – almost as much as the thought of losing Miroku. Because if he actually admitted to himself and the world how he felt about this human, then it would hurt that much more when things inevitably went wrong.

He'd promised Miroku a dozen times that they'd defeat Naraku. And he believed they would – there was simply no other option. But the past few months had shown him a world more full of danger than he had ever imagined. He'd decided to court a human – a particularly lethal human, to be sure, but a human all the same. He'd been utterly astounded by the man more times than he could count, and yet every threat seemed so much greater than before. He'd never had so much, and never had so much to lose. Every demon was a threat to his partner. Every time he transformed was a chance for Miroku to realize what a mistake he'd made. Every time he messed up, was too weak, too rash…every time he let his pack down, he knew he could lose his monk. And it was the only defense he had left, his last shred of safety, to not admit to anyone, even himself, that he loved this man with every fiber of his being.

But that evening, as they shared a meal together and laughed over wild stories from their pasts, he couldn't stop staring. Shippo was demanding that they train him on Hiraikotsu, and Sango's expression was alternating between amused and horrified while Miroku tried desperately to keep a straight face as he explained that they might want to start with something a little smaller.

"But you all have such powerful weapons!" Shippo argued loudly. "It's only fair that I have one as well."

"You do very well for yourself with your foxfire and magic," Miroku tried again. "Why not focus on them? You can try training with us, if you'd like."

"That stuff won't help me in a real battle!" the kit complained.

"You're not going to _see_ a real battle," Sango cut in decisively. "You just need to keep yourself safe. One day you'll be old enough to join in, but not yet."

"If I had a more powerful weapon, it'd be safe enough for me to join in!" Shippo said, slowly and clearly as though they simply weren't grasping the concept. "All of you have the best weapons around. Everyone in this pack has the biggest, most powerful-"

"Shippo, I have a decorative stick," Miroku told him firmly. "Besides, it's not like anyone else here has a weapon that's ridiculously big for them."

He shot Inuyasha a sly grin as he spoke and, as he caught the hanyou's gaze, a teasing wink. Inuyasha almost blurted it out then and there. But he didn't.

That night, they left under the guise of collecting more firewood. Sango rolled her eyes at them, silently informing them that they weren't fooling anyone. Inuyasha couldn't care less – he knew that he'd pulled away from Miroku after Gatenmaru, and neither of them had had their fill of each other since. They barely made it ten steps away from the campsite before Inuyasha had his mouth clamped over Miroku's. He cupped his jaw with one hand, the other pressing against his back. Miroku's arms wrapped around his waist, brushing over his ass and causing him to moan. Miroku chuckled into his mouth in turn, nipped at his lips. Inuyasha moved along his jaw, teeth grazing over the skin. He dipped down to kiss Miroku's neck before he flicked his tongue along the two small golden hoops at his ear – they'd become a bit of a fascination for him.

As though inspired, Miroku's hand reached up to brush his fingers along Inuyasha's own ears, teasingly at first before he caught one of the delicate shells between finger and thumb, rubbing a little more forcefully. Inuyasha broke off his ministrations to gasp into Miroku's neck, hands clenching at his robes. This time, there was nothing to swallow Miroku's delighted laugh. Inuyasha squeezed his eyes shut and breathed deeply, drinking in his warmth and arousal and _joy_.

"Fuck," he muttered quietly, pressing his face against the warm skin.

Miroku hummed softly and obediently let go of the ear, ran his fingers through the long hair instead as some of the heated energy faded between them. Inuyasha licked a stripe up Miroku's throat before recapturing his mouth.

"Yash," Miroku breathed between kisses, pressing them closer together. "Kami, Yash, I-"

He broke off into another kiss. Inuyasha wrapped his arms around him and held him tightly, a pang of guilt and fear in his gut. Miroku hadn't said it again since the first time. Inuyasha had to convince himself that it was because he was giving him space, not pressing. Not because he'd changed his mind. He was pretty sure that the monk wouldn't be throwing himself at him if he'd suddenly decided that Inuyasha wasn't worth it. But still, the guilt was overwhelming.

As they settled down to sleep, curled up close to the fire to fight off the chill of impending winter, Inuyasha held Miroku close. He cradled the monk's head to his chest and wrapped his other arm securely around his back, feeling Miroku's hands settle against his sides. He knew that Miroku could tell something was wrong, by the way his hands stroked soothingly down his ribs and the gentle kiss pressed against his collar bone. Inuyasha buried his nose in Miroku's hair and squeezed his eyes shut. His heart was pounding and his muscles tensed as the intensity of his affection for the man in his arms threatened to drown him.

xXx

The night air was still and calm in the marshes, barely disturbed by the chirp of insects and frogs. Sesshomaru walked silently, with no particular destination in mind. He knew that he had to return to Rin at some point, that Jaken would come looking for him if he failed to return within the next day or so. His followers were more numerous and demanding than he particularly cared for. He would have to see to it that they didn't grow rapacious. For the time being, he could enjoy the quiet of solitude.

Until he felt eyes on him. He glanced over to where two youkai stood on a grassy patch amid the marsh waters. They held the appearance of near-humans, with rich foreign clothes and surrounded by an heir of haughtiness only found amongst the most powerful class of daiyoukai. They stared at him unflinchingly, unperturbed.

"What do you want?" he asked coolly.

"Lord Sesshomaru," one greeted stiffly, the one with long pink hair and matching armour.

"We'll have your fang," the other stated, more hotly, her hand on her hip.

Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed. "My fang?"

His gaze landed almost unintentionally on Tenseiga. Though Tokijin was also forged from the fangs of a demon, he had to assume that _the _fang was that of his father. What could they desire from a sword with Tenseiga's power?

The second demon was running at him, feet skipping lightly over the water. She slashed her hand through the air, a trail of blue-white power flowing from her fingers and transforming into a qiang spear. The other was not far behind, two leaves in her hands stretching into twin swords. He widened his stance slightly, summoning a poison whip to the tips of his fingers. He snapped the whip forward, catching both the demons across the chest. They flew back through the air, their weapons landing on the ground with a clatter. A quick strike to each in turn had them dead.

He sniffed lightly and walked away. Powerless, after all. An odd occurrence, to be sure, but not a notable one. They were vastly overconfident in facing him and had paid for it with their lives – as it should be. However, he had to wonder at their purpose for seeking him out. If they knew of the Tenseiga's power, then surely they knew that only those who felt pity for mortals could use it. That seemed unlikely for them. His fang, they had said. Perhaps they wanted a different fang. Possibly, they had been after Tokijin, after all. Or perhaps, just perhaps, it was Tessaiga they wanted.

Sesshomaru altered his path, walking towards the crescent moon. Unease rippled along his skin, warning that this was far from over. He would need to investigate.

xXx

"I swear it!"

"I don't believe you!"

Miroku's grin grew wider, despite how hard he tried to appear serious. "On my honour, I didn't take the last one! Blame Shippo, if you have to."

"Oh please," Inuyasha snapped haughtily, a poorly-disguised smile in his voice. "Like I wasn't keeping an eye on that little monster. I know better than to trust him around sweets – but I thought I could trust _you!_"

"Can you two please focus?" Sango asked mildly, tying her carrying cloth with her travel clothes to her waist. "Even I can sense the Jewel shard now. We have to be getting close."

"And now I have to fight on an empty stomach!" Inuyasha said mournfully.

"You had four sweet buns," Miroku pointed out instantly. "I wouldn't call that 'empty.'"

"Maybe it was Sango," Inuyasha theorized, eyeing the slayer. "She's acting awfully defensive."

"_She's _going to let you get eaten by the demon if you don't start paying attention," Sango growled.

They stopped at the beginning of a deep ravine, their expressions sobering significantly. A large mound of rocks littered the bottom, from which a strong demonic aura was emanating. Miroku nodded, confirming the Jewel's location.

"Alright," Inuyasha said. "We spread out and take this thing from all sides."

Sango nodded, eyeing the narrow canyon walls which grew further apart in the distance. "If we have to regroup, head further down the ravine so we don't get blocked in."

"Right," Miroku said, then snagged the front of Inuyasha's robes and pulled him in for a quick kiss. "For luck," he said in answer to the hanyou's stunned expression, before sending Sango a wink and stepping off the steep edge of the ravine.

Inuyasha watched him slide down the rocky slopes with wide eyes before looking back at Sango, utterly dazed. Sango heaved a deep sigh and climbed onto Kirara's back. She couldn't take these two anywhere. As Kirara flew over the direction Miroku had pointed, the pile of rocks began to shift and move, revealing six long legs and two giant crablike pincers. The rest of the giant body slowly emerged from the shale and dust – a plated, shiny black exoskeleton, eight beady eyes, and a long tail ending in a fearsome-looking stinger.

As the demon whipped its stinger around, Inuyasha shook himself out of his stupor and grabbed the hilt of Tessaiga. "Stay here," he told Shippo firmly before leaping off the edge of the ravine and landing easily beside Miroku.

"What _is _that thing?" he asked, eyeing the creature warily. It looked like some cross between a spider and a crab.

"It's a venomous creature from the mainland, called a scorpion," Miroku answered, and Inuyasha saw how his eyes followed the stinger carefully.

"Dangerous?" He could already feel his youki rumbling beneath his skin.

"The regular ones can kill a human," the monk said grimly. "I don't know much else about them. Sango?" he called up to the slayer.

"Watch out for the stinger coming at you," she called back to them. "It will try to catch you with its claws and pin you until it can sting you."

"Alright, then we should cut off the tail before anything else," Miroku said. "Inuyasha, we'll take the legs while Sango and Kirara focus on that."

"What's it doing here?" Sango muttered, sticking close to them with Kirara as they approached.

"Who cares? It doesn't stand a chance!" Inuyasha grinned widely, pointing for Miroku to circle around to the left as he took the right.

The scorpion began to charge, and Inuyasha immediately changed course. Tessaiga transformed in his hands as he leapt at the demon, aiming for its eyes. A pincer swung at him and struck him from the air. He crashed to the ground, still in the scorpion's path. Miroku spun around and immediately dove on top of him, raising his staff above them to summon a barrier. The pincer glanced off the spirit shield only once before Hiraikotsu sliced through it. Miroku dropped the barrier and Inuyasha's arm snaked around his waist before he carried them both out of danger with a few short bounds.

Now thoroughly enraged, the scorpion was snapping at them with its remaining pincer, its stinger swinging menacingly above its body. Venom shot from the stinger with alarming accuracy, melting the ground in front of them as they jumped back. Sango threw Hiraikotsu again, down the scorpion's back, but the weapon only glanced off the thick plated armour. Inuyasha ran for its side, trying to get at its legs. The other flailing pincer caught him and sent him flying. Miroku made his way to the scorpion's other side. As Sango caught Hiraikotsu, the demon's tail whipped around towards her. Kirara dodged but the edge of the stinger still caught Sango broadside, throwing her off the twin-tail's back. Miroku threw his staff to his side and ran for her, catching her as she fell. The impact knocked both of them to the ground, Hiraikotsu crashing down next to them.

"Hey!" an angry voice shouted from above them, and they all looked up to see Shippo running along the clifftops. He skidded to a stop parallel to the scorpion and threw down one of his spinning tops. The toy expanded rapidly as it bounced along the cliff to the bottom of the ravine, dislodging a shower of rocks which fell onto the scorpion. It stumbled under the force, raising its forelimbs menacingly. As Shippo retreated, Kirara flew low overhead, drawing the scorpion's attention, and Inuyasha leapt for its eyes.

"Alright?" Miroku asked, already rolling to his feet and pulling Sango up with him.

"Yeah," Sango said, a little breathlessly. "We need to keep it from thrashing."

Inuyasha plunged Tessaiga into one of the scorpion's two main eyes, and Kirara landed on top of its stinger, biting hard at the joint but unable to pierce through.

"While it's distracted," Miroku instructed, gesturing with his staff. "The Jewel shard is in the stinger!"

He threw a handful of sutras at its remaining pincer, which sizzled with energy as they connected. Sango ran underneath its forelimbs, lifting Hiraikotsu above her head. Miroku raised his staff and sliced through the leg closest to him while Sango took one on the other side. The scorpion shrieked and stumbled, flinging Kirara from its tail as it whipped back and forth. Kirara dove for Sango while Inuyasha jumped off the demon's face and grabbed Miroku out of reach of the flailing body and claw. The stinger shot forward, spewing another stream of venom out over the scorpion's head. Inuyasha swore and dragged Miroku out of the way, blocking a second shot of venom with Tessaiga's blade.

Sango swung onto Kirara's back and they rose back into the air, waving her sword pointedly. Inuyasha nodded and aimed for the legs once more, slicing through one before he was forced back. Quickly losing mobility, the scorpion was compensating with its tail, which was striking wildly through the air. Sango threw Hiraikotsu twice, but each time it passed shy of the stinger. As Kirara swung back around, Sango snatched a glass vial from under her shoulder armour and threw it at the scorpion's face. The vial smashed, sending the amber liquid within searing into the demon's eyes. Another screech filled the air, and the scorpion began spasming.

Inuyasha sliced through the remaining pincer with Tessaiga and landed next to Miroku, each of them taking off another leg. Sango jumped off Kirara's back and landed on the scorpion's, crouching low to keep her balance as the demon continued to thrash wildly. Kirara flew for the stinger, trying to pin it, while Sango crawled back to the base of the tail. She was almost there when Kirara yowled in pain above her as the stinger caught her leg.

"Fall back!" Sango ordered, and Kirara bounded off the side of the cliff to the scorpion's head.

Sango jumped, catching each ridge of plated armour along the scorpion's tail, slowly climbing it piece by piece. She finally reached the base of the stinger and clung on for dear life. She wrapped her legs around the tail and unsheathed her sword, piercing through the joint. Swinging her arm around, she braced her fingers against the blunt edge of the blade while holding onto the hilt with her other hand, and pushed _hard_. The sword cut through the rest of the joint, leaving it attached by the barest ligament. Kirara caught her as she fell and together they made one final pass. Kirara bit into the base of the stinger and ripped it from the tail.

"Got it!" Sango shouted down to Inuyasha as Kirara flew over his head.

"Right," Inuyasha grinned, lifting Tessaiga up. "Wind Scar!"

The six lines of power shot from his sword, cutting deep into the scorpion's back and tearing off its forelimbs. But the attack wasn't fatal, thanks once again to the demon's armour.

"Yash, get the stinger!" Miroku instructed. "I'm going to use the wind tunnel!"

Inuyasha nodded and ran, keeping low to the ground. He snatched the giant stinger from where Kirara had thrown it and lifted it above his head as he hopped up the demon's back, landing behind Miroku. With one final glance to make sure that everyone was out of harm's way, Miroku stuck his staff into the ground and pulled the mala beads from his hand. Rocks from the cliffs on either side of the ravine flew into his hand along with the remains of the dying scorpion. He closed it quickly with a grimace of satisfaction.

He turned to examine the stinger, which Inuyasha had very understandably chucked away from himself. It was dripping venom onto the ground, connecting with a sizzle as the soil dissolved.

"None of that got on you, did it?" Miroku asked, concerned.

"Nah," Inuyasha shrugged. "Smells rank, though. Hurry up and grab the Jewel shard."

Miroku's brows shot up. "Me? Do you see the deadly acidic venom falling out of that thing?"

The hanyou shot him a toothy grin as he stabbed into the stinger with Tessaiga. A sliver of pink Jewel fell from the flesh of the stinger and into the puddle of venom beneath. Miroku fished it out with the base of his staff and picked it up with a spare piece of cloth.

"I'll have to purify this later," he murmured thoughtfully. "Perhaps I should do the same to the venom, while we're here."

"Hold on just a moment," Sango said, coming to kneel down beside the stinger and eyeing the venom thoughtfully. "Fascinating."

Inuyasha's upper lip curled in disgust. "You're way too interested in that stuff."

"I've never actually seen a scorpion before," Sango said, pulling an empty glass vial from a pocked in her clothes and dipping it town to collect some of the liquid. "I want to see how its venom can be used."

"You sure seemed to know a lot about it for never having seen one before," Inuyasha commented as he sheathed Tessaiga. "Do slayers usually learn about demons from the continent, or are you just weird?"

Miroku carefully hid his chuckle in a cough as Sango shot them both a teasing glare. "I like to study all my potential opponents so that I'm actually prepared in battle, unlike _some_. Besides, slayers here were inspired by those from the continent. We modeled our armour and weapons after them, as well as studying their demons."

"I always thought your tunic looked familiar," Miroku nodded mildly as he placed the Jewel shard into a cloth bag with the others and tucked it back into his robes.

"So what was a demon from the continent doing here?" Inuyasha asked as they climbed back up to meet Shippo.

"That was bothering me as well," Miroku admitted. "Sango, have you heard of demons crossing over often?"

She shook her head. "From what I understand, it's very rare, especially for species that don't fly or swim, like a scorpion."

"So what did it want here that it couldn't find over there?" Inuyasha asked, and none of them had an answer.

Miroku hummed thoughtfully. He had a bad feeling about all this.

xXx

"Miroku, Sango!" Shippo called out as he ran up the hill towards them, heaving a large catfish over his head. "Look what we caught in that pond over there!"

"Very impressive!" Miroku smiled, shooting a wink at Inuyasha, who was carrying three even larger fish behind the fox. "We found a decent cooking pot in the old rest house over there, and a bag of rice. It seems that we'll be having a feast!"

Inuyasha set the fish down next to Miroku and sat next to Sango, eyeing Kirara with concern. "How's she doing?"

"The venom doesn't seem to have gotten to her," Sango murmured, her fingers brushing over the small cut down Kirara's front leg.

"I'm sure a fish twice the size of her will make her feel better," Inuyasha grinned, earning an intrigued chirp from Kirara. He held out his hand for her to smell, so that she could judge the scent of the catfish for herself. She trilled excitedly and pushed to her feet, limping slightly as she walked over to examine the catch more closely.

They rolled the large pot onto the fire Miroku had built and he sent Kirara and Shippo off to find some mushrooms or herbs for seasoning. Meanwhile, he and Sango cleaned the fish while Inuyasha lay down and watched. The day was cold, with the faintest bite in the crisp air. They were all looking forward to a warm meal before settling down in the abandoned storehouse for the night. They would be returning to Kaede's village the next day.

Miroku hummed softly as he worked with his dagger, a small smile on his lips. Inuyasha watched him hungrily. Maybe, he could convince the monk to go on a walk with him after they ate, so they could have a little time alone. He licked his lips at the thought, already tasting Miroku on his tongue.

"Yash?" Miroku asked absently, not looking up – which was good, because Inuyasha startled and immediately blushed slightly. "Would you mind getting some water for the stew? There's a bucket and well near the storehouse."

Inuyasha spluttered something vaguely affirmative and ran. He could feel two pairs of eyes following him and soundly ignored them.

"So what has you two acting like idiots?" Sango asked casually, twirling her knife in her fingers.

"Nothing of interest," Miroku said, trying to appear innocent.

"_Right_…" Sango drawled. "Because Inuyasha has been looking at you strangely since Ryukotsusei, and you've been even handsier than normal."

"We're still just getting used to being together, and working through everything. It's been an eventful month," Miroku smiled, before he paused and his shoulders sagged. He didn't know why, even know, his first reaction was to deflect and lie. "I told him I loved him."

Sango almost cut off her thumb. "You _what?_ What happened? When was this? What did he say?"

"He didn't say much of anything," Miroku admitted softly. "And I didn't mean to say it. I _meant _it," he quickly reassured at her horrified expression. "It was after Ryukotsusei and he was talking about using the Jewel to become a full demon, and… I don't know. I suppose I was tired of him not seeing his own worth, of thinking that he has to be something other than who he is. So I told him that I didn't want him to change because I love him as he is."

Sango sighed softly, her hands and the bloody knife clutched to her chest. "Miroku, that's so _sweet_. What happened next?"

"Nothing," Miroku shrugged. "He wasn't ready to say it. And I can't say I blame him, after everything with Kikyo – and I did surprise him, after all."

"But you would like to hear it," Sango pressed gently.

"Of course," he sighed. "But only when he's ready. When he means it. I don't want him saying anything because he feels like he has to."

She nudged his knee with her own and he glanced up to see Shippo and Kirara returning, the kit's arms full of mushrooms and the twin-tail holding several aromatic plants in her mouth.

"Excellent work!" Miroku smiled, waving them over. "It will be a feast indeed."

He sorted through all the ingredients thoughtfully. He'd certainly worked with less, but it was always a little disheartening when there was a dish at the tips of his fingers that wouldn't come together without the help of specific seasonings or some distinct flavour. He wondered if he should start carrying nori around with him. Or maybe some chillies…

"You didn't see any other food in the rest house, did you?" he asked Sango, the different possibilities still just out of reach.

"No. What are you thinking?" she asked.

"I don't know. We're just missing something…"

She hummed thoughtfully before digging in her robes, eventually emerging with a small wooden box. "Would this help?" she asked, popping it open to reveal a coarse white powder.

"What is it?" Miroku asked, eyeing it suspiciously.

"Salt."

He frowned. "Are you sure?"

"Of course I'm sure!" she rolled her eyes. "What else would it be?"

"How am I supposed to know what you have tucked away in there!" he said, gesturing vaguely. "Everything else is poisonous or explodes."

"You were never this concerned with all the other things I've thrown at you," she teased, handing the box over.

"I never put the other things in my mouth," he grumbled, sniffing the contents hesitantly and barely resisting a taste. "Why do you carry around salt, anyway?"

She shrugged. "It's handy after a long day fighting, particularly if you've been sweating the whole time and there's nothing to eat afterwards. Slayers generally don't like to pass out after a job – it tends to look unprofessional."

Well, she had a point. And a little salt would go a long way. He was careful not to use too much – salt was expensive and they still had to be careful with their money. Their last stop at a rest house, prompted by Shippo's loud and insistent pleading for something sweet, had set them back more than he cared to admit. They would have to start working for pay again soon.

Inuyasha returned with the water a moment later, and Miroku roped them all into helping him cook. They were all smiling and chatting easily by the time the food was ready. Inuyasha ate with the length from his shoulder to his knee pressed up against Miroku, who kept on abandoning his food in favour of caressing the hanyou's back or thigh. The glances that Sango shot at them slowly shifted from happy to amused to exasperated, especially when they had barely eaten long after everyone else was finished their second helping. Miroku tried to give her an innocent look, and she pointedly rolled her eyes and shook her head. But then Miroku leaned over and kissed Inuyasha on the cheek, and she couldn't hide her smile.

"Miroku, can I have another helping?" Shippo asked, holding up his bowl.

"Where the hell do you even put all that food?" Inuyasha asked incredulously as Miroku moved to acquiesce. "Just your bowl's half as big as you are!"

"He's growing," the monk pointed out, unsure whether or not it was actually true.

"_Sure _he is," Inuyasha drawled.

"Mind if I have a bite?" a voice came from behind them.

Inuyasha whipped around and immediately slapped his nose, where the flea had settled. "Next time, ask that about the food, not me," he advised menacingly. "Myoga, what are you doing here?"

"I was in the area and heard that you were engaged in battle," the flea said haughtily. "I came to make sure that you were all performing admirably, which you were. Well done!"

Inuyasha's eyes narrowed. "How convenient of you to tell us that _after _the fact."

"Would you like some, Myoga?" Miroku asked, gesturing at the stew.

Myoga immediately pulled a tiny bowl from within his robes and handed it up to Miroku, who was then faced with the challenge of fitting half a grain of rice and a sliver of fish into it.

"I can't believe you," Inuyasha told the flea before shaking his head. "We don't see you for months, and now you're following us around again?"

"How rude!" Myoga spluttered. "I was searching for information about Tessaiga and your transformations, _and _tending to your father's monuments, _and _keeping an eye out for information regarding Naraku, _and-_"

"Fine, fine, whatever," Inuyasha sighed, looking over the remaining food. "Did you come to tell us anything important, or are you just leeching?"

The flea huffed self-importantly and folded his arms. "As I said, I came to make sure you were faring well, particularly after Ryukotsusei. You have been taking on more powerful opponents as of late, and you seem to have all but abandoned your quest for the shards of the Shikon Jewel."

"It's not like they're just lying around!" Inuyasha said defensively. "All the weak demons or humans holding onto them have already gotten themselves killed, so now we're left fighting the ones who actually now what they're doing."

"Naraku also has most of the shards," Miroku added. "There are very few left floating about. Though you'll be happy to learn that we collected another one today."

"You did?" Myoga asked excitedly. "How many do you have, now?"

Miroku's smile stretched a little too wide as he proudly declared "Three!"

Myoga blinked at them in disbelief. Inuyasha and Sango exchanged a weary look.

"Yeah, yeah, save it," the hanyou sighed and picked up his bowl. "Kirara, you want another piece of fish?"

Kirara, who was curled on Sango's lap, didn't respond. Sango frowned, running her fingers down the twin-tail's flank, noticing how tightly she was curled into herself. "What's wrong?"

Kirara mewled softly, licking at the wound on her leg. Sango's face clouded with worry as she felt Kirara's paws, ears, and nose, noticing how warm they were. "She has a fever," she reported worriedly, not taking her eyes off her as Kirara began to pant.

"It must be the toxins from the scorpion, after all," Miroku said grimly, shifting closer. "That came on awfully quickly, didn't it?"

"Let me see," Myoga said, bounding over to her. "I may be able to suck out the poison."

He landed on her leg and moved to inspect the wound. Kirara's eyes snapped open and she hissed viciously, her fur rising on end. She then jumped from Sango's lap and ran, down the hill and towards the forest beyond. Sango scrambled to her feet and chased after her, desperately calling out her name. Miroku exchanged a worried look with Inuyasha as he grabbed Sango's carrying cloth and hoisted Hiraikotsu over his shoulder before following.

"Shippo, you stay behind with Myoga," Inuyasha said, clawing out handfuls of dirt from the ground and tossing it over the dying fire. "If we're not back by tonight, go back to Kaede's."

He took off without waiting for a response. He followed Sango's increasingly frantic calls into the forest and landed by Miroku's side.

"I don't understand where she could have gone," the monk said anxiously, eyeing the dense trees for any sign of danger.

Inuyasha sniffed the air. "She went that way," he directed, nudging Sango when she didn't immediately change course.

"Kirara!" Sango called out, clutching the strap of Hiraikotsu at her chest. "Kirara, where _are _you?"

In a small clearing, illuminated by the sun breaking through the forest canopy, two figures sat on a fallen log. Their travel hats and luggage lay around them as they both had their attention on Kirara, who lay on the lap of the woman on the right. She was stroking her softly, and both looked concerned. Sango forced herself to lower her hand from Hiraikotsu – these two were surely demons, but they didn't appear to be doing any harm. Though close to human in appearance, their pointed ears, lilac eyes, and brightly coloured hair indicated powerful youkai. Their rich silk robes in colours matching their hair also told of wealth and influence. Sango swallowed hard and forced herself to relax as to not offend them.

"Excuse me," she called out, drawing their attention.

"She belongs to you?" the figure on the left asked, the one with deep blue hair tied artfully behind her head.

"She's reacting to insect venom," the other told them, one with long loose cherry-blossom coloured hair. "We just gave her an antidote."

Sango breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you! You're so kind."

"Not at all," the first smiled. "We're glad that we were able to help."

"We are very fortunate to have met ladies as generous as yourselves," Miroku bowed slightly, causing Inuyasha's ear to flick lightly as he eyed the monk. "And ones so beautiful, I might add. I am Miroku, and these are my companions, Inuyasha and Sango. And she is Kirara."

"Lovely to meet you," the woman with blue hair bowed back from her seat. "I am Ruri, and this is Hari."

They all bowed to one another and Hari held out Kirara for Sango to take. She seemed a little subdued, but the angry redness that had been spreading around her wound had faded some, and her fever was all but gone. Sango propped Hiraikotsu against one of the large trees nearby and hugged Kirara close. Inuyasha was sniffing the air slightly, tracing the demon women's scent. Miroku nodded thoughtfully, pondering their slightest accent and the style of their robes. "If you don't mind my asking, did you come from the continent?"

"We did," Ruri said.

"How very observant," Hari smiled.

"You seem to have mastered our language," he said. "You speak it fluently."

"Indeed we do," Ruri said, a faint light beginning to emanate from the ornament on her brow, the yin half of the interlocking spiral of taijitu. "After all, we came to this land many years ago."

"Well over two hundred, if the truth be told," Hari continued, her own ornament of yang glowing brightly. Her eyes had turned leaf green.

Inuyasha immediately stepped in front of Miroku, holding out an arm to shield Sango as well. They were all watching the demons carefully, so didn't notice the roots moving at their feet. The roots snaked around their ankles, trapping their legs and lifting them off the ground. Inuyasha swore and slashed at them with his claws, but more shot out to grab his wrists. Miroku and Sango were also struggling to his right, as the roots pulled Miroku's staff from his hand and wrapped around Kirara, tearing her from Sango's grasp.

"Kirara!" Sango shouted, thrashing back and forth. Her hand sprung the hidden blade in the sleeve of her right arm, which sliced through the roots. She broke free only to have even more wrap around her torso and down her arm, circling and encasing the blade. Her left arm was pinned to her body, unable to reach the other weapons stored in her robes. Miroku's arms were stretched out from his body by the roots, while Inuyasha was almost entirely cocooned.

"What are you doing?" Sango asked. "What do you want with us?"

Without a word, Hari lifted a leaf to her lips and blew lightly. The leaf dissolved into dust, which drifted gently over to the base of the roots holding Sango aloft. As it settled, it condensed into angry red scorpions which quickly began climbing up the roots towards the slayer.

"Scorpions?" Miroku gasped. "You were behind that giant scorpion from this morning, weren't you?"

Hari smiled pleasantly. "I was the one who summoned it."

A wave of light ripped from the ornaments at their brows, travelling down their bodies and transforming their clothing from the robes of nobility to warrior's armour, still reflecting the colour of their hair.

"Everything is exactly as we'd hoped," Ruri said.

"Bastards!" Inuyasha growled. "You trapped us?"

"Inuyasha," Miroku said urgently, and he followed the monk's eyes to where the scorpions were quickly approaching Sango's feet. He remembered Miroku's earlier words – even the little ones could kill a human.

He swore and began struggling in earnest. Sango was holding utterly still, the first of the scorpions climbing onto her feet and ankles. Miroku clenched his right hand, straining against the roots. Inuyasha craned his neck to reach the roots at his own shoulder, tearing through them with his teeth. They loosened just enough for him to pull his arm free. He then threw all his weight to the side, hurled out his hand and ripped his claws down the roots around Miroku's torso. Before more roots could take their place, Miroku pulled the mala beads from his hand and aimed the wind tunnel at the bottom of the roots suspending Sango.

The slayer's eyes widened and she tensed impossibly further, gaze locked on Miroku. The monk had a look of intense concentration with panic around the edges as he carefully – _so carefully _– sucked in the scorpions. His left hand clutched his right wrist, holding the mala close so that even if the roots returned, he could close the wind tunnel again. Inuyasha could hear his heart pounding.

The scorpions were almost gone, the wind building in intensity, and Sango was slowly but surely being pulled towards him, the roots creaking under the strain. Miroku was staring unblinkingly, the mala beads now hooked around his right thumb. Inuyasha let out a startled cry from his other side, and he tore his eyes away to see Ruri floating towards him. She came up behind him, leaning against his back, and whispered in his ear "I was waiting for you to use that power."

Miroku felt his heart stop. "You _what?_"

She reached forward, her hand turning oddly transparent as it slid down his arm and _into his own hand_, her fingers splayed to match the spread of the wind tunnel. Miroku writhed and bucked, trying frantically to dislodge her, but it was no use.

"Don't bother," she whispered, her lips brushing his ear. "You cannot escape my powers of duplication."

_Duplication?_ Panic shot through him, but he pushed it aside. The roots suspending Sango were beginning to crack and split under the strain. Another heartbeat and they would break, and she would be sucked into the wind tunnel. Miroku knew with every fibre of his being that he would die before he let that happen.

Inuyasha clawed desperately at the roots around him, trying to get loose just long enough to rip that demon to shreds! He could feel his youki bubbling in his chest, threatening to break free. But then Hari was floating beside him, holding up a hand as more and more roots threatened to devour him. He let out a yowl of frustration and fear, because he _couldn't get free_.

Miroku leaned fractionally away from Ruri before throwing himself against her, cracking his head against hers. She flew back with a startled gasp, her hand sliding out of his. Miroku grabbed the mala beads with his right hand, sealing the wind tunnel just as Sango's roots broke, sending her crashing into him. His own roots snapped from the impact and they both crashed to the ground. Sango was trembling slightly, but it was nothing to the shudders shooting through Miroku. He gasped for breath, scrambling away from her slightly before it registered that she was safe.

"Miroku?" she said anxiously, grasping at his shoulder.

He tried to say something, to reassure her that he was alright, but panic had sealed his throat. As he grasped his forearm with his left hand, the slightest whistling sound drew his attention. Sango gasped and Miroku stopped breathing entirely as a light breeze pulled past the mala covering his palm, causing their hair and clothing to ripple towards it. Before Miroku could fling himself away and take off through the woods, the wind faded away. He shuddered a breath and Sango's hands were firm on his shoulder and chest, but her eyes were wide and frightened.

"What-" Miroku gasped, but his voice died. "What did she _do?_"

Ruri laughed delightedly as she and Hari floated back to the ground. "At last," she grinned. "I have it in my possession. Your wind tunnel."

She held out her palm, and the void immediately opened. Sango threw herself on top of Miroku, flattening them both to the ground, because the monk was absolutely rigid with fear. She could feel the wind pulling at them, dragging them back with a thousand invisible hands. She wormed an arm to her side, throwing off the broken roots as she did, and reached through her robes to her sword. She stabbed it deep into the ground, throwing the other arm around Miroku's chest and holding on for all she was worth.

She knew it wouldn't be enough. The wind tunnel was picking up speed and intensity, and their bodies slowly lifted from the ground, the sword the only thing keeping them from flying into the void. Miroku flung out a hand and caught his staff as it skidded along the ground towards them and he dug it into the earth as well. He pulled himself fractionally up to it, and Sango could see what he was aiming for – Ruri could only have the wind tunnel open for so long before she started sucking in the entire forest. If they could drag themselves away just enough… But they both knew it wouldn't be enough. Miroku knew better than anyone the power of his wind tunnel.

Sango was desperately trying to think of another way to buy them time when a roar came from above them. Inuyasha was clawing his way through the roots which still held him – thankfully far enough to the side to avoid the wind tunnel's reach – but he was snarling ferociously and his eyes were flashing red. As she watched, he broke free and sprang forward, pulling Tessaiga from its sheath. He hurled himself at Ruri, who snapped her hand into a fist as she pulled back to avoid the limb being severed from her body. Inuyasha swung again wildly, and she and Hari were both forced to jump back.

"Kirara!" Hari called, and so Sango's horror, Kirara jumped to their side, transforming instantly.

"Kirara, no!" Sango shouted, her hands clenching where they held Miroku.

Inuyasha stopped short as the demons climbed onto her back, Tessaiga held out awkwardly as he struggled with what to do. He took a step towards them and Kirara growled, baring her fangs.

"We're taking the two-tail with us," Hari said, and Kirara sprang into the air.

Sango called after them as they disappeared through the trees. She swore angrily, but made no move to rise to her feet – Miroku had yet to start breathing properly again. She steadied him as he tried to push himself up, his arms shaking too badly to support himself. Inuyasha's ears were pinned to his head as he stalked towards them, sheathing Tessaiga as he did so. His eyes were no longer red, but they were wild. Sango stayed close as he dropped to his knees in front of Miroku and crushed the monk to his chest. Miroku's hands grasped his robes and hair as a single sob ripped from his chest. Inuyasha growled, his youki still too close to the surface to allow for calming words.

"Just breathe," Sango advised, squeezing Miroku's shoulder.

He tried to follow her instructions, taking a few gulps of air before forcing himself to calm. He squeezed his eyes shut for just a moment longer before gently pushing Inuyasha away. The hanyou was less eager to comply. Even as he eased back, his hands grasped Miroku's arms tightly.

"They took Kirara?" Miroku asked, and his voice was hoarse and raspy.

"I don't know what they did to her!" Sango growled, glancing back in the direction they had gone.

"It must be the scorpion poison, or whatever they gave her to put her under their spell," Miroku said.

He pushed shakily to his feet, Inuyasha rising with him and sticking close to his side.

"We have to get her back," Sango said, a little pleadingly, and the others nodded solemnly.

"We should grab Shippo and Myoga first," Miroku said, and they turned in unison to the direction from which they'd come.

"Shippo!" Inuyasha bellowed, wrapping one arm around Miroku's shoulders. "Get over here!"

They waited for a moment before Inuyasha nodded in satisfaction. It took a little longer for Shippo to emerge from the trees, eying them all anxiously.

"What happened?" he asked, slowing to a stop. "Where's Kirara?"

"Some demons took her," Inuyasha said, bending down to scoop Shippo up and deposit him in Sango's arms. "We're going to get her back."

"Of course we'll get her back!" Shippo said, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. Sango smiled tightly and hugged him close.

"They headed west," she murmured.

Inuyasha peered through the trees. "Towards the Forest of No Return."

Miroku leaned heavily into Inuyasha's side and shut his eyes. "Forest of No Return? _Really?_"

Inuyasha ran a hand soothingly up and down his back. As they started walking in that direction, he spared a moment to wrap an arm around Sango, too. She shot him a grateful smile that didn't reach her eyes. She shed her travel clothes as they walked and shoved them into her carrying cloth while Inuyasha held Hiraikotsu for her. Kirara's scent was faint – she must have been flying through the trees instead of running. He could only track her so far before he lost the trail.

"Do you feel that?" Miroku murmured.

There was a faint hum in the air, like the eerie stillness before a thunderstorm. It had them all on edge, and brought the promise of danger.

"We should fan out and search," the monk continued. "Whatever's going on here is more than just Kirara."

"You want us to split up?" Inuyasha asked incredulously, pressing closer to Miroku at the very suggestion.

"Stay within eyesight at all times," Sango said. "But we need to cover a lot of ground."

She held Hiraikotsu with one hand, the other still wrapped around Shippo, and peeled off to the right. Miroku leaned in and pressed a gentle kiss on Inuyasha's lips before heading off to the left. They moved swiftly through the forest, looking for any signs of Kirara or the demons who took her. At one point, Inuyasha tracked down where she had brushed against a tree. A while later, Sango called out that she found a footprint where they had touched down for a moment. But they were moving deeper and deeper into the Forest of No Return, and the light dimmed as dusk approached.

Something whizzed through the air on Miroku's left, and he immediately dropped into a crouch, peering through the darkness. A faint glow was travelling through the trees, with an accompanying demonic aura. Miroku frowned and crept closer, just in time to see the soul collector disappear into the distance. Another soon flew overhead. He knew he had no choice but to follow. Knowing Kikyo, she wouldn't be in the area coincidentally. She had to know something about what was going on.

He found her sitting on the low branch of a tree, gently combing her hair. He came to a stop in front of her, knowing that she had sensed him coming. Sure enough, her eyes opened and she surveyed him coolly.

"Do you know what's going on?" he asked without preamble, watching her carefully.

"Not enough," she said bitterly. "Someone is after Inuyasha."

Miroku frowned. "Do you think it's the same demons that came after us? They took one of our companions."

Kikyo wordlessly dropped down to the ground and tied back her hair. She caught Miroku's eye and gave him a strange look.

"_Miroku!_"

Inuyasha's shout came from nearby, and he sounded worried. Kikyo's expression closed and her soul collectors descended to wrap around her. Miroku watched her lift into the air, though she held his gaze for far longer than usual. It was odd, her leaving before Inuyasha arrived. Though, he supposed, it wasn't the first time. It was becoming increasingly difficult to determine what she might do. She wasn't the same as any vengeful spirit he'd ever met. Miroku sighed and moved to investigate the tree where she'd been resting. There was definitely an ominous aura seeping from the forest, but he could see nothing more than a few moths moving along the trunk.

"Miroku!" Inuyasha said again, landing behind him and immediately stalking over. "What are you doing? We're supposed to stay close!"

"My apologies," Miroku smiled, and he saw Inuyasha's eyes narrow.

The hanyou sniffed a few times and his jaw clenched. "She was here?" he asked, a little suspiciously.

"Not for long," Miroku sighed. "She said that you might be in danger."

Inuyasha hummed slightly and took Miroku's hand, ready to drag him back to Sango and keep looking. But Miroku didn't follow, and instead stared hard up at the canopy above them. More and more moths were milling about amongst the branches and leaves. It could be that they'd stumbled upon a nest or breeding ground, but the chill creeping along Miroku's spine warned of danger. As he watched, one of the moths in the tree above him began rubbing its wings with its hind legs. A light dust fell from the velvety wings, soon joined by that of another moth, and then another… Soon the entire swarm was producing a cloud of dust which fell down on them. Miroku blinked hard, feeling a little dizzy.

"What're they doing?" Inuyasha grumbled, running his finger along the dust which settled on his robes. "Where'd they all come from?" He sniffed deeply and froze. "That's poison!"

He leapt into the air, slashing at the moths with his claws. He caught some of them, but the movement caused them to take to the air. Suddenly, there were hundreds of them flying around, obscuring the sky as they circled them and swirling the poison dust in the air.

Miroku hastily pulled the iron mask from his robes, tying it deftly behind his head. He sucked in a deep breath, closing his eyes and waiting for his head to clear. Inuyasha was still tearing at the moths with increasingly frantic claws, but his movements were increasingly uncoordinated.

"Inuyasha," Miroku called out to him, and was soundly ignored. "Inuyasha! Put on your mask!"

Inuyasha landed and growled. He pulled Tessaiga from its sheath, watching the moths swarm together in a tight ball in front of him. Fine, he'd take them all out at once!

Laughter came from the moths, a deep rumbling sound. They dispersed, revealing a tall demon dressed in rich armour from the continent. He had long jade hair and faint red markings dipping from his hairline. As well as his pointed ears, a pair of long feathery antenna sprang from his brow, while a set of large wings fell down his back. Inuyasha tensed, the chattering of the moths between them grating on his nerves.

"Inuyasha, is it not?" the demon asked politely, looking down at him as though pleased.

Inuyasha growled. He didn't like moth demons. "Depends who's asking. What do you want?"

"My name is Menomaru," the demon smirked, rising further into the air with a flap of his wings. "Inuyasha, let my sword be my introduction."

He pulled a long sword from a blood red sheath at his hip and dove, stabbing forward with the blade. Inuyasha leapt back, but his eyes darted to Miroku – he was too close. He lifted Tessaiga just in time to block Menomaru's next strike. Their blades met with a crackle of energy.

"Good," Menomaru purred. "The fang of destruction."

"What're you going on about?" Inuyasha snarled, pushing Menomaru back and leaping to his feet. He jumped and landed between the demon and Miroku, but he could feel his youki prickling under his skin. The dust was still swirling in the air, making him lightheaded and only heightening the sense of danger.

"Such a pity," Menomaru said, his wings snapping open as he glided towards them. "Using that weapon to protect a mere human? I would use the sword for a more noble cause. Now, hand it over to me!"

Inuyasha swore and charged, meeting Menomaru as he attacked. He had to keep the demon away from Miroku! As their swords clashed once more, Menomaru's face shifted, and for a moment it was Gatenmaru staring back at him. Inuyasha gasped and scrambled back, and his vision flashed red. No, no, no! He shook his head and hurled himself at Menomaru, but his limbs were heavy and sluggish. He could feel his youki crackling along his skin, ready to spring forward at the slightest push as his disorientation increased.

"Your mask!" Miroku shouted, but the words seemed oddly distorted.

Menomaru landed easily from where he dodged Inuyasha's wild swing, and turned to eye the monk thoughtfully. Inuyasha snarled and sprang forward. Menomaru's sword flashed and Tessaiga was knocked from his hand. Inuyasha landed hard, skidding on his knees, and he dug his claws into the earth for a brief moment, struggling for control. Tessaiga landed with a soft thud on the ground behind him. He needed to get back to it. He couldn't transform again! He heard Menomaru moving behind him and sprang to his feet before whipping around. That moth bastard wasn't going to get anywhere near Miroku!

"Iron Reaver-" he started, but then the moths were swarming him, obscuring his vision and filling his lungs with more poison. He stumbled and coughed, the world blurring. Then Menomaru was running at him, his sword raised to take off Inuyasha's head. A sutra flew through the air and struck the demon on the side of the head, sizzling upon contact. Menomaru slowed to a stop and ripped the paper from his face before shooting a glare at Miroku.

"No!" Inuyasha shouted, throwing himself at Menomaru, but he could barely keep his feet.

"Yash, get back!" Miroku called out, and Inuyasha glanced over just long enough to see the mala beads flash.

Miroku aimed the wind tunnel away from Inuyasha and Menomaru, catching only moths and poison. He sealed his hand only a few moments later, but by then the air had cleared. Miroku groaned slightly, cradling his arm as he sank to his knees. His breathing was growing ragged, and Inuyasha swore viciously. The _idiot! _He took a step towards the monk but then Menomaru was attacking again. Inuyasha leapt back, trying to draw the demon away from the struggling human. The effects of the poison were already fading now that the dust was gone, but that didn't mean his head was clear – his youki was right at his fingertips.

He slashed at Menomaru, his claws blazing with power. They glanced off Menomaru's blade, then the demon was pressing back, forcing him to dodge and lose ground. He struck again and again, and Inuyasha didn't realize that he was being herded until his back hit the trunk of the tree. A small smile appeared on Menomaru's lips before his sword plunged into Inuyasha's chest. He gasped, the pain ripping through him and whiting out his vision. He felt Menomaru pull out the blade and he sank to the ground.

He curled on his side, fighting hard to stay in control, to keep his youki from consuming him. He could vaguely hear Menomaru walking over to Tessaiga, and forced his eyes open so he could glare at the demon. He glanced over to Miroku, who wore a grimace of pain but was slowly trying to push himself to his feet, leaning hard on his staff. Inuyasha's breathing was ragged in his ears as his eyes darted between the monk and Menomaru, his hand clutching his chest and feeling the blood slip through his fingers.

"Defeated so soon?" Menomaru asked mockingly. "Pathetic. Inuyasha, I shall run you through with your fang of destruction."

His hand hovered over the hilt of Tessaiga, and crackling bolts of amber energy immediately shot from the blade. Inuyasha normally would have taken great pleasure in the way Menomaru's palm smouldered from the impact, but his vision was steadily bleeding red.

"Most disappointing," Menomaru muttered, before his gaze shifted over to Miroku. "Perhaps some other way."

Miroku took a halting step forward, dragging his fingers along his mala beads before sinking back to his knees. Inuyasha could see him shaking. That was all that his youki needed to break free. Inuyasha pounced, slashing at Menomaru and catching his neck. The demon staggered back, shocked by the intensity of the attack. But then his sword was back in his hand and he lifted it threateningly at Inuyasha. It was no good – he knew he couldn't fight. Not without losing control. And Miroku was in no state to drag him back to Tessaiga if he did. He didn't know if he'd be able to do it on his own. And Menomaru stood solidly between him and his sword. He couldn't reach it now without fighting. Instead, he staggered over to Miroku, swept the monk up in his arms, and ran. He could hear Menomaru jeering after him, taunting him. He didn't stop.

The trees passed them in a blur. There was nothing but the wind in his face, the ground under his feet, and the ragged breaths of the human in his arms. His youki was churning and howling, telling him to fight, to run, to destroy the enemy, to get his partner to safety. He had no idea if Menomaru was following them. He didn't know where he was going. He didn't know what he was doing. He lost all sense of direction and time until Sango's voice drew him back.

"Inuyasha!" she snapped again, and suddenly she was standing in front of him. When had she gotten there? He glanced around in confusion. He was still in the forest, and night had fallen. Sango was looking at him with deep concern, her hands held out as though calming a wild animal. Shippo was behind her, glancing between them with wide eyes. He knew they were safe – they _were! _They were _pack! _– but she was moving towards his partner. His wounded partner. His partner he needed to protect. Inuyasha growled softly and held Miroku tighter against his chest, earning a slight moan from the injured human.

"He's safe," Sango promised in a low voice. "You're both safe now. Come back, Yash."

For some reason, the nickname tugged at his mind, drawing him back to himself. He blinked hard, trying to slow his breathing.

"Inuyasha," Sango said again, and her voice was more urgent than before. "Where's Tessaiga?"

His hand reached for his hip before he remembered. He hadn't wanted to leave the sword behind, but in his pain-filled haze, he could only focus on so much, and all he'd known was that Miroku was more important.

"Demon," Inuyasha gasped out, grimacing at the elongated fangs in his mouth. "Stabbed me. Wanted Tessaiga. Couldn't touch it. Miroku sucked in poison."

Sango frowned, brushing her fingers along Miroku's brow. "What kind? Scorpions again?"

He shook his head. "Moths."

"Right," Sango said, and he could see her expression set as she looked over the white specks lining his partner's robes. "Inuyasha, listen to what I'm saying. Miroku's going to be fine. Moth dust is more of a sedative than anything else – it's not like a demon's poison. He'll be groggy for a while, but he'll be coming out of it soon. You need to put him down so I can treat your wound, alright?"

He was with her right up until that last part. At the thought of letting Miroku out of his arms, he snarled and clutched him tighter.

"Yash," a soft voice rasped, and he startled. "Yash, I'm alright."

He stared down at Miroku uncomprehendingly. The monk sighed softly, reaching behind his head to untie his mask. He tucked it back into his robes and placed a hand on Inuyasha's shoulder. Inuyasha whined and sank to his knees, burrowing his face in Miroku's neck. Miroku placed a gentle kiss to the top of his head before leaning back.

"You need to get Tessaiga back," he said firmly, pushing himself to a seated position. "And we need to treat your wounds."

Inuyasha growled softly and shifted Miroku to his side. He still couldn't force himself to let go, the fear too fresh in his mind. Miroku seemed to sense this, and helped him shed his robes so that Sango could bind them. He kept a hand on Inuyasha's arm the entire time, occasionally murmuring reassurances and eventually resting his brow against his shoulder, still reeking of poison and exhaustion and stress. The contact soothed his youki, and he was more or less himself again by the time Sango had finished.

"You two should find someplace to shelter," Sango said grimly. "I'll go after Kirara alone."

Miroku sighed softly, shifting his head slightly to glare at her. "Well, that's not going to happen."

"You can't even hold yourself upright yet," Sango chided. "And Inuyasha has a new hole through his body."

"These aren't anything serious," Inuyasha growled, finding his voice and pushing aside the pain that radiated from the wound. "We need to get after that bastard! I'll bet he and those other demons are related. They're all from the continent."

"We'll manage, Sango," Miroku said, cutting off her protest. "We should all go together to get Tessaiga back, regardless. Menomaru might still be there."

"Menomaru?" Myoga asked, jumping from Shippo's head to Inuyasha's shoulder. "Are you sure about that name?"

"Yeah, I'm sure," Inuyasha huffed as he shrugged his robes back on. "Why, you know 'im?"

"He's the only son of Hyoga, an infamous demon from the continent."

Miroku and Sango exchanged a look, and the slayer muttered "Of course he is."

"Two hundred years ago, a huge Mongol army from the continent began an attack," Myoga recounted. "Demons, led by Hyoga, came here to snatch the souls of those killed in battle."

"Two hundred years," Miroku muttered. "Ruri and Hari said they came here just as long ago."

"At that time, your father ruled the regions of the West," Myoga continued. "Hyoga and your father battled ferociously, bringing forth thunder and winds and causing a terrible, violent storm! Using one of his fangs, your father sealed Hyoga away, and thus, as I understand it, chased the demons back to the continent."

"As you understand it?" Inuyasha asked incredulously. "You weren't even there, were you?"

Myoga closed his eyes and crossed his arms defensively. "It was self-preservation. I only do it because both your father and you are so reckless."

"Sure," Inuyasha sighed, not in the mood to argue. "I guess that means you don't know where this Hyoga was sealed away, then."

"Fortunately, I can help you with that," Myoga chirped, enthusiasm returning. "The Tree of Ages in the Forest of No Return."

"Well, there you have it," Inuyasha huffed, climbing to his feet and helping Miroku up with him. "I'll bet Ruri and Hari took Kirara there, too."

"Master Inuyasha, you must be extremely careful to not revive Hyoga," Myoga warned. "He lies dormant, and though his body perished long ago, his near limitless power remains sealed within the Tree. Should the seal be broken, the next heir in the bloodline – in this case, Menomaru – will receive his family's ancestral power, making him practically unstoppable."

"Figures," Inuyasha drawled. "Don't worry about it – Ryukotsusei was a breeze. I'm practically an expert at taking on my old man's opponents by now!"

Miroku and Sango exchanged a worried look as she hoisted his arm over her shoulders.

"I wish you the best of luck," Myoga said, jumping down off Inuyasha and beginning to bounce away. "I have the utmost faith in you!"

"Come back here, you coward!" Inuyasha hissed, and gained no response.

"Alright, here's the plan," Miroku sighed. "We get Tessaiga, find the Tree of Ages, rescue Kirara, destroy Menomaru, and worry about killing Myoga later."

Inuyasha followed their scent back to the site of the battle. He sniffed the air cautiously as they approached, moving in front of Miroku and Sango, but Menomaru was gone. Tessaiga still lay on the ground where it had fallen. Miroku's staff also lay on the roots of the tree where he met Kikyo. Miroku began to cough lightly, stumbling. Sango snatched the mask from his robes and pressed it to his face without a word. As soon as it was secure, she slipped on her own and gave Inuyasha a pointed look.

"Fine," he growled, securing his own around the back of his head. "I hate how restricting it is!"

"Would you rather be poisoned again?" Sango asked incredulously, taking more of Miroku's weight. Inuyasha met the monk's bleary gaze and sighed.

"Shippo?" Miroku asked carefully.

"I'm fine," the kit said, climbing up to sit on the monk's shoulder. "I'm just worried about you!"

"Here," Sango said, grabbing a silk strip from a pocket in her robes and offering it to the fox. "It won't offer as much protection as a mask, but it's something."

Dozens of moths remained in the trees, shifting around restlessly. The dust had settled into the earth, but the scent still lingered heavily in the air. After sheathing Tessaiga and tossing Miroku's staff over to him, Inuyasha swatted at a cluster nearby, scattering them. He wished that he could tear them all to shreds, but pain was lacing up his chest with every breath. He hadn't transformed enough for his youki to instantly heal his wounds – and he wasn't about to try.

"I can get them," Sango said, shifting Miroku towards Inuyasha and reaching for Hiraikotsu with her other hand.

"Wait," Miroku murmured, watching the moths keenly. "Look at where they're going."

Indeed, the moths were taking off in groups, emerging from the surrounding forest, all heading in the same direction.

"You think they'll lead us to the Tree of Ages?" Sango asked.

"It's worth a shot," Miroku shrugged. "They only need to get us close."

Each of them kept a hand on their weapons as they followed the moths through the forest. The deeper they went, the more twisted and moss-covered the trees became. They grew bigger as well, and there was a heaviness in the air. All of them had the sense that they were moving into a different kind of space, and kept close together. The tar gradually disappeared from Miroku's mind and the weight leeched out of his limbs. None of them removed the masks, though. They stayed within arm's reach of each other, stopping every so often to peer into the darkness. Eventually, the ground began to dip downwards as they entered into a sprawling valley.

"Look at that," Sango said, pointing through the trees.

From their vantage point, they could make out the tops of the trees at the valley floor. In the heart of the forest, one tree towered over all the others.

"That has to be it," Inuyasha said, immediately starting towards it.

Miroku reached into his robes and pulled out a handful of sutras, handing a few over to Sango to put on Hiraikostu. There were more moths around than ever, an endless swarm around them. There was no trace of dust in the air, but the demonic aura was unmistakable, growing stronger the closer they moved to the Tree of Ages.

"Wait," Miroku hissed, drawing the others to a stop. "Look at the moths."

They followed his gaze to where the swarm of moths was flying overhead, circling around them rather than moving towards the Tree as they had been.

"They've been intentionally leading us here," Sango murmured.

"Doesn't make any difference," Inuyasha growled softly.

As they approached the Tree, they were struck by how large it was – almost twice as tall as the others around it, with is branches stretching far in all directions. They set Shippo down in a clearing a fair distance away with the strict instructions to stay back. They continued on warily, watching for any sign of Menomaru, Ruri, or Hari. But if the demons were nearby, they were keeping hidden. It was difficult to tell, under the strange aura that permeated the forest. They picked up speed as they moved, feeling as though they were being watched. It was only a few moments later that Sango spotted the soul collectors circling the base of the Tree.

"Why would she come here?" Inuyasha wondered aloud, quickening his pace into a near-run.

"You saw her?" Sango asked Miroku.

"Just before Menomaru appeared," he said. "She warned me that Inuyasha was in danger."

"Well, she wasn't wrong," Sango muttered, eyeing the dark red stain still vividly present on Inuyasha's back.

"I can hear you, ya know," Inuyasha growled softly from in front of them. "She's close."

They found her standing in front of the giant, sprawling roots of the Tree. She seemed unsurprised to see them, and gestured at what looked like a small tunnel formed between two twisting roots. "They have taken shelter under the Tree."

There was a pause, in which Inuyasha glanced at Miroku and Sango glared at Kikyo.

"Are you planning on coming down with us?" Miroku asked Kikyo eventually. "It's going to be quite the battle."

Kikyo frowned slightly as she ran her fingers along the bow slung over her shoulder. "I have heard of the Hyoga clan. I will do whatever is in my power to stop them."

Inuyasha took the lead as they crept down the tunnel, Tessaiga drawn. The narrow passage soon grew wider as it dipped downwards. The walls of the tunnel were lined with moths, and the group increased their pace, not knowing if the insects would act as a warning for Menomaru. The tunnel ended in a large cavern, the floor dropping away sharply. They crept to the edge and peered out at the chamber formed underneath the tree. Twisting roots lined the walls and snaked across the floor only to come together again at the center of the cavern, forming a structure almost like a staircase and surrounding a large red sphere. A giant fang twice as tall as a human was embedded deep in the sphere. Menomaru sat in front of the sphere, speaking quietly to Ruri and Hari. Kirara sat on the floor beside them.

Miroku nudged Inuyasha with his elbow and gestured to the fang before shaking his head. Inuyasha nodded in understanding – that must be the seal that Myoga was talking about. They eased themselves back from the edge and stood, trying to assess their next move. Inuyasha glanced at Kikyo. She seemed utterly unaffected by the moth dust. He cautiously pulled off his mask, waving away the stern looks of Miroku and Sango. Sure enough, despite the dozens of the insects around, there was no poison in the air. Why was that? Did Menomaru not want his opponents subdued? Unease prickled along Inuyasha's spine, his instincts warning of an unseen threat. They needed to be careful – to figure out an coordinated attack. Before they had the chance, the moths around them began chattering in earnest, the sound filling the air.

Sango threw Hiraikotsu through the swarm as they took to the air. The demons all turned to look at them as the group leapt down to the cavern floor, weapons raised. Kirara was the first to move as they charged, transforming to her larger size and roaring fiercely.

"Kirara!" Sango called out to her, slowing slightly.

"It seems she doesn't want to return with you," Hari said, pulling twin swords from sheathes at her hips and stepping past Kirara to face down Sango.

Miroku went to move to her side and Ruri landed in front of him, levelling her spear at his heart. "I'll deal with you, monk."

She swung and Miroku dodged, knocking the next blow away with his staff. Hari crossed her blades and a bolt of energy shot from them towards the others. Sango swung Hiraikotsu in front of her to block the attack but was pushed back, almost colliding with Inuyasha and Kikyo. Inuyasha leapt over her head, Tessaiga aiming at Hari. Kirara crashed into him in the air, knocking him to the side. Hari twirled as she darted towards Sango, her blades biting into Hiraikotsu as Sango wielded it like a shield. Hari struck from underneath next, trying to knock the weapon out of Sango's hands, but she used the momentum generated to swing Hiraikotsu around and knock one of the blades from Hari's hand.

Miroku was being forced back from Ruri's attacks, countering each strike with his staff. He ducked under her next swing and struck at her legs but she leapt over his staff and landed behind him. He swung back around in time to see her running at him, the tip of the spear heading straight for him. Miroku lifted his staff and caught the tip of the spear in its head. He twisted his weapon around to wrench it from Ruri's grasp. It clattered to the ground and she kicked him hard in the chest, sending him flying.

Inuyasha growled and tried to climb to his feet but Kirara pounced on him, pinning him to the ground. He thrashed under her paws but it was useless. Her jaws lowered until her fangs rested just above his neck, saliva dripping from them. Inuyasha brought his knees to his chest and kicked out hard, catching her in the soft underbelly and flipping her off him. She immediately righted herself and charged at him.

"Inuyasha, get down!" Kikyo called over to him, aiming an arrow straight at Kirara.

"No!" Inuyasha shouted, but it was too late. The arrow shot forth and Inuyasha swung Tessaiga, breaking it cleanly in two as it flew past. The broken pieces whizzed harmlessly past Kirara on either side of her as she knocked him down again.

From his seat, Menomaru laughed, visibly delighted by the show. Kikyo's face hardened as she notched another arrow. This one struck the root he sat on, and it immediately began to melt from spiritual power.

"Well, then," Menomaru said lightly, climbing to his feet and unsheathing his sword. He leapt from root to root, charging at Kikyo.

"Oh no you don't!" Inuyasha shouted. He shoved Kirara away from him and ran, swinging Tessaiga at Menomaru. A burst of energy shot from the blade and raced along the ground to the demon, who blocked it with his own sword and dispelled it into the air.

"I've been waiting for you, Inuyasha," Menomaru said, passing his sword in front of his face and adopting a fighting stance.

"Is that so?" Inuyasha growled.

"I was worried that you would die before I got a chance to kill you," the demon grinned predatorily, and then he struck.

Inuyasha blocked the first few blows but he was forced back – Menomaru knew how to handle a blade. His longsword moved much faster than Tessaiga, and he was able to wield it with deadly precision. Inuyasha found himself wildly swinging Tessaiga just to keep from getting stabbed – again – and was constantly losing ground, going wherever Menomaru wanted him to go. Inuyasha kicked at Menomaru, shoving him back a step, and struck with Tessaiga. The blade bit into the ground and the demon barely even had to dodge.

"Ha!" Menomaru exclaimed delightedly. "Not very impressive."

Inuyasha growled and rushed at him.

"Kikyo, stop!" Miroku's voice rang through the cavern. Inuyasha whipped around to see Kirara leaping at Kikyo, an arrow levelled at her head. "Don't do it! She's one of us!"

"She's possessed!" Kikyo hissed, though she lowered her weapon. She held out a hand, spiritual power flowing to her fingertips, and Kirara was forced to back away.

The distraction was enough for Menomaru to strike at Inuyasha. The hanyou leapt out of the way and spun around, blocking the blow aiming for his head. He lifted Tessaiga above his head and swung forward, amber power leaping from the sword. It struck Menomaru in the chest, sending him flying through the air before he collided with the unforgiving stone wall. The entire cavern was illuminated with golden light. Everyone froze. Menomaru hovered for a moment and then fell to the ground, motionless. Dirt dislodged from the roof of the cavern and slowly floated down around them.

Inuyasha huffed and lowered Tessaiga. "Guess that's it for him."

"Kirara!" Hari called out, summoning the twin-tail to her. She leapt onto Kirara's back, dodging Sango's frantic swing with Hiraikotsu, and Kirara pushed into the air. Miroku tried to grab her as she approached, but she easily bounded over his head as Ruri grabbed hold of her. Kirara lifted the two demons up and flew them back into the tunnel and out of sight.

"Kirara!" Sango cried out after them. "Damn it!"

"She's still not herself," Miroku said, moving to her side.

"At least we can focus on getting her back, now," Inuyasha said, sheathing Tessaiga. "Now that the mothy bastard is- What the _fuck?_"

The large red sphere had begun to glow, its light casting twisted shadows past the encircling roots. Beams of light began to snake along the ground, reaching from the sphere to where Menomaru lay. The deep wound in his chest glowed red and then disappeared entirely. The demon blinked, smiled, and rose to his feet.

"Damnit!" Inuyasha swore, stepping in front of Miroku and Sango. "What's going on?"

"I am immortal," Menomaru said, as though it was obvious. "You cannot defeat me, not here. I am invincible!"

Inuyasha's eyes darted to the sphere. Myoga had said that Hyoga's power was dormant while he was sealed away, but could Menomaru access it? Damn, he'd be almost impossible to stop! He'd need to destroy him in one strike. Luckily, he knew a way.

"I don't care what kind of demonic power you've got," Inuyasha growled, lifting Tessaiga and concentrating as the Wind Scar formed in his mind's eye. "It ain't gonna stop me from slashing you to pieces!"

"How bold of you," Menomaru smiled, walking forward. "Let's see you try."

"Something's not right," Sango muttered, her eyes darting from the demon to the sealed sphere behind him.

Miroku's eyes widened. "_Inuyasha_-"

Inuyasha swung, sending six lines of blazing energy towards Menomaru. The demon's laugh reverberated through the cavern even as his body dissolved. The Wind Scar cut through everything in its path indiscriminately – demon, roots, fang, and sphere.

"I did it!" Inuyasha crowed.

"_Shit,_" Miroku whispered.

Menomaru's laugh continued to echo off the walls until they realized that it was coming from _inside _the sphere. The cavern shook, chunks of rock and dirt falling from the ceiling.

"Come on!" Sango shouted. "It's going to cave in!"

They ran for the tunnel, hauling themselves up the steep incline. Inuyasha followed close behind, though he couldn't see Kikyo anywhere! The moths took flight, emerging from every rocky nook and crevice in the tunnel, obscuring their vision. Sango swore and cut through them with Hiraikotsu, but as their chattering filled the air, they could neither see nor hear each other. Inuyasha claws his way through their feathery wings, running blindly as the tunnel began to collapse behind him. Giant roots and boulders fell from above and he leapt and dodged, praying the others were safe. As he fought his way to the surface and scrambled onto the roots of the Tree of Ages, the ground began to split apart all around him. He caught sight of Sango and Miroku, both running as fast as they could, casting fearful glances behind at him.

Inuyasha leapt for them, but roots sprang from the ground before him and cut him off. The Tree was growing, reaching high into the sky and pulsing with demonic power. New branches and roots shot out in all directions, creating a maze. Inuyasha swore and sliced through as many as he could, cutting a path to where Miroku and Sango were waiting. He grabbed onto each of their arms and dragged them further away from the Tree. It was mutating as it grew, roots and branches intertwining to lift Hyoga's sphere even higher into the night sky, far above the canopy of the Tree. Menomaru stood on top of it all, perfectly reformed, looking down at them. The sphere had grown as well, and adopted a pinkish hue eerily similar to the Shikon Jewel.

"Inuyasha," he called down, just loud enough for hanyou ears to catch. "I must thank you. Because of your father's treachery, there was nothing I could do to free my own father from this seal. Not even your brother had that power. But your fang of destruction bore the strength of your father."

"Tessaiga?" Inuyasha exclaimed. "You used me to break the seal?"

"Now I can inherit the power that is rightfully mine! Witness the might of the Hyoga clan!" Menomaru lifted his sword above his head and plunged it into the sphere, slicing it open. Energy shot out in all directions, surrounding him in swirling youki, absorbing him into the sphere.

"He's absorbing his family's power!" Miroku gasped. "What do we _do?_"

"Kill him before he can finish!" Inuyasha shouted, already rushing forward. He leapt up the roots and branches, up to the sphere, which was already shrinking as Menomaru absorbed Hyoga's power. Inuyasha struck the sphere with Tessaiga and was immediately blasted back, a shot of youki tearing through him. He crashed all the way to the ground, gasping in pain.

"Inuyasha," Menomaru's voice sounded from the sphere. "I would never allow myself to be wounded by some pathetic half-breed."

Inuyasha leapt again, calling upon the Wind Scar. It raced up the Tree, but the waves of energy were deflected along the sphere and made no impact. He heard a warning shout from below and jumped to the side as Hiraikotsu whizzed past his head, covered in several sutras. It bounced off the sphere with a crackle of spiritual power and made not so much as a dent.

"We need something incredibly powerful to break through," Miroku said as Inuyasha landed beside him, his eyes fixed on the sphere. "We need Kikyo's arrows, or a sword even more powerful than Tessaiga."

"Kikyo left right after Ruri and Hari did," Sango reported bitterly. "And we don't have time to track down anyone else, let alone convince them to help us!"

Miroku swallowed, reaching for his mala beads. "Maybe I could-"

"Don't even think about it," Sango hissed while Inuyasha growled "Don't you dare."

"Can you catch Kikyo's scent?" Sango asked Inuyasha.

He sniffed the air and grimaced. "The stink of moth is covering everything else. It'll be better away from here, but…"

The sphere pulsed and shrank once more, the power it contained being absorbed by Menomaru.

"Fuck it!" Inuyasha swore and leapt again, pulling on his youki and channeling it through Tessaiga as it glowed amber. He angled the tip of the sword at the sphere, but it glanced off the outside like a fly, the barrier so strong that it flung him back to the ground. Menomaru cackled as he groaned, the impact tearing at his injuries.

"Don't die on me yet, half-breed," he taunted. "You're spoiling all my fun! I've made special arrangements for your death."

Inuyasha hauled himself to his feet, leaning hard on Tessaiga, his wounds screaming. "You ain't fooling anyone," he snarled up at Menomaru. "Your father was afraid of mine and you're afraid of me! Stop being such a coward and fight me!"

"You speak like a warrior, but can you fight like one?" Menomaru questioned.

A bolt of energy shot from the sphere and struck Inuyasha, hurling him to the ground. He coughed and gasped, sparks shooing across his vision. He was vaguely aware of Miroku shouting his name, but it was lost through the blood rushing in his ears.

"You still don't understand how strong I am," Menomaru called down, a little wistfully as energy crackled along the surface of the sphere. "This is in your honour. Now, be gone from the face of the earth!"

A burst of power flowed from the sphere in an endless wave, washing over all of them. Inuyasha dug Tessaiga into the ground and tried to shield himself, but the blast tore through him, picking him up off the ground and flinging him through the air. He could hear Miroku and Sango cry out in fear and pain, but the light was blinding and it cut through his youki and he was barely clinging to consciousness even before he slammed into the ground and everything went black.

xXx

Sango clung to Hiraikotsu as she was ripped off the ground and carried along by the blast, the power of it gouging the air from her lungs. She flung Hiraikotsu out to the side, using its weight to turn herself in the air so that her back was to the blast. The forest was a dark blur before her, but she could just make out the individual trees. She held Hiraikotsu out in front of her as she crashed through the canopy, feeling the weapon break through a series of branches before catching the trunk of a tree. Her own momentum carried her into Hiraikotsu, the hard edge of the weapon cutting into her stomach and knocking out the little breath she had left. She slumped down to the ground, stunned.

xXx

Miroku was halfway between Inuyasha and Sango when the wave struck, too far to reach either of them in time. He dropped to the ground and curled into a ball, throwing a spiritual barrier around himself. The wave crashed into him like a battering ram, ripping through the shield and dragging him along the ground before finally releasing him. He blinked a few times, lungs stinging from the heat of the air that even the mask couldn't shield him from. Once his vision cleared, his heart sank. The trees in all directions had been ripped away, toppled by the power that Menomaru sent forth. What remained was a barren wasteland of upturned branches and roots in a wide circle around the Tree of Ages. Worse still, there was no sign of anyone else.

"Inuyasha," Miroku called out, though his voice was hoarse and raspy. "Sango!"

He received no reply. Miroku pushed to his feet and began stumbling towards the newly formed treeline, in the vague direction of where they left Shippo. He had to trust that the others would meet him there – if they were still alive. Which they were. They had to be. The dust in the air, both from soil and the moths, stung his eyes and made it difficult to see where he was going. His vision was still fuzzy from the force of the wave, and his ears were ringing. It took him a while to register the shrill voice calling for him.

"_Miroku?_" Shippo asked frantically, reaching up to cling to his hand. "What happened? Where are the others?"

"Shippo! I'm so glad you're alright," Miroku said, sweeping the fox up in his arms. "We found Menomaru and he tricked us into releasing Hyoga's power. He attacked us and we got separated. The others will be finding us soon."

"You _released Hyoga?_" Shippo asked incredulously. "Wasn't that the one thing that Myoga told you _not to do?_"

"Things didn't quite go to plan," he admitted softly.

"What about Kirara?"

"She's under the sway of the demons. They're controlling her mind, somehow. I think they were mostly using her to draw Inuyasha to Hyoga so that he could break the seal."

"So what do we do?" Shippo asked, as though Miroku would have all the answers.

He shut his eyes and forced himself to think. The most important thing right now was to regroup – he couldn't make a proper plan until he knew what assets they had. Myoga had said that Menomaru would absorb all the power of previous generations, making him much stronger than the Hyoga that Inuyasha's father had fought. Their best shot at defeating him was to stop him before the transformation took place. Menomaru alone had been a powerful opponent, but without the regenerative power of Hyoga to heal him from the Wind Scar, or if he was sucked into the wind tunnel…

"Come forth!" Menomaru's voice echoed unnaturally across the forest. "Bring your offerings! I hunger for the souls of all!"

Waving tendrils of roots and branches shot high into the sky around the Tree of Ages, raising Hyoga's sphere impossibly higher, spreading its canopy in all directions, and creating a writhing wooden labyrinth between it and Miroku. Hundreds if not thousands of moths took to the air in all directions, blocking out the very stars. As a handful approached them, Miroku clutched Shippo to his chest and held out his staff with his other hand, summoning a barrier. The moths glanced off it and left them alone, but they left trails of their poison powder through the air.

"What's going on?" Shippo asked shrilly. "What're the moths after?"

Miroku peered up through the forest canopy to see white lights shooting towards the Tree. It didn't take him long to recognize them as souls – dozens of them, flying straight at Menomaru. The sphere began to swell as it absorbed them, creating an even greater basis of power for the transformation. The youki thickened in the air. Menomaru's laugh echoed across the sky.

As the number of souls increased, so did the number of moths. They circled around Miroku's barrier, a few dashing to pieces against it. It would only be a matter of time before they broke through. Miroku looked out in all directions, but there was no sign of the others. He reached out with his mind and grasped at the nenju beads at the very edge of his consciousness. He prayed that Inuyasha would find them, that his soul hadn't yet been taken. He had to trust that the hanyou would be resourceful enough to weather the attack, as would Sango. As for him and Shippo, they needed to keep themselves safe.

"We can't stay here," Miroku said grimly, tucking Shippo's face into his robes to shield him from the moth dust falling like snow. "We're going to have to run for it. If the moths reach us and take my soul, you need to keep them away from yourself with your foxfire and get as far away as possible. Understand?"

Shippo nodded wordlessly and buried his face deeper into Miroku's robes. The monk took a deep breath and dropped the barrier, concentrating all his spiritual power on the head of his staff. Then he ran. He aimed for one of the mountains at the opposite edge of the forest, hoping that it would have a cave or some other place to take shelter. He cut through the moths one by one as they flew at him, but it was a temporary measure at best. If they were caught out in the open for too long, there was no doubt in his mind that their souls would be taken away.

xXx

The deafening chattering of moths drew Sango back to herself. They swarmed the sky in seemingly endless numbers, coating everything with their poison dust. Though her mask kept her safe, she doubted that it was the end of her worries. Sure enough, the lights of souls began to float through the air, each with a moth accompanying it like a soul collector. She swore and dug in her robes, eyeing the moths already circling her. She had no idea if they would be able to take her soul while she wasn't unconscious from their poison, but she had no intention of waiting to find out. She pulled out a small clamshell filled with a deep purple powder. She took a deep breath and dumped it all over herself.

She waited for a moment before the stinging faded from her eyes and the tingling set into her exposed skin. Sure enough, the moths veered away from her, her own poison concoction keeping them at bay. It bought her a little time, enough to figure out what to do next. There was no sign of any of the others, and she knew that she couldn't wait for them. Just moving had her muscles aching – she didn't have time to stop and examine the damage done by Hyoga's blast. She picked up Hiraikotsu and began running, away from the Tree of Ages, to the safety of a nearby valley. She'd seen the small streams of water travelling downhill, knew that there had to be a river or lake or _something._ And the moths wouldn't be able to follow her into the water.

It turned out to be barely a pond. She knelt down by its edge and untied the carrying cloth from her waist. As well as her travel clothes and a few blankets, she placed inside several of her more temperamental poisons, a few sutras from Miroku, and anything else that wouldn't handle getting wet. The moths were still giving her a wide berth, but some were growing bolder. She sat by the edge of the pond, waiting, as more and more souls painted the sky and the moon travelled on its lazy path. When the moths came too close, the protective poison fading, she knew it was time. She left the bundle of clothes and other items on the wide of the pond and walked in. She didn't bother slowing down, simply waded in as far as she could, snapped a reed from the edge as she passed. Once she reached the deepest point, she lay down under the surface and closed her eyes against the murky water.

She pulled deep breaths through the reed, getting comfortable. She would be able to hold out here for a while, hopefully long enough for the moths to move away or something else to change. Sooner or later, the icy temperature of the water would start to take hold. It was going to be a long night – even though it was more than halfway over already. There was no guarantee of any change come morning.

xXx

Flashes of pain shot through his head, dragging him back to consciousness. Inuyasha opened his eyes to a writhing sky and swathes of moth dust filling the air. He groaned as his stomach rolled and a cold sweat broke down his back. He tried to sit up, but agony shot through his abdomen – right, the hole in his gut. He could feel the blood still steadily leaking from it, seeping through the bandages. He was fairly certain that the wound on his back had split open when he struck the ground. Everything was spinning and fuzzy and he was woozy and just wanted to go back to sleep. Dark shapes were swarming around him, and he watched with mild interest as a moth landed on his sleeve. Its wings fluttered and it stared up at him with beady little eyes. It was only when it began flicking dust onto the fabric that he realized it was a threat. His claws flashed and it was ripped in two.

He blinked up at the endless barrage of insects, growling lightly. He didn't know what they were after, but his instincts were telling him not to let them get close. It took a while, but piece by piece the events of the night came back to him. Damn, he needed to find the others! They needed to stop Menomaru! That blast was just- The blast. Were the others okay? Had they even survived? He inhaled deeply, trying to catch their scent on the wind, and immediately his vision blacked out and he slumped to the ground, almost falling unconscious once more. With shaking hands, he dragged his mask from inside his robes and shoved it onto his face. He pulled in a few deep breaths, each exhale a whining growl. The amount of poison in the air was enough to subdue even him in a single breath. The disgusting taste of it coated his tongue, seared against his throat.

It took far longer than it should have for his head to clear. This was bad. How the hell were the others surviving this? He had to find them. He had to find them _now! _He lifted his nose to the air and breathed deeply, and encountered a new problem. He couldn't smell a thing through the mask! And with all the poison from the moths in the air, he couldn't track any scent for long. But he couldn't see or hear them anywhere, and he knew he had to find them. He would just have to risk it. He closed his eyes and pulled on his youki, pushing back a little of the dust from around him. He pulled the iron mask from his face and snatched a quick breath. There was nothing – nothing detectable under the smell of poison, which quickly clouded his mind and sent him careening to his knees once more. He pressed the mask back to his face and focused on clearing his lungs. Fuck.

Stumbling back to his feet, he set off towards the Tree of Ages. He'd start there and search every part of this fucking forest if he had to – he would find his pack. His claws tore through every moth that came near him. But his movement drew them to him, made them swarm around him. He could hear them chattering above him. Fuck. He forced himself to slow down just a little – he wouldn't be able to save the others if the moths got him first.

The forest hummed with power, the pull of Menomaru's youki making him feel sick. He knew the others probably felt it even worse. Damn it, he needed to get to them! But the closer he got to the Tree of Ages, the more dread began to form a cold pit in his stomach. The Tree was giant, still growing before his very eyes. And the blast had cleared away a good chunk of the forest. He hated to think what it could have done to fragile human bodies. A wave of nausea passed through him and he staggered to a nearby tree, blinking hard to chase the fuzziness from his vision. He didn't have time for this! He had to go! He made it a whole three steps before he felt a tug at the beads 'round his neck. He stared down blankly for a moment before it actually registered. Miroku was alive! He was off and running before he had time to think.

Through the swarm of moths, he could sense something shifting overhead. He dodged on pure instinct as Kirara dove for him, Ruri and Hari on her back.

"We didn't expect to find you still alive," Ruri said, smiling predatorily at him as she hopped down.

"The new Lord Hyoga wants your head," Hari added mildly.

"Does he?" Inuyasha growled, drawing Tessaiga. "Well you can tell him that I'm coming for him – but first, I have more important things to deal with than you two lowlifes!"

He leapt at them, sending them jumping back to avoid the swing of his sword. Kirara stood to the side, teeth bared but not attacking. In that moment, he didn't know if he would be able to face her, too. His youki was prickling under his skin again, with his pack off in the nebulous somewhere and his strength slowly fading through the torn flesh of his belly. He lifted Tessaiga back into the air and pulled the Wind Scar from his mind, sending a somewhat subdued strike racing towards Ruri and Hari. They tried to leap out of the way but were still caught in the blast. They dropped to the ground, seemingly lifeless.

"Kirara?" Inuyasha asked warily, sheathing Tessaiga and taking a step towards her.

She snarled viciously, hackles raised. He could just make out a faint glow emanating from the black patch of fur on her forehead. Was that what was controlling her? He could almost make out a symbol there, some kind of small spiral… A sharp intake of breath came from off to his left and he whipped around, to where Ruri and Hachi were slowly pushing themselves upright. The long tears down their bodies were healing as though it was nothing, the yin and yang symbols on their brows emanating pulses of energy. Damn! Menomaru had to be reviving them! As much as it tore at him to leave Kirara in their clutches for a second time, he knew that he was in no condition to fight them any longer. He needed to get away before they could regenerate enough to come after him.

With one last mournful glance at Kirara, he took off back through the forest, following the vague direction in which he prayed he would find Miroku safe.

xXx

A faint hum in the air grew louder and louder, drawing Sesshomaru's attention from where they had stopped to rest. A few moths were flying around lazily, but over the forest, beyond the peak of the mountain, a dark cloud of insects were swarming unnaturally. A moth demon, then – just like those two who had been in search of Tessaiga. Whatever this mess was, he had no doubts that his brother was behind it. He cut through the few moths that had already reached them and turned to face the oncoming army. Rin looked up, her human hearing finally registering the sound, and gasped. She dropped the flowers she had been collecting and ran to hide behind Sesshomaru. Her fear was sour in the air.

"Rin, take cover," he ordered coolly.

"Right," she nodded, immediately moving to hide behind the boulder on which Jaken sat. A-Un plodded up to stand guard beside her, the left head bending down to nuzzle her while the right hissed, the beginnings of a fiery attack building in their throat.

Jaken startled and jumped off the boulder to run in front of Sesshomaru. "My Lord, do not waste your energy on such pitiful foe! Allow me!"

He lifted up his Staff of Two Heads, and the old man's face shot a blazing wall of fire at the incoming wave of moths. They dissolved under the power of the flames, but there were more arriving all the time. They were flying outwards, not towards their master – they were searching for something. Souls. His father had spoken of the same occurrence after the battle some two hundred years ago. So, that was it. Hyoga had resurrected.

"Rin," he said sharply, summoning her. "You are to flee on A-Un. You must stay out of reach of the moths, or they will take your soul. Jaken will watch over you."

"Lord Sesshomaru!" Jaken exclaimed, rushing back to his side. "Please, allow me to accompany you! This-"

"I gave you an order," he hissed, causing the imp to shrink back.

"Of course, Master! I would never question-"

Sesshomaru blocked out his grating voice and lifted into the air, flying through the swarm in a concentrated ball of youki. Any moth that came near him dissolved in a heartbeat. No, his enemy was far greater than any of them.

xXx

A spear embedded itself in the trunk of the tree to his right, barely missing his head. Inuyasha swore and ducked, hauling Tessaiga out of its sheath to block the twin swords that he knew were coming. He pushed Hari back and, mostly out of spite, yanked Ruri's spear out of the tree and hurled it away. He lifted Tessaiga up, the blade glowing amber. The demons slowed to a stop and met his gaze easily for a long moment before jumping back on Kirara and flying off. Just as they had over the past three attacks. He waited for them to disappear from view before turning back to his previous path.

Progress was painfully slow, with the ceaseless attacks from demons and moths driving him in different directions to the point where he had no idea if he'd unwittingly passed Miroku in the dense forest. Every so often, he pulled down his mask to sniff the air, but while the number of moths had been decreasing throughout the night, there was still enough dust around that even the single breath made his head spin. He unwittingly sank to his knees, groaning softly in equal measures of pain and frustration. He didn't have time for this! They needed to be attacking Menomaru by now, before he could absorb all that power and become unstoppable. But no, here he was, stumbling through the forest, unable to so much as break into a run without moths mobbing him or demons flying at him, and he was still no closer to finding his pack than when he started.

He climbed to his feet through sheer determination and set off once more. Then, another tug came from the nenju beads. From behind him. In the opposite direction he'd been going. He whipped around, hoping against hope that Miroku would magically appear through the trees, laughing at him for having stumbled right past. Nothing happened. Wherever Miroku was, it wasn't nearby. The beads gave him no indication of distance, no way of knowing exactly where the monk was. But what choice did he have? He set as fast a pace as he dared, keeping an eye on the moths, the trees, and Kirara flying far above his head.

xXx

Miroku placed another sutra around the mouth of the cave. "There, that should do it."

"Will it hold a little longer?" Shippo asked nervously.

"Until morning, at least," he sighed.

The barrier had lasted against the dozens of moths which tried to break through. Every so often, he'd had to reinforce it with another sutra, but they allowed him to focus his mind enough that the barrier wasn't draining his strength. They were buried deep within the cliff at the base of the mountain, too deep to be able to see the sky, but judging by the sting in his eyes and the exhaustion in his bones, Miroku guessed that it was almost dawn. Hachi should be arriving soon, and then they would be able to make their move.

"How are we going to fight Menomaru?" Shippo asked, climbing into his lap as soon as he resumed his position by the fire. "We don't even know where Inuyasha and Sango are! How can we face such a powerful demon without them?"

"We'll manage, somehow," Miroku said tiredly, placing a comforting hand on Shippo's head. "I'm going to need your help once Hachi arrives, you know. He's going to take us to the Tree of Ages, and you'll need to keep the moths away from him with your foxfire while I'm away."

"Away?" Shippo echoed suspiciously. "Away doing what?"

"Defeating Menomaru, of course," he said, with a confidence he didn't feel. "Inuyasha and Sango will likely be there as well, but you and Hachi are going to be keeping watch from the sky. We can't afford any surprises."

Shippo's eyes narrowed. "I know what you're doing. You're trying to keep me out of danger again."

Miroku offered him a wry smile. "Keeping you out of danger would be sending you and Hachi off in the opposite direction of the Tree. I'm just trying to keep you alive." He looked down at the kit solemnly. "And we really will need your help, you know. The Tree is being supported by Hyoga's power. It'll probably collapse when we defeat Menomaru, and we won't have much time to get to Hachi after that. I'm counting on you to make sure you're ready."

"Of course I will be!" Shippo nodded, stuffed full of his usual bravado. It was a move he'd seen Inuyasha pull many times. Just the thought of the hanyou made his heart ache. He reached out to the nenju beads once more and tugged gently, praying that Inuyasha was alive enough to receive his message. Where _was _he?

xXx

Sango lifted her head out of the water to scan the area. There was still no sign of any other living creature besides the moths, and even they were swarming in much fewer numbers than before. She supposed that they would have run out of souls fairly quickly, and they would have either returned to Menomaru or have been forced to fly much farther afield for more. She had no idea how far Menomaru's reach was, or how many souls it would take before his transformation was complete.

She knew that the time to act was approaching. The moths were sparse enough that she might be able to fend them off long enough to fight her way back to the Tree of Ages. Once there, she had no idea what she could do other than climb her way to the top and try to take on Menomaru alone. She'd been keeping an eye on Hyoga's sphere throughout the night, but had seen no attacks made by her companions or anyone else. She desperately hoped that it meant that they were laying low and biding their time, and not lying somewhere in the forest, dead or soulless.

Either way, she would wait a little longer before she made her move. After all, she would only have one shot. She sank below the surface once more, readjusting the reed in her mouth. Then, a hand closed around her shoulder and yanked her up harshly. She pulled out her sword and stabbed it back over her head in a single fluid movement before she blinked the pond water from her eyes and recognized the person holding her. Then she had to blink again, just to be sure, because it was _Sesshomaru_ standing there with her sword jammed through his upper arm. His eyes widened in what appeared to be shock before morphing into cold anger. He dropped her soundly and she landed back in the water with a splash.

"Sesshomaru?" she asked incredulously.

"You're one of Inuyasha's humans, are you not?" he asked, casually pulling the sword from his arm with the same hand. "Where is he?"

"I don't know," she admitted, climbing to her feet. "We were separated when a demon attacked."

"Hyoga?" he asked dryly.

"Menomaru."

He sneered. "They are one and the same. The son is nothing without the father, which is why I must destroy him." He paused, examining Sango's sword. "How is it that a human weapon could strike me?"

"It's fortified with demon teeth and bones," she said, slowly reaching out her hand for it. "Made especially for fighting demons."

"You are foolish if you believe that you will survive this battle," he said, loosening his grip in the sword so that it fell tip-first into the pond. He turned and started walking wordlessly away. She watched him go in utter confusion. He made his way to a clearing between the trees and then stood still, glowing brightly before flying up into the air. A wave of youki shot from him as he rose. It hit her squarely in the chest, knocking her back a step. She closed her eyes and breathed through the roll of nausea it produced. When she opened her eyes again, the bodies of dozens of moths rained from the sky.

xXx

"Miroku?" a voice asked from outside the cave, and Miroku's shoulders sagged with relief. He pulled the failing sutras from the rock walls and welcomed Hachi warmly.

"Hachi!" Shippo shouted, bounding over to the tanuki and embracing him.

"You two seem to have gotten yourselves into a mess," Hachi observed, side-eyeing Miroku suspiciously.

"That does seem to be our general approach to life," he grinned tiredly, running a hand down his face. "I need you to take us to the Tree of Ages nearby. We've awoken a demon who's the one responsible for stealing all the souls in the area, and if we don't stop him now, he'll be practically invincible."

Hachi nodded slowly. "The moths?"

"The moths."

"And you expect me to take you to this incredibly powerful demon, what, out of the goodness of my heart?"

Miroku sighed softly and wound his arm around Hachi's shoulders, squeezing lightly. "Hachi, it's been a very long night, so I'm only going to say this once – if this demon isn't stopped _today_, he could become a bigger problem than even Naraku. He could destroy all life in the area. And if by some miracle we both survive the endless barrage of soul-stealing moths and wanton destruction, I will spend the rest of my life hunting you down for not helping me stop it."

"You make a compelling argument," Hachi said.

He transformed obediently and Miroku and Shippo climbed onto his back before he took off. True to his word, Shippo began scampering around his body, shooting his foxfire at any moth that came too close. Most of the fire was dragged away towards the Tree, which called upon the departed soul within the flames, but it still caught up some moths in its path. Miroku covered him as well, as best he could with the limited reach of his staff.

As Hachi approached the Tree of Ages, the immense scale of their task became clear. Hyoga's sphere was swollen with thousands upon thousands of souls – human, animal, and demon alike. The vague shape of Menomaru was barely visible inside, and he'd already grown to more than twice his previous height. He still had a lot of energy to absorb before the transformation would be complete, but Miroku was eager to stop him as soon as possible.

He leaned over Hachi's side, scanning the forest for any sign of Inuyasha or Sango. He found none. Instead, deep in the middle of the Forest of No Return, something caught his eye. There were streaks of white slithering amongst the trees, and it wasn't more stolen souls – well, not only.

"Hachi, take us down there," he said, pointing.

Hachi crashed down between the trees as far as he could go before branches obscured his path, and Miroku jumped off his back with Shippo. They landed in front of a dramatic battle. Soul collectors fought viciously against the moths, tearing them apart with sharp teeth and grasping limbs. They formed a protective wall around Kikyo, who was slumped against the base of a tree. She was wan and drawn, and he guessed that most of her souls must have been taken already. Even as they watched, a moth landed on her shoulder and pulled out a glowing white orb. It barely took off before a soul collector tore it to shreds, while another snatched the soul and deposited it back securely into Kikyo's body.

"I see you're doing well," Miroku sighed, kneeling down before her. "I thought you escaped."

"I was, when that demon began summoning all the souls in the area," she said, not opening her eyes, her face tight with pain. "What kind of coward steals even the souls of the dead?"

Miroku's hands stilled and he stared at her incredulously. "You're joking, right?"

Her eyes cracked open to gaze wanly at him. "I do what I must."

"So do we all," he said grimly. He reached into his robes and pulled out the last of his sutras. He brought it to his lips, murmuring an age-old incantation until it glowed with power. He placed it onto her chest, watched as it sealed itself to the fabric there. "That should last you for a while, but you need to get out of here."

"Where's Inuyasha?" she asked, pushing herself upright.

"I don't know," he admitted grimly. "I'm trying to find him. I'm sure we'll meet him on the way to fight the demon, though. You just take care of staying undead."

She regarded him like he was a puzzle that she was on the verge of solving. "Why did you help me? Why do you always help me?"

He rose to his feet and folded his arms. "I don't know. I try not to think about it."

He hopped back onto Hachi's back and nodded to Kikyo as the tanuki rose into the air. He didn't know if she would heed his advice – it seemed unlikely that she'd stayed in the forest only through attacks from the moths. As flawed as her relationship with Inuyasha was, she still cared about him, almost to the extent that the hanyou cared about her. He just didn't know what that would mean when it came to risking her own life.

They barely made it back to the air before Shippo was tugging insistently on his sleeve. "Do you hear that?"

Hachi slowed to a stop, hovering anxiously as Miroku tried to listen. He couldn't hear anything, but Shippo squealed excitedly.

"It's Sango!" he said, pointing wildly down to another section of the forest. Miroku followed his gaze to spot the Hiraikotsu shooting up into the air, flashing in the dawn light before circling back down to Sango.

She ran for them as soon as Hachi touched down, sweeping up both Miroku and Shippo into a fierce embrace.

"I'm so glad you're safe!" she gasped.

"Of course we're safe," he assured, hugging her tightly in return. "We still have our mess to clean up." He leaned back to look at her appraisingly. "Why are you all wet?"

"Hid in a pond."

"Ah," he nodded. "Cave."

"But you won't believe who I ran into – Sesshomaru!" She shook her head as though she still couldn't believe it. "I'm not sure, but I think he saved my life."

Miroku frowned. "He what now?"

"I don't know. He was after Inuyasha, and I think he knew something about Menomaru as well. When he left, he killed all the moths around me with his youki. It looked suspiciously like helping."

"Probably just a coincidence," Miroku said reassuringly.

"Miroku saved Kikyo!" Shippo announced, tugging gently on Sango's shoulder.

Her gaze snapped back to his. "Did he now?"

"Let's focus on Menomaru, shall we?" Miroku grimaced. "Please tell me you've come up with a brilliant idea on how to fight him."

Sango lifted Hiraikotsu up slightly and simply said "Stab."

"Well, you're not wrong," he sighed. "We can come up with something a little more detailed on the way."

They made it all the way to the Tree of Ages uninterrupted. Miroku ignored the way that Sango was shaking with cold, her clothes sodden and the dawn air biting. He knew that he was not much better off – pain still laced up his arm from where Ruri had copied the wind tunnel, and the moth dust had left him tired and aching. Thankfully, there were significantly fewer moths around, allowing Hachi to approach the Tree without too much trouble. They peered down at the tangled mess of roots and branches surrounding the Tree – it would be almost impossible to traverse on foot. Thankfully, Hachi flew them up to the canopy of the Tree, to the giant twisting branches which supported Hyoga's sphere looming overhead.

Sango lifted Hiraikotsu and threw it at the giant orb. It cut a deep trench through the thick pink substance in which Menomaru was suspended, but the wound quickly sealed itself shut. Sango hopped off Hachi's back and onto a branch to catch Hiraikotsu as it returned. Miroku landed behind her and braced her as she caught it, very carefully _not _looking down to see just how far they would fall if they lost their balance.

"Hachi," Miroku called back to him. "Take Shippo and find Inuyasha."

"Gladly!" the tanuki said, immediately turning to speed away from the Tree.

"That was a bit too eager of him, wasn't it?" Miroku commented dryly.

"So, did you come up with that brilliant plan?" Sango asked grimly, the half-smile not reaching her eyes.

"Not at all," Miroku sighed. "However, I have _a _plan."

She followed him along the branch, heading towards the sphere. She kept a careful eye out for any sign of an attack – it seemed unlikely that Menomaru would let his transformation take place unguarded.

"Foolish mortals," the demon himself chided from inside the orb, staring at them with glowing eyes. "You challenge me knowing you don't stand a chance. Humans are such strange creatures."

"You're one to talk," Miroku said, and Sango threw Hiraikotsu at the sphere again, mostly out of spite. "Here's what we need to do," he told her quietly. "This entire structure is precarious. If we knock down the branches supporting the sphere, we will at least be able to attack it on the ground. I can pull it down with the wind tunnel. And who knows – maybe the fall will injure Menomaru in some way."

Sango followed his gaze to the twisting branches which held the orb aloft, and nodded. "On it."

She caught Hiraikotsu and took off, hopping from branch to branch as she circled the sphere. She threw Hiraikotsu several times, each blow cutting through the wooden structures bearing the brunt of the orb's weight. It didn't take long for the groaning and creaking of wood to fill the air. She then stepped back, well out of the path of the wind tunnel, and waited.

Miroku pulled the mala beads from his hand and aimed it at the sphere. Sure enough, it began slowly bending towards him, the weaker but more flexible branches all that was keeping it aloft. Leaves and a few remaining moths flew into his hand, and he grimaced, but it wouldn't be much longer-

"Wind tunnel!"

The shout came from somewhere off to his right, and he barely had time to look before he saw an identical black void swirling towards him. He cried out as the full brunt of the attack hit him, immediately beginning to drag him from the branch he was perched on. He dug his staff deep into the wood, crouching down to reduce the drag of the void on his body, but it was no good. He couldn't make any move to escape or he'd be sucked in, and the wind was picking up in speed and intensity every moment. It left him with only one option. Miroku tugged off the mala once more and braced his right arm with his left hand, turning his wind tunnel against Ruri's.

It was a strange sensation, feeling a void of equal strength pulling back against his own. All the leaves and other debris swept up from Ruri's wind tunnel were caught by his and hung suspended in the air where the forces clashed. His hair and robes were flying in all directions, and he could feel the branches straining beneath his feet. A cold numbness began to spread up his arm as he continued to hold the wind tunnel open and not draw anything into it. He didn't know how long he could hold out, but he could only hope that Ruri was facing the same challenge.

Sango's heart sank when she saw the second wind tunnel appear, and for one terrifying moment she though that Miroku might have been caught. However, even as they turned against each other, she started racing towards them. She couldn't let Miroku be drawn into a wind tunnel, even if it wasn't his own, and she wouldn't let him kill himself by keeping it open too long, either! She leapt from branch to branch, not bothering to think every time her foot slipped or she fell shorter than she would have liked – so long as she wasn't dead, it didn't matter.

Ruri was in her sights, and she unsheathed her sword without breaking stride. Then Kirara burst from the gap between her branch and Ruri's, Hari on her back.

"I'll take you on!" Hari announced, her twin blades flashing.

xXx

Inuyasha staggered to a stop and looked around wildly. Dawn was spilling onto the mountain cliffs, shining through the thin layer of moth dust which coated the ground. _Damn it all! _Ruri and Hari seemed to be leaving him alone for now, but he still couldn't find Miroku! The pain from his abdomen thrummed through his body with every beat of his heart, and his vision was fuzzy. Time was running out in more ways than one. With a growl, he pulled the mask off his face. He took a deep breath, and immediately caught the scent of both Miroku and Shippo. It was faint, and not as fresh as he would have liked, but it was a start. He ran after it, tracking it to a shallow cave and a dying fire. _Damn!_ He spun around, taking another sniff of the air. There was another scent there – Hachi! He froze. If Miroku had summoned Hachi, then he was probably already on his way to fight Menomaru! _The idiot!_

He could just make out the giant pink orb looming over the forest. It was impossible to tell if there were any humans around it. He took off towards it regardless. His breath was ragged in his ears as he pushed his body to the breaking point. He _had _to get to Menomaru before he killed everything that Inuyasha had left.

The forest was a blur around him, an indistinct mess of sounds and scents and the wind in his face. There was nothing that could tear his attention away from the overwhelming urge to find his pack – except, perhaps, a familiar scent. He slowed to a stop, his mind struggling to grasp what exactly it was sensing. It wasn't Miroku or Sango, or even Kirara or Shippo… His gaze snapped to the direction of the scent, where he could just make out the faint whistling of a moving soul collector. _Kikyo!_

For a heartbeat, he considered continuing on his way regardless. But even now, even after everything, he couldn't just ignore her. A few short leaps brought him in front of her. She looked unsurprised to see him.

"I thought you might already be in the battle," she smiled mildly, gesturing at the Tree of Ages.

"The others?" he asked between rasping pants for air.

"You just missed them. They seem intent on destroying this demon."

His eyes fell to familiar characters etched into the front of her robes, looking like they had been burned into the fabric, and frowned. "Miroku?"

She frowned slightly, following his gaze. "He saved my life, though he wouldn't say why." She looked up at him, and something shifted in her expression. "You must hurry, Inuyasha, if you wish to save the ones you love."

He took off without another word, a renewed urgency lending speed to his movements. He wasn't too late. He _wouldn't _be too late! He burst through the treeline and launched himself onto the nest of roots surrounding the Tree of Ages. He leapt over some roots and tore through others, but as hard as he fought, his progress was painfully slow. He glanced up, past the endless branches of the Tree to where he _knew _his pack was locked in a battle for their lives.

"Inuyasha!" a voice called from overhead, and he whipped around to see Hachi flying at him from the forest, Shippo bouncing on his head.

The tanuki crash-landed on the roots next to him, and he wasted no time jumping onto his back.

"I've been searching everywhere for you!" Hachi whined chidingly as he lifted back into the air.

"Where are they?" Inuyasha asked, sparing a moment to hug Shippo to his chest.

"They're at the peak," the fox answered. "It doesn't look good. Menomaru is powerful!"

xXx

It felt like the air was being ripped from his lungs, Ruri's wind tunnel forming a vacuum around him even as he held off the brunt of her attack. His arm was shaking from the strain of keeping the void open for so long, but he couldn't think of what else he could do! Would a demon be able to withstand the wind tunnel's draining power better than he could? Could she hold off until he was forced to succumb and seal his hand first?

Miroku gasped as the dragging pressure around him faded slightly. He peered through his own wind tunnel, not willing to risk closing it just yet. There was a flash of blue speeding towards him, and it took him a moment to register that Ruri was _leaping at him_. He pulled his hand back but then Ruri had opened her wind tunnel again and their palms crashed together, forming an unbreakable seal as the two voids pulled into one another. Miroku stared at it for a moment, wondering if she had just condemned them both to death, but then her spear shot at his head. He dodged at the edge graze along his neck, and he blocked the next attack with his staff and knocked it away.

Ruri pulled him in close by their connected hands and purred "Very nice. You're a handsome one, young monk. Makes me want to dig out your heart and eat it."

Miroku swallowed, a witty retort dying on his lips. His heart was pounding and he was shaking, and not just from the strain of keeping the wind tunnel open so long. He wished that it didn't terrify him. He'd always been so afraid of the void in his hand, but at least he'd had some level of control over it! Now that it was turned against him…

The ornament on Ruri's forehead glowed and her hand began to sink into his own, travelling up his arm with an unearthly pressure. Miroku tried to wrench himself away but his arm was fixed in place, and he could do nothing but watch in horror as her hand reached up through his chest and grasped his heart. He cried out, choking on agony, and let himself fall to his knees. His wind tunnel was open, aimed past Ruri. Her own had faded out of existence when she entered his body. He rolled away from her and back up to his feet, throwing the mala over his fingers. Her hand pulled back down his arm and snapped back into place over his own, the wind tunnel re-emerging as her fingers solidified. Miroku growled, tried one last time to secure the mala over both their hands before Ruri's spear was hurling towards his head.

Miroku caught the blade of her weapon in the head of his staff, but instead of dragging it away this time, he summoned as much spiritual energy as he could along the head and brought it crashing down towards their joined hands. The sharp edge of his staff sliced between their palms, digging a bloody gouge through each of them, but the spiritual power sealed both of the wind tunnels closed for a scarce heartbeat. Miroku snatched the mala beads back with his right hand and, before Ruri could so much as blink, leapt off the branch and went crashing down to the canopy below.

xXx

Sango leapt from one branch down to another, feeling Kirara's claws pass a hair's breadth from her back as she did so. She landed in a crouch and instinctively dodged Kirara's lunge as she followed her down the trunk of the Tree. From a nearby branch, Hari plucked a petal from the blue flower in her hair and blew on it lightly, the dust transforming into daggers of power which shot towards Sango. The slayer leapt back, and the bolts of energy shattered the wood at her feet. Another attack followed and then another, and Sango continued to dodge, moving closer to the trunk of the Tree in a feeble attempt to keep from being knocked down to her death.

Deep gouges marred the branches where each bolt struck, some smoking from the impact, some still on fire. Another set of energy-blades struck the branch in front of her and she leapt through the flames. She landed hard and rolled, smothering the sparks which latched to her, but she'd barely regained her feet before a roar sounded just above her head. She hauled Hiraikotsu over her shoulder to shield her chest as Kirara tried to knock her down, colliding with the weapon instead. Sango shoved Hiraikotsu forward, knocking the twin-tail off.

"Kirara!" she shouted, trying to reach through to her.

Kirara bounced off a branch and leapt at her again, springing off Hiraikotsu. She rounded back for yet another attack, this time aiming for Sango's head, and she had to lift Hiraikotsu to block Kirara's gnashing jaws. It was an impossible fight, and not only because she absolutely refused to hurt Kirara – the twin-tail had trained with her for _years,_ knew all of her maneuvers and how to counter or avoid them. The only way she could win was by breaking whatever control Hari had over her.

"Kirara, snap out of it!" she pleaded as she threw the demon bodily aside.

She barely had time to snatch her breath before Kirara was charging again. Sango caught the side of her head with Hiraikotsu, pushing it aside and moving with Kirara as she tried to force her way past the weapon. They turned in a circle, faster and faster until Sango swung Hiraikotsu around, aiming for Kirara's legs. But the twin-tail jumped up and away, landing easily by Hari's side.

"You're wasting your breath, slayer," Hari called back to her. "She cannot hear your voice anymore."

She threw another volley of blue energy-blades, which Sango blocked with Hiraikotsu, before throwing the weapon. It whizzed past Hari, who chuckled at the apparent failure. Sango held her gaze firmly as Hiraikotsu travelled up the side of the trunk, slicing through several giant branches. One fell straight for Hari, but the demon saw it coming. Kirara rushed forward and Hari swung onto her back as the twin-tail carried them safely out of harm's way.

Sango ran after them, snatching Hiraikotsu upon its return as the branches continued to crash down around her.

xXx

He was almost at the Tree of Ages when Sesshomaru paused, sensing something amiss in the forest below. He touched down and walked the final few paces towards the strange figure standing at the treeline, staring up at the massive Tree looming overhead. Her head turned ever so slightly, and he knew that she had sensed him.

"You are Inuyasha's brother."

He grimaced ever so slightly. "You're the woman who killed him."

She turned at that, eyes flashing. "I am."

"A mistake on your part, I think, if you wanted to keep him for yourself," he sneered. "It would seem that the mortal monk has replaced you – you must loathe him."

She surveyed him skeptically. "I loathe all things. I despise every creature who is bound to life."

He could smell the cold rage seeping from her, the emotion pure in a way that no living mortal could achieve. But then, she was neither of those. Through Tenseiga, he could see the messengers of the underworld hovering around her, held back by the immense spiritual power that he could sense within her and yet still managing to tear away tiny portions of her soul. How interesting.

"Do what you must," he said, walking past her. "Though I warn you, I shall be the one to destroy Inuyasha."

He lifted easily into the air, floating towards the Tree of Ages and the scent of dying humans.

xXx

Miroku grasped wildly at every branch, twig, and vine around him as he careened down the trunk of the Tree, trying to slow his fall. He slid down one long branch and dug the head of his staff into the wood, slowing him enough that he could grasp onto a loose creeper vine. It tore from the wood and stretched a little before it snapped, dropping him down onto a thick branch close to the trunk. He staggered to his feet, trying to catch his breath around the hammering of his heart and the phantom claws he still felt pulling at his chest.

Instinct made him look to his left, where Ruri was flying at him through the canopy. She threw her spear and he whipped the length of his staff in front of his face, the tip of the weapon biting deep into the metal instead of the intended target of his neck. But then the spear was transforming into a snake, its jaws clamped around the pole of his staff, venom already eating through the metal. He swung the staff around his head, dislodging the snake, which flew back to Ruri and transformed obediently back into a spear as she caught it.

"Had enough of this, monk?" she asked mockingly. "What do you say we settle this battle here and now? We'll test your wind tunnel against my own! Who will be sucked into the void first?"

That sounded like approximately the last thing that Miroku would ever want to do, but as she raised her uncovered palm, he didn't exactly have a choice. He pulled the mala beads slowly from his forearm with shaking hands, keeping his gaze fixed on her all the while.

"Figures," she sneered. "A weapon like this is wasted on a mortal. Only a demon can use it to its full potential!" She stopped, and surveyed him thoughtfully. "But then, you're not quite human, are you?"

Miroku didn't have time to so much as think before her wind tunnel snapped open. He lifted his own hand, grimacing as the void pulled at the tattered remains of his strength. He wouldn't be able to hold it open for much longer. His knees were already threatening to buckle. The two voids clashed once more, and this time Ruri was close enough that he could see her clearly through the flying debris and eye-watering wind. She was smiling, utterly unconcerned, even as he slowly tore himself apart.

His arm was shaking violently, and he leaned hard against his staff. Time seemed to drag on into a single endless moment, defined by the freezing rush of wind and pain. He'd never kept the wind tunnel open this long. He didn't know what might happen, if the void would split open and consume him, or if his body would simply give out. All he knew was that he was already at his limit and there wasn't much further he could push.

Ruri's eyes narrowed, looking less than confident for the first time. Was she feeling it, too? Or was she simply bored? She lifted her spear up with her other hand thoughtfully. Miroku watched in abject horror as she pressed the blade against the edge of the gaping hole in her palm, purposefully tearing it wider. He could feel the difference immediately, dragging him forward with unchallengeable force. She smiled at him, and tipped her other hand as the spear was ripped from her grasp, disappearing into the void as she watched uncaringly.

"Now, monk," she said calmly. "Prepare to die."

He couldn't move, he couldn't breathe, and he couldn't stop the way that he was being pulled into her wind tunnel. He braced himself as hard as he could, panic flaring through him, but it wasn't enough. Ruri's laughter echoed in his mind, over the howl of the wind and the blood rushing in his ears. The void grew impossibly stronger, and Miroku's eyes snapped to her palm. Her wind tunnel was spreading, slowly crawling along the flesh. The air around her hand grew dark, a pulse of youki shot from her hand, and Ruri's eyes widened in sheer, animalistic terror. She pulled her hand back and up, trying to close the wind tunnel as she no doubt felt it racing up her arm. The hole had swallowed her fingers and was gaping ever wider.

Miroku watched, unable to look away, as the curse swirled around her, swallowing her whole into the endless nothingness. The last thing he saw was her expression frozen in wordless horror, the same mask of agony and fear that had adorned his father's face in his final moments. Her scream rang out just before a wave of power shoved him back, dangerously close to the edge of the branch. Miroku sealed his own hand and snatched a breath before daring to look back. A crater had been formed in the giant branch, tearing through the wood as mercilessly as it had Ruri.

Miroku fell to his knees.

After a long moment, he lifted a shaking hand in front of his face, and began to pray. No soul deserved that.

xXx

Sango leapt back again and again as Hari charged at her. She slid Hiraikotsu over her head and pulled out her sword just in time to block the demon's twin blades. She knew instantly that Hari was a skilled opponent – each blade moved independently yet with equal strength, targeting her head, her chest, her legs all at once. She blocked as many blows as she could, stumbling back under the force. Hari smiled and pressed further. Sango swept her sword in front of her, momentarily knocking both the swords to the side in a move that she _knew _left her devastatingly open to attack. Hari sensed it, and smiled, but then Sango swung Hiraikotsu around with her other hand, almost cutting the demon in two.

Hari jumped out of range and crossed her swords over her head, sending a slash of red power shooting along the ground towards Sango. She threw herself to the side and rolled, and threw Hiraikotsu before the dust had cleared. It was a clear path to Hari, and the demon wasn't moving – but then Kirara dove down from another branch and knocked Hiraikotsu out of the air with her head. The weapon clattered down to a nearby branch, and Hari smirked.

Sango stared up at them, struggling to catch her breath. Sweat dripped down her face, stinging her eyes, and she was shaking from the exertion. It was as intense a battle as she'd ever fought, and she still had no idea how to free Kirara!

She reached into her tunic and pulled out a glass vial filled with light green liquid. She saw Kirara's eyes narrow and knew that she recognized it. Sango threw it at them. It shattered along the branch and immediately began eating into the wood. Hari climbed delicately onto Kirara's back and she took off, weaving in and out of the branches. Sango ran, jumping onto the branch where Hiraikotsu lay and hauling it up as she moved further down the tree. She needed a solid platform on which to fight, and most of the branches large enough were further down the canopy.

Her attention was drawn by the creaking of wood and the rustling of the leaves all around her. Wind rushed past her, dragging at her clothes and bending the branched in a very specific direction. The wind tunnel! She swore, craning to see through the canopy. The wind was getting stronger and stronger, like nothing she'd ever seen. Oh, what had that foolish monk _done?_ She tracked the branches desperately, looking for a way to get up to him. But then the wind died down, leaving an eerie silence ringing through the forest.

Then a wave of power almost knocked her off her feet.

No! No, that couldn't be-

"Miroku!" she screamed, but there was no answer.

Instead, laughter came from behind her. She spun around, and Kirara touched down for a moment before springing back to the air. Hari was watching from her back, seemingly amused.

"You refuse to admit the obvious in all things, it seems," she called through the branches at Sango as Kirara continued to circle her.

"Shut up!" she shouted, though it came out more of a sob.

"You've lost the monk, and you've lost Kirara," Hari tutted. "You could never have kept her – you don't have the power to control her."

"_Shut up!_" Sango repeated. "My relationship with Kirara is nothing like that! She's my _friend_, not some _pet!_"

"Still so naïve and stubborn," Hari said wistfully. "You won't be missed."

Kirara was charging towards her. Hari leapt off her back and onto a nearby branch, keen to watch the show. Sango's shoulders slumped as the fight drained out of her. She was so _tired. _She couldn't fight against Kirara any longer. Not Kirara. She loosened her grip, and Hiraikotsu dropped from her fingers.

"Kirara," she murmured, tears slipping down her cheeks. "I know this isn't how you want to be."

She closed her eyes, and waited for the blow to come. Kirara crashed into her, knocking her from the branch and sending her flying. She was thrown through the air and landed hard. The breath was knocked from her lungs as she collided with the unforgiving wood, her body screaming in protest. She coughed, feeling her ribs shifting back from the blow. She could hear Kirara roaring behind her.

"What's the matter with you?" Hari's voice rang out, cold and disapproving. "Finish her off!"

Sango forced her eyes open to see Kirara writhing where she stood, yowling in pain and confusion. She reared back on her hind legs and then charged, ramming the top of her head into the trunk of the Tree. She landed back, staggered, and did it again. And again. And again.

"Kirara!" Sango shouted, pushing herself up. "Kirara, _stop it! Kirara!_"

With one final blow, Kirara staggered away, shaking her head firmly. She looked pleadingly back at Sango before falling to the side, where she slumped motionless. Sango was running before she had time to think. She fell to her knees by Kirara, pulling her head into her lap. Blood ran from the twin-tail's brow, mixed with the shattered red pieces of a yang symbol. Hari's control was broken. Sango let out a sob and hugged her closer.

"Wretched creature!" Hari hissed. "I have no use for you anymore."

She threw a barrage of energy-blades at them. Kirara's eyes snapped open and she surged to her feet. Sango flattened herself on top of her back as she took off, dodging from side to side as Hari's attacks shot past them.

"Kirara, Hiraikotsu," Sango gasped, clinging to the fur around her neck.

Kirara veered around and ran back along the branch towards the discarded weapon. Sango snatched it up and swung it back towards Hari. It raced along the branch where she stood, shattering it as it went, but Hari leapt out of the way. She hurled another volley of blades at them and landed on another branch, pulling out her swords. Kirara flew into Hiraikotsu's path, allowing Sango to grab it once more. Hari had crossed her swords, holding them above her head as they glowed red with impending power. Kirara didn't slow, and Sango held Hiraikotsu out with all her strength, and the weapon cut Hari cleanly in two.

Her torso landed on the branch next to the rest of her body, and her eyes snapped to Sango as Kirara landed. "I'm not that easy to kill," she hissed.

But then the yang ornament on her brow glowed, and a white light began to emerge from her body. She screamed as her soul was ripped free and floated up into the air, spiralling higher and higher before it disappeared into Menomaru's waiting sphere. Her body crumpled to dust.

"Let's go, Kirara," Sango said tiredly, running a hand down the twin-tail's neck. "The others need our help."

They wove in and out of the branches, searching for any signs of their companions. Hachi should have found Inuyasha already, and Miroku was somewhere further up the tree. Sango refused to believe that they were anything other than alive. But when they came upon a deep crater gouged into the wood… Kirara landed beside it and bent her head down to sniff the area cautiously. There was no sign of Miroku. Just a gaping hole in the ground that could only have been caused by the wind tunnel.

"I thought I told you to leave this place," a cool voice said from behind her, and Sango whipped around. Sesshomaru stood lightly on a branch slightly above hers, and was watching her with disdain. "I will destroy Hyoga, regardless of whether you or any of your sorry companions remains within range."

"You're taking him on alone?" Sango asked incredulously, feeling Kirara come stand by her side. "That's not happening. We're all going to do our part to bring him down."

"By now you must see that you are useless against him," he sneered. "Get your friend and go."

He pointed up through the canopy. Sango followed the motion, uncomprehending, before violent hope and relief ripped through her. "Miroku?"

"Consider this your final warning," Sesshomaru said and lifted into the air, floating up through the branches.

Sango leapt onto Kirara and they shot in the direction Sesshomaru had pointed. She caught sight of a swath of purple and black amongst the green. Miroku was hauling himself up another branch, leaning hard on his staff.

"Miroku!" she called out, her voice suspiciously choked.

"Sango," he said mildly, turning. "Kirara – I'm glad you're back."

They landed in front of him and Sango was instantly reaching for him, alarmed by the pallor of his skin and the tremors racing down his arms.

"Are you alright?" she asked anxiously as he swayed.

"Mm," he nodded loosely. "I overused my wind tunnel a bit."

She swallowed hard. "We saw the hole…"

He grimaced. "Yes. Ruri wasn't as familiar with the limits of the curse." He shook his head as Sango opened her mouth, cutting off her horrified response. "What about you? How did you fare?"

Sango sighed, glancing over at the blood which had dripped down Kirara's head into one eye. Her own breathing was shallow – she was fairly certain her ribs were bruised if not cracked. "We managed."

They shared a tired, humourless smile before turning back to Menomaru above them.

"You feel the demonic aura getting stronger?" Miroku said flatly. "We don't have much time left." He closed his eyes for a brief moment. "Take Kirara and make your escape. I'm going to take care of that orb after I figure out how to free the souls."

"Did you really think I'd agree to that?" she asked sharply.

"It's not-" He cut off with a low groan and his knees buckled. She dove for him before he could fall, but his weight sent white-hot agony shooting through her ribs. She lowered them both to the ground, breath hissing through her teeth.

"What the fuck, Miroku," she muttered under her breath.

"Sorry," he gasped. "I'm alright."

"Listen up, you idiot," she sighed, dragging him closer with a fist in his robes. "Sesshomaru's here and he's got some plan to fight Menomaru. I don't know what it is or if it'll work, but surely if we all come up with something together…"

"He's here?" Miroku echoed faintly, but his eyes darted to the giant sphere. "Tokijin might be able to reach Menomaru."

Sango watched him carefully, anger bubbling in her chest. "Whatever else happens, you're not using your wind tunnel again. Got it?"

"Sango…"

"No," she snapped. "You've pushed yourself too far already, and I'm not ready to lose you!"

He sighed and tipped forward slightly so that his head rested on her shoulder. She wrapped one arm around his shoulders and squeezed lightly. Then she hauled him to his feet without a word and helped him onto Kirara's back. He was right about one thing – they didn't have much time.

xXx

"Hachi, don't slow down," Inuyasha ordered, lifting Tessaiga. Another wave of moths were flying at them – it seemed like Menomaru was insistent on keeping them away. The number of souls flying through the air had decreased to almost nothing. It could mean that the moths had simply gathered every soul that they could find, but the churning in Inuyasha's gut warned him that it was more sinister than that. Menomaru's youki filled the air so strongly that he could taste it – it wouldn't be long until the transformation was complete.

Shippo sent bursts of foxfire down Hachi's body, protecting him from the moths, while Inuyasha swung Tessaiga through the air again and again, shooting waves of power at the main swarm. It cleared enough of a path for them, and they were almost at the Tree. Inuyasha closed his eyes and pulled in a deep breath, almost going limp with relief as he caught Miroku, Sango, and Kirara's scents all together. He desperately hoped that they had found some way to break the spell on Kirara, that no one had been too injured in the attempt. He directed Hachi towards the lower half of the canopy, hoping vaguely to avoid Menomaru discovering them right away. The moth demon was still hovering suspended in the sphere, but had already grown more than five times his old size.

Inuyasha leapt off Hachi's back and ordered him to stay close. He leapt up from branch to branch, following the scent of his pack. It didn't take long to pick up another familiar smell – Sesshomaru! He ground his teeth. What was that asshole doing here? He shook his head – it didn't matter. Not when he could smell the pain in the others' scent, the sharp tang of Miroku and Kirara's blood. Not when his youki was already crawling over his skin, begging to be set free.

He caught sight of them and launched himself up the last few branches. Sango whirled around when he landed behind them, sword drawn and jaw clenched. He immediately frowned at her pale face, the way she moved as though guarding her ribs. Her eyes widened almost comically when she recognized him, and she crossed the distance between them in two short steps before tugging him into a careful embrace. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders, wary of hurting her, and looked past her to where Miroku was leaning against Kirara. If Sango looked bad, the monk looked like death. His skin was decidedly grey, his eyes sunken, and he was visibly shaking. Sango stepped back and followed his gaze, sighing softly.

"We're all still alive," she said firmly, which didn't serve to make him feel that much better.

He moved swiftly to Miroku's side and knelt down before him, eyes sharp as they darted over his partner. Miroku smiled tiredly and shrugged with one shoulder. "It's not as bad as it looks."

Sango snorted behind him and Inuyasha was inclined to agree. He pulled Miroku into his arms and buried his nose in his neck, breathed him in for a moment and let his youki settle. Miroku held him with fragile strength. When he leaned back, Inuyasha kissed him desperately, softly but hard-edged with urgency. He broke apart to seek out the source of the scent of blood which dug into his mind like a dagger. He caught Miroku's right hand and lifted it cautiously, his heart clenching. A deep gouge ran through the fleshy base of his thumb and over his third and fourth fingers, visible on either side of the cloth covering and thankfully stopping short of his palm on both ends. But that was too close for Inuyasha's liking, and it was still steadily dripping blood.

"What happened?" he asked, voice frail.

"It doesn't matter now," Miroku said tiredly, pulling his hand free of Inuyasha's grasp.

Inuyasha frowned deeply and tugged him closer. He pushed down the guilt which rose inside him – that could wait until later. His eyes dared to Kirara as she huffed beside them. Inuyasha flicked his ears and shot her a mild glare.

"I take it you're not going to try to kill us?" he asked, reaching out a hand to carefully brush some blood from her eyes.

She grumbled tiredly and closed her eyes, pressing her brow into his palm.

"What happened to you all?" he muttered, practically tasting their pain in the air.

"Menomaru had Ruri and Hari keeping us busy," Sango said. "We haven't been able to get to him."

Inuyasha growled softly. "That explains why they left me alone. They were after me most of the night." He sighed and looked back at Miroku. "I'm sorry I didn't get to you sooner."

"No need to apologize," Miroku smiled softly. "We managed."

Inuyasha raised his brows skeptically and looked over them again. Miroku didn't look like he could stand on his own, Sango had barely been able to lift her sword, Kirara's pupils were different sizes and she was panting heavily, and the front of Miroku's robes were smudged with blood that had leaked from Inuyasha's wound – it had still refused to stop bleeding. And the battle hadn't truly started, yet.

He glanced up through the final few branches, sniffed the air again. "Sesshomaru's here?"

"He arrived just before you did," Sango reported tiredly. "He said he had a plan."

He grimaced suspiciously. "Is it any good?"

"Well, it's a _plan,_" Miroku said pointedly. "Which is more than we have."

"We'd better get up to him," Sango said. "He told me that he could easily kill us all."

Kirara stood shakily, closed her eyes and shook her head against a wave of nausea. Her ears pricked and she walked further down the branch, to where Hachi had drifted closer, peering at them through the leaves. Shippo was on his head, obediently staying put even as he craned his neck to see them better. Sango waved at him fondly as she climbed onto Kirara's back. The twin-tail chuffed before she took off, a little unsteady in the air. Miroku climbed to his feet, painfully slow, and started towards Hachi. That was it, then. They were going after Menomaru again, with no idea how to beat him and no time to figure it out. It was hard to keep track of the most dire situations they'd been in thus far, but this certainly felt like one of them.

A thrum of panic shot through Inuyasha as he realized that this was really happening. None of them were in fighting condition – there was a good chance that someone would be badly hurt, if not killed in this venture. And as he watched his partner struggling simply to walk down the branch, he knew he couldn't let it go unsaid.

"Miroku, wait," Inuyasha said, snagging the monk's wrist. They both winced in pain as the moment tugged at their injuries, but Inuyasha pulled him closer regardless. "I want to say that I was an idiot before. I got scared, which is stupid because it's _you_ and I _trust_ you and-"

"Yash, it's alright," Miroku said. "But now might not be-"

"I love you," Inuyasha cut him off. "I love you, and I was a fool for not saying so earlier, because I knew it then, too. I've known for a long time."

Miroku smiled brokenly and pulled their foreheads together, his hand curled around the back of Inuyasha's neck. "I love you, too. Kami, you have no idea."

They breathed into each other for another long moment, both reluctant to let go. Eventually, Miroku placed a gentle kiss to Inuyasha's lips and pulled back. He smiled, tiredly, tightly, but full of love.

"Let's try not to die now that we've said it, yeah?"

xXx

Sesshomaru stood on one of the highest branches at the top of the tree, just barely hidden from Menomaru's gaze within the giant sphere perched overhead. He regarded the incoming group with obvious disdain, openly scowling as they set down beside him.

"How many times must I repeat myself?" he hissed. "I will not fail to destroy you all as I kill this monster."

"Shut up and listen, you asshole," Inuyasha growled, jumping down from Hachi and placing one hand on Miroku's leg to keep him where he was. "We both know this demon is stronger than anything either of us have faced before. I doubt even Tokijin will be able to kill him on its own. So stop being a superior dick for just a moment and let us actually work this out together!"

Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed, and Inuyasha was sure he was about to throw a punch. Instead, he asked – coldly, dispassionately, but still – "What do you suggest?"

"He doesn't expect you to be here," Miroku said, slumping forward on Hachi. "We can use the element of surprise. We will keep him distracted and you can come up behind the sphere. Just give us warning before you attack with Tokijin."

Sesshomaru sneered and leapt up through the branches, immediately disappearing from view.

"Was that a 'yes?'" Sango asked dryly as Inuyasha rolled his eyes and jumped back onto Hachi.

"Who the hell knows," the hanyou growled. "Move faster, Hachi!"

When they cleared the top of the canopy, Inuyasha stood and unsheathed Tessaiga menacingly. Menomaru's eyes immediately snapped to him.

"So you're still alive, half-demon?" he asked coolly, his voice echoing strangely from inside the orb.

"And kicking!" Inuyasha growled. "Now it's my turn to thank you. I've been needing to kill something all day!"

"Is that so?" Menomaru smirked. "Then I will gladly put you to the test. You will face the power of the new Lord Hyoga!"

Inuyasha's eyes widened as the first cracks appeared along the surface of the sphere. They were too late! But then there was movement on the other side of the orb, a flash of white through the air. Inuyasha flung himself over Miroku, was shouting at Hachi to drop. They were barely out of the way when three lines of red shot through the sphere, cutting straight through its surface. The power of Tokijin sliced through Menomaru's youki, dispelling it and leaving shimmering scars through the air.

And then Menomaru laughed.

He shifted within the broken sphere and unfurled, rising to his full, humongous size. The remnants of the pink orb shattered as his long limbs broke through, the pieces crashing through the branches of the Tree. Dark pink sludge still clung to the wings at his back as they slowly flapped open. When he touched the ground, he was almost half as tall as the Tree of Ages. The few wounds caused by Tokijin's blast had already healed.

Sesshomaru dove at him through the air, lifting the sword above his head as he prepared to strike. Menomaru swung around to face him and opened his mouth, a wave of silk spewing from his mouth. It caught Sesshomaru and flung him back, sending him careening towards the Tree. He twisted around, cutting through the silk with his claws, sending out a pulse of youki to burn the rest away before its acidic poison could eat through his robes. He landed on one of the highest branches, glared up at Menomaru.

"The time has come," the giant moth demon proclaimed, unfurling his wings and sending several pulses of power down them. A chattering rose from around the Tree, and all remaining moths began to fly at him. They latched onto his wings, biting deep as their bodies dissolved and merged into the membranes. Menomaru's youki flowed like sap down each appendage, making them thicker and stronger. Dark forms began to worm around the feathery wings, emerging from between the scales. They formed into demons, powerful youkai clad in armour from the continent. They shrieked and took to the air, flying in droves towards the Tree. Menomaru flapped his wings several times, rising slowly into the air, also coming towards them.

"Go forth and devour!" he shouted.

"Shit!" Inuyasha swore, lifting Tessaiga. "Miroku, stay back!"

He called upon the Wind Scar, which formed instantly in his mind, and hurled the attack at one of the gathering hoards – but there were so many! There had to be _thousands_ of them! He caught sight of Kirara launching forward above him, the Hiraikotsu cutting through another line. He sent another wave of the Wind Scar through the swarm, but even as it sliced through a hundred, more took their place. Others were circling around, coming at them from all sides. He had to cut through several that dove for him, not giving him enough room to draw on the Wind Scar again. More landed on the branches around them, clambering towards Hachi. Inuyasha spared a worried glance behind him, just long enough to see Miroku block the blade of a boar demon with his staff. Hachi was trembling, looked as though he might take flight any minute.

Sesshomaru burst through the canopy, Tokijin aimed at Menomaru's face. His youki flared around him, pushing back all the smaller demons that lunged for him. Menomaru's own aura pulsed, clashing with Sesshomaru's, holding him back. He swung Tokijin, the blade an angry red, and a line of power raced through the air, cutting through Menomaru's youki and striking his chest. He cried out in outrage, one giant hand sweeping through the air, knocking Sesshomaru back. He was immediately set upon by dozens of demons. He swung Tokijin in wide arcs, slicing through them, but more arrived all the time.

"We're getting nowhere with this!" Inuyasha snarled, unleashing the Wind Scar yet again.

Sango and Kirara were fighting their way back to him, but their progress was blocked by a writhing mass of demons. Sango cut through most with Hiraikotsu, while Kirara snapped at the hands reaching for her from above and below, trying to keep any from dragging her or Sango apart.

"Kirara!" Miroku shouted, kicking the demon closest to him in the face. "Up!"

Kirara sprang through the hoard, climbing higher and higher into the sky. The demons clumped together before giving chase. Miroku didn't give them the chance. He pulled the mala from his hand and braced himself against Hachi's head. The demons tried to run from the wind tunnel, a few fleeing to the sides but most scrambling directly away from the void. Their mistake cost them their lives. Miroku clenched his jaw, his eyes darting from the wind tunnel to Kirara flying overhead, to the demons creeping up the branches towards him and Hachi. But then Inuyasha was there, driving the opportunistic opponents back with Tessaiga, the blade now continually glowing amber. Miroku held out as long as he could, but he'd already overexposed the wind tunnel, and he knew he wouldn't be able to last much longer. He watched as demons continued to mob Sesshomaru, as even more were forming in Menomaru's wings.

"Sango!" he called up to her as Kirara flew down to him. "You need to destroy his wings! We won't get anywhere if he keeps on producing demons."

She nodded and took off, skirting along the top of the wind tunnel, knowing that no demons dared come closer. Miroku watched her carefully, keeping the void open just long enough for Kirara to pass over Menomaru's head.

"Sesshomaru!" he shouted next, eternally grateful for the keen hearing of the Inu-youkai. Sesshomaru's eyes snapped to his, even as Tokijin passed through another wave of demons. "Help Sango take off his wings. I'll keep the demons off you and Inuyasha will distract Menomaru!"

"I will?" Inuyasha asked, landing beside him on Hachi and surveying him sharply. "_You _will? Miroku, you can't use the wind tunnel again! It'll kill you!"

"I don't have a choice," Miroku sighed, sagging against him. "This can't be all that Menomaru has planned. The battle's only beginning."

"Fuck," Inuyasha snarled, embracing him fiercely for a moment before forcing himself to let go. "Stay away from the main hoard, alright? Don't let them swarm you. And don't you _dare _die! Okay?"

Miroku pulled him in for a searing kiss before pushing him away, off Hachi as the tanuki rose into the air. They circled around Menomaru, watching keenly as the demons twisted in droves, confused about their targets. Sesshomaru and Sango had taken position behind the moth demon, weapons raised. Inuyasha swallowed. Now or never! He called up the Wind Scar as he leapt from branch to branch towards Menomaru, sent a wave blasting at the demon. Menomaru smirked, raised a hand and batted the air, sending a powerful gust towards Inuyasha – and dispelling the Wind Scar into nothing. The hanyou shouted as he was caught, the gale carrying him over the canopy, driving him off the Tree entirely. He pulled on his youki, used it to change his direction as he fell, pushing himself back into the mess of branches.

Sango lifted Hiraikotsu above her head as Kirara dove for the base of Menomaru's wing. She had no idea if her weapon would be enough to cut through the thick material. She reached into under her armour as they approached, her hand closing around one of the last vials she had. The bottle of scorpion venom, to be exact. Well, she'd wanted to test it, and there was no better time. She uncorked it and unceremoniously dumped it over the length of Hiraikotsu, careful not to let any of it get on her or Kirara. It sizzled as it came into contact with the weapon, and the surface began to steam lightly as the venom hardened on top of it.

Sesshomaru was descending beside them, Tokijin aimed at the other wing. A familiar rumble came from the other side of the demon, and Sango watched in horror as Menomaru brushed through the Wind Scar like it was nothing. There was no time to lose. As the howl of the wind tunnel sounded above them, Kirara flew down the length of the wing. Hiraikotsu was almost ripped from Sango's hands as it connected with the wing, but she held on with all her strength, and after a heartbeat, it began to cut through. She wrapped her legs around Kirara's neck and pulled on the weapon with all her weight, dragged it down in one long line. Sesshomaru was having a much easier time beside them, had already reached the bottom of the wing and had spun around to face the hoard of demons which dove for them in response.

Menomaru shrieked and flailed, one arm swinging back behind them to try and rip them away from him. Kirara dove to the side to avoid the glancing blow. Sesshomaru took a slightly different approach – met the limb head-on, pointed the tip of Tokijin at the joint of the wrist, and plunged the blade deep into flesh. As Menomaru began to fall, even his powerful youki unable to support his massive bulk without his wings, Sesshomaru lifted the blade up, severing his hand completely. Menomaru landed on the top of the Tree, the branches creaking and bending under his weight. He spun around, snatching for Sesshomaru with his other hand, but the Inu-youkai shot up through the air and out of reach. Kirara flew in the opposite direction, towards where Miroku clung pale-face and shaking to Hachi's back, Shippo desperately driving back the approaching demons with his foxfire.

Inuyasha leapt through the canopy, swung Tessaiga over his head, the Wind Scar racing through the air to strike Menomaru in the chest. This time it hit home, digging deep gouges into his torso. He was knocked back a step, shouted in anger. Inuyasha landed hard, twisting at the last moment to avoid the sharp edge of a broken branch sticking through the foliage like a spear. Their battleground was growing more treacherous, with demons disappearing through the canopy to attack from all sides, and Menomaru's weight threatening to bring the whole structure toppling down at any moment. The moth demon's youki had flared from the attack, was building in the air to a suffocating degree. Inuyasha shook his head, tried to clear his vision, but the Wind Scar refused to even form in his mind.

A deep grumble rose from Menomaru's chest, building into a growl. A symbol had formed on his brow, both yin and yang emerging to join together into the taijitu, which shone with a sickly lavender glow.

"How _dare _you challenge me?" Menomaru shouted, and energy began to crackle along his body as he crossed his arms before his face, swirling together and travelling up to his brow. "Witness my power!"

He flung his arms wide, and a beam of pink energy shot from the symbol at his brow. Inuyasha swore and leapt high into the air as the line of light cut through the canopy of the Tree, severing branches, vaporizing demons, and cutting straight through to the ground, where it gouged deep into the earth. Inuyasha pulled on his youki, tried to keep himself aloft, but he began falling back down, towards the deadly beam. Then a hand closed around his wrist, and Sango swung him up onto Kirara's back.

"It seems you've pissed him off," she shouted back to him wryly, her voice rough in the rushing wind.

"Yeah, looks like!" he grinned predatorily. "You doing okay?"

Her answering grimace was less than reassuring. He could hear her ragged breathing, the pain obvious in her scent. Kirara's flight was less than stable, blood still dripping from her brow. She turned back towards Hachi, to Miroku's deathly pale face staring down at them over the tanuki's head. His eyes widened and Inuyasha followed his gaze down, to where the remaining demons were emerging from the branches in a wave, their voices piercing through the groans of the breaking Tree.

xXx

Kikyo watched as a large section of the Tree of Ages tumbled to the ground. A quarter of the canopy was gone already, the rest creaking dangerously. She looked up at where the battle was raging, strangely conflicted. She had no allegiance to any of the individuals up there save one, no need to take on any foe that wasn't Naraku. But Inuyasha was in danger. And this demon, this Menomaru, was as much a threat to her world as the other monster she'd sworn to destroy.

His moths had long since abandoned her. There was nothing keeping her in this accursed forest other than her own curiosity, the creeping desire to aid those in need. Even though she despised most of them. Even though she had already helped them once, had failed in the attempt. Even though she knew with a keenness foreign to the living that her power was limited, her time in this world held by a fragile thread. Menomaru did not seek her the way Naraku did. She could easily escape. If her heart, her soul, was not dragging her back.

xXx

Sango threw Hiraikotsu at the incoming demons, unsheathing her sword with her other hand. Kirara twisted over Hachi and Inuyasha leapt from her back, landing next to Miroku. She continued on her path, letting Sango intercept Hiraikotsu on its return path and plunging headlong into the approaching hoard. Inuyasha bared his teeth as he focused on the demons' youki, barely detectable under Menomaru's overpowering aura. The Wind Scar was broader than usual, caught more demons in its blast but didn't dissolve them in its light. He supposed he shouldn't complain – dead was dead, after all – but it only heightened his increasing sense of dread. Both Sango and Kirara were visibly slowing. Dark spots were dancing in his vision, pain lacing up his torso with every breath. And Miroku was slumped over Hachi's head, unable to even lift his staff to defend himself.

And then Sesshomaru shot past them, eyes red, Tokijin blazing. He struck Menomaru in the chest, the sword plunging deep into his flesh. Sesshomaru landed on the skin and began running down his body, dragging Tokijin along after him. He cut a deep swathe into Menomaru's torso before the moth demon's fist drove him back. Inuyasha gasped in disbelief at the demonic aura noticeably diminished. Had Tokijin really done all that? The sword's presence had certainly emerged, clashing horribly with Menomaru's youki. And Menomaru actually seemed pained by the attack, was panting as his remaining hand came to grasp the wound. Not only blood, but something else was dripping from the torn flesh. At first, Inuyasha couldn't pinpoint what it was.

And then the soul collectors arrived. They swarmed along his body, too small for him to easily grasp, too nimble to be swatted away. They burrowed deep into the wound, digging past the ragged edges of muscle and emerging with souls grasped in their arms. Kikyo rose through the branches, held aloft by more of the youkai. They set her down gently on one of the broken edges of the tree and sped off to join their companions. To Inuyasha's surprise, they didn't bring any of the souls back to her – merely released them into the air and dove in for more. Even with just the dozen or so soul collectors at work, Menomaru's power was diminishing. He was shouting, batting wildly at the youkai.

As he twisted in agony, Miroku gasped. "Look at his back," he said urgently to Inuyasha. "His wings are regenerating!"

"_How?_" Inuyasha growled. "He's already absorbed all the power from the sphere! He has nothing left!"

"It's the Tree of Ages," the monk realized sharply. "It's sustained by his power. He must be able to draw some energy from it!"

"So what do we do?" Inuyasha asked, wrapping an arm nervously around Miroku's shoulders.

His partner was quiet for a few agonizing moments, only his ragged breathing filling the silence.

"We need to destroy the Tree," he said finally. "Sever his connection with it. You or Sesshomaru might be able to cut through it…"

"I'm not leaving you again," Inuyasha said firmly. "And I doubt Menomaru's just gonna let us chop this thing down without something to say about it."

Miroku glanced down to the twisted branches below them. "Kikyo might be able to do something with her sacred arrows."

Hachi began to spiral down towards the canopy of the Tree. Inuyasha caught Sango's eye as Kirara passed overhead, and she nodded. Kirara swerved into an oncoming hoard of demons, allowing the slayer to cut through them with Hiraikotsu. He then found Sesshomaru's gaze as they passed him. His brother scowled and lifted Tokijin, the blade glowing red. He leapt high into the air and swung at Menomaru, a crimson blast of light flying from the sword. It caught Menomaru diagonally across the chest, cutting deep into his right shoulder and severing the arm from his body. His roar shook the Tree. The limb crashed down, breaking several branches at it fell.

"Kikyo!" Inuyasha shouted as Hachi dropped down beside her. She watched them warily, surrounded by a guard of a few soul collectors. "Can you destroy the Tree? It's the last thing giving Menomaru more strength."

She hummed and eyed the demon, who was still being accosted by her soul collectors and Sesshomaru. "He has embedded a Sacred Jewel shard deep within the trunk, imbued with his own power. One the shard is removed, the Tree will fall."

"Well, great!" Inuyasha said, glancing between her and Miroku. "Can you get to the shard?"

"I can remove it," she said slowly. "Though getting to it may prove challenging."

"I can help!" Shippo said, scampering onto Inuyasha's shoulder. "I can burn the wood away with my foxfire!"

Inuyasha and Miroku exchanged a grim look.

"You can't-" Miroku started.

"What other choice do we have?" the kit snapped, and they all fell silent. He turned burning green eyes onto Kikyo. "Okay?"

"Very well," she murmured, raising a hand. Before either Inuyasha or Miroku could stop him, he scampered across Hachi's head and leapt onto her arm. Her soul collectors immediately wound around her torso and limbs, lifting her up and starting to lower her through the branches.

"Make sure you have a clear path away before you remove the shard," Miroku called after them. "You won't have long before the Tree falls."

"We need to cover them," Inuyasha said, eyes darting up just as another blast of energy shot from Menomaru's brow, almost catching Sesshomaru.

"Look at his wings," Miroku said urgently. "They're almost big enough to start producing more demons. You and Sango need to cut them off before that can happen. Hachi and I will take on the remaining demons and hopefully Sesshomaru will keep Menomaru distracted until you're ready."

"Miroku…" Inuyasha whispered, looking at his partner's right hand as though it pained him.

"I promise it won't kill me," he said reassuringly, too exhausted to offer a smile.

Inuyasha pressed a searing kiss onto his lips and leapt off Hachi's back before picking his way across the broken canopy. Hachi took to the air once more, climbing to a good vantage point. Kirara veered towards them, and Miroku waved for her attention. Once both she and Sango were watching, he thumped himself twice on the back. Sango visibly glanced behind her and Menomaru and then nodded, raising her sword.

"Are you sure about this?" Hachi asked as Kirara took off towards the moth demon. "We can't keep distracting him forever. Sooner or later we need to find a way to kill him."

Miroku sighed. "Yes, well, when you find a way, let me know."

Inuyasha kept under the cover of the leaves as he circled around behind Menomaru. The demon was still reeling from the loss of his arm, and was shooting wave after wave of light blasts after Sesshomaru. His brother was dodging easily, transformed into a glowing ball of youki to dart back and forth, but he couldn't materialize long enough to fight. Menomaru's attacks were also increasingly erratic – he didn't seem able to move at all without his wings to support him. As one shot came alarmingly close to where Hachi hovered, Inuyasha's vision flashed red. Sesshomaru had already surpassed his expectations by helping them at all, but he knew that his brother had no regard for humans. He wouldn't give a damn if any of Inuyasha's pack died in this fight, because of him or not, and it made Inuyasha incredibly nervous.

Kirara appeared over Menomaru's head and Inuyasha forced himself to breathe. He channelled his rising youki into his sword and pulled on the rest as he leapt, bounding on nothing but air, rising higher and higher until he could catch hold of the stubs of one of Menomaru's wings. He grabbed handfuls of scales and pulled himself even higher, dragging his exhausted body to the top. Sango and Kirara met him there, grim-faced and pale. He raised Tessaiga and Sango lifted Hiraikotsu as they shared a determined glance.

And then a howl came from the other side of Menomaru. Inuyasha scrambled up the moth demon's body, careless of being detected – because he had no idea what might cause his brother to sound like that. Sesshomaru was suspended in the air, a bright blue youki pulsing around him as his eyes glowed blood red. And then his face elongated, his fangs growing more pronounced, the fur mokomoko draped over his shoulder growing and twisting around him as he transformed. He'd barely taken his true canine form before he was hurling at Menomaru. He connected hard, his fangs sinking into the moth demon's neck. Though he was like a songbird flying at a human, his impact still knocked Menomaru back a step.

"Hurry!" Inuyasha shouted at Sango, racing back to Menomaru's wings. He had no idea what could have pissed off Sesshomaru enough to get him to transform, but he wasn't about to hang around and find out.

Sesshomaru growled as he bit deeper into the demon's flesh. The ceaseless attacks of the new Hyoga had been grating at his nerves and stoking his anger – how _dare _a demon, even a daiyoukai such as this, deign to face him? And then he'd sensed a familiar presence cross into the valley. And suddenly the annoyance had turned to a threat. Suddenly he could no longer afford to toy with his kill. Suddenly he needed Menomaru gone. And he didn't care to stop and examine why.

He could feel the slight tug of the monk's void on his clothes as the demons around him were drawn in. He ignored it, focused on tearing into his throat once more before leaping at his eyes. The moth demon's hand was reaching for him, trying to pry him away, but he snapped at his fingers. Menomaru moaned, low and rumbling, and Sesshomaru could smell blood at his back. A moment later, he saw Inuyasha riding that neko with one of the humans back into the sky. Hissing surrounded him as the white youkai resumed their hunt for souls from Menomaru's body now that the monk's winds had faded. He kept all of them in his mind, dozens of dancing pieces around him. He watched a tiger demon rip through several of the youkai before one of the humans' weapons destroyed it. He honed in on the vulnerable areas of Menomaru's face, sank his teeth into the shell of his ear and _pulled_.

xXx

"How much further?" the little fox asked, sending another wave of blue fire into the hole her arrow had gouged into the Tree.

"Not much," she said, focusing on the faint pulse of the Jewel shard buried underneath the youki saturating the air.

"Will you need me to carry you away once the Tree starts to fall?" he asked, glancing back at her. "I can hold up a human for a little while."

She tried not to let the surprise show on her face as she surveyed him. What a strange little creature. He knew nothing but the worst of her, had no reason to help her, and yet he had not hesitated to go alone with her, far from the others. Was offering his own back for her to ride on in escape.

"I will be perfectly fine on my own," she told him, coolly. "Just stay away from the Jewel and run when I say."

xXx

Menomaru roared as Sesshomaru attacked. The Inu-youkai attacked his eyes, tearing into them with his powerful claws. Menomaru batted him away with one powerful swing, catching him broadside and sending him crashing through the canopy. He stretched out his jaw and shot a wave of poison silk after Sesshomaru, which quickly bound him to the branch he had landed on. Sesshomaru growled and began to burn through the silk with his youki, eyes blazing red. Menomaru swung around and snarled at Inuyasha next, hurling a ball of silk at Kirara. Inuyasha swore and held up Tessaiga. The sword cut through some of it, but the weight of the immense blast was dragging Kirara down. He tore through as much as he could with Tessaiga and his claws, and then began pulling the thick strands off Sango, knowing that her armour would do her less good than even Kirara's fur to keep the poison at bay.

She gasped as it began to burn on her skin. The fumes were making him lightheaded as well, taking him back to a prison of paralysis and pain, of blood and lost control. Kirara landed hard on one of the larger remaining branches, yowled as the poison began to dig into her as well. Inuyasha growled at the acidic bite at his hands and sting in his eyes. He heard someone shouting at them from above, saw Hachi crash gracelessly through the canopy before veering back towards them. Miroku fell more than climbed off his back and stumbled towards them, sinking to his knees. He raised his staff and closed his eyes, bringing a faint spiritual power to its head as he passed it over them all.

Inuyasha grunted at the power which clashed with his youki, but soon the burning of the poison had faded to a manageable throbbing. He braced himself against Sango, shot a concerned look at Miroku as the monk sat back on his heels. Menomaru was roaring above them, bleeding and losing souls but still standing, still powerful. And they were not. They were drained. They were exhausted. He didn't know if they had much fight left in them. He could smell the smoke rising up the Tree as it burned, knew that Kikyo and Shippo must be getting close. And then what? Would the battle continue on the ground? Would they be able to defeat Menomaru then?

"Master Inuyasha!" a loud, insistent, and utterly unexpected voice came from below them.

He peered down in disbelief as a tiny, black dot bounced from branch to branch up to them. "Myoga?" he asked incredulously.

"Do you have any idea how long it took me to climb this horrendous, abominable tree?" the flea asked, gasping for breath as he landed on Inuyasha's shoulder. "Not to mention that it's _on fire!_"

"What the hell are you doing here?" Sango asked. "You ran away!"

"Well, clearly you still needed my help!" Myoga shot back. "I thought you would be able to actually follow the plan and defeat Menomaru without awakening Hyoga!"

"Yeah, yeah, we're awful," Inuyasha snapped. "So what you got? How do we beat him?"

"You must use the Backlash Wave!"

Inuyasha growled deep in his throat. "If it was that simple, don't you think I would've _done that by now? _I can't get a Wind Scar to form because his youki's so stupidly powerful! And if there's some other way to access the Backlash Wave, I don't know how to do it!"

Myoga's eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "Then you'll need something powerful enough to dispel Menomaru's aura enough for the Wind Scar to form. Is that Sesshomaru I smell up there?"

Inuyasha sighed. "He cut through the youki a few times, but not enough for me to see the Wind Scar again. Maybe if I did it right after him…"

"Huh," the flea pondered. "At this point, it appears you may have only one shot, for Menomaru will surely destroy you if you do not kill him immediately. Is there some other way to do it? Strong spiritual powers, perhaps?"

He glanced pointedly at Miroku, but the monk shook his head. "Even at my best, I would never be able to purify such a strong aura."

"Kikyo could," Inuyasha said quietly.

They all exchanged a solemn look.

"I'll get her," Sango announced, pushing to her feet. "I'll send her up on Kirara and finish up whatever she was doing down there."

"Alright," Miroku nodded. "We're going to have to time this carefully. If we want to destroy Menomaru before the Tree falls, we still have to break his connection to its power. Sango, wait for my signal before taking out the Jewel shard. Hopefully there will be enough time to use the Backlash Wave before the Tree collapses completely. That way, even if it doesn't work, we will still have another shot once he's on the ground."

"Let's do this," Inuyasha said firmly. "Once last push."

He placed one hand on Miroku's shoulder and one on Sango's, smiling faintly as Kirara nosed her way under his arm. They all closed their eyes for just a moment, gathering a sparse calm between them. And then they moved. Sango climbed onto Kirara's back and the twin-tail bounded down through the branches. Inuyasha lifted Miroku into his arms and leapt onto Hachi. They flew through the canopy to where Sesshomaru had disappeared, found him watching Menomaru from beneath the leaves, transformed back into his more human-like form. He turned a seething gaze on them as they approached.

"Get out of here," Inuyasha told him. "We're destroying the Tree and I'm going to take out Menomaru with the Tessaiga."

"With Tessaiga?" Sesshomaru echoed scornfully. "You couldn't even hit him before. You cannot hope to defeat him with such an inferior-"

"Shut up," Inuyasha cut him off. "I've made the Tessaiga stronger than it ever was with you. I know how to beat him." He huffed a breath and glowered. "Thank you for your help. We wouldn't have made it this far without you."

"Obviously."

He rolled his eyes and dragged a hand down his face. "Yeah, whatever. Beat it, 'cause I'm not gonna hold back if you're still in the way."

Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed and he sneered. "I will not leave my business unfinished."

"Fine, just stay back."

xXx

"Kikyo!" Sango called down to her, as she stood at the base of the tree in front of a smoking tunnel seared into the trunk. "They need you back up there. You need to purify Menomaru's aura so that Inuyasha can use the Tessaiga."

Kikyo frowned, looked back into the tunnel where Shippo was emerging. "We have yet to reach the shard."

"I'll dig my way to it and pull it out when it's time," Sango promised, pushing her gently towards Kirara. "She'll take you up, but we gotta hurry."

Kikyo resisted, eyed Kirara warily. "I tried to kill her."

Sango sighed. "Yes, there was a lot of that going on today. Now go!"

She watched with grim satisfaction as the priestess climbed uncomfortably onto Kirara's back and hung on tightly as the twin-tail shot back into the air. She followed them until they disappeared through the branches and turned her attention back to Shippo. The little kit's face was smudged with soot, the tunnel still burning in places. She crouched down and peered into the hole he'd created, which still had a glowing sacred arrow in the centre. This close, she could just sense the shard. It had to be close, if she could feel it at all.

"How are we doing here?" she asked, pulling a knife from her tunic.

xXx

Inuyasha ducked, a blast from Menomaru's brow passing just over his head. "You ready?"

Kirara was right behind him, ready to drag him to safety as soon as the Tree began to collapse. Kikyo stood a little further back, elevated on one of the taller branches, her bow in her hands. Miroku and Hachi were floating beside her, Sesshomaru hovering far behind them. He caught Miroku's gaze, held it just for a moment, and nodded.

Miroku nodded in return. "Shippo, now!"

Halfway down the Tree, Shippo dropped his orb form and dropped down along the trunk, catching himself just before the ground. "Sango, now!"

"Here we go!" she shouted, digging her nails into the shard still imbedded in the wood and ripping it free.

The Tree immediately began to creak and groan, even more than before. A terrible cracking sound emerged from deep within the trunk. The entire structure began to sway dangerously.

"Curse you!" Menomaru shouted, taking a careening step forward, his remaining arm flung out for balance. "You cannot defeat me! Even if the Tree of Ages should fall, I will not rest. I will take every soul on this wretched island, and I will return to my home the most powerful demon in the world!"

The taijitu symbol at his brow glowed warningly as he spoke, and immediately shot forth another blast of piercing light. It headed straight towards them. But then there was the _twang _of a bow, and Kikyo's arrow blasted past him, cutting cleanly through the oncoming attack and racing towards Menomaru. Crackling bolts of energy emerged on all sides of the shot, swirling and crashing together as they formed the largest Wind Scar that Inuyasha had ever seen. He lifted Tessaiga above his head, and with every last drop of his strength, swung it forward. Six lines of power flew through the air, following the arrow's path and sweeping up Menomaru's blast in their wake. Menomaru made a startled sound and took a step back, but there was no time for him to escape. The Backlash Wave hit him squarely, cut through his body. Kikyo's arrow struck the taijitu at his brow and it shattered.

Menomaru's roar faded into nothing as his body fell apart, large chunks crashing down through the branches. The few remaining souls sprang from his flesh, escaping up into the sky. The already-unstable Tree began to collapse completely. A deep, rumbling groan emerged from the trunk as it tilted dangerously to one side, the wood splitting as it began to fall. Kirara tugged on the back of Inuyasha's robes with his teeth and he climbed onto her back. She leapt to the side to avoid one of the branches as it snapped, sending giant shards of wood flying to the air.

Sesshomaru couldn't believe his eyes. How had the Tessaiga grown so powerful? How had _Inuyasha _grown so powerful? Something had to have changed. That sword had done what even Tokijin could not – though, he supposed, it wasn't only due to lack of potential. He glanced down at the two swords at his hip, the quiet Tenseiga, and the Tokijin, which pulsed angrily in its sheath. Inuyasha had truly mastered the Tessaiga. His aura and that of the sword were indistinguishable. The Tokijin still resisted him. Sesshomaru needed to gain power, and quickly. Otherwise… He glanced at the horizon, where he could just make out the dark blur in the sky. He should have known that they would come after him. As the Tree collapsed out from under him, he pushed off into the air and flew towards where his charges were waiting.

"Hachi, go!" Miroku ordered reaching for Kikyo's hand. He almost had her when the ground disappeared from beneath her feet, the branch she was standing on crumbling under its own weight. He swore and leapt off Hachi's back, snagged a hand in her sleeve and held on tight. Hachi twisted around to fly back under them as they fell, but the branches were breaking apart all around them, and he had no room to escape. Kikyo lifted a hand and her soul collectors descended around them, using their bodies to push away some of the smaller pieces of wood. Hachi flew forward, towards the rapidly closing gap between two branches. Kikyo rose to her feet on his back and notched another arrow, waiting for just a moment before loosing it at the barrier blocking their path. The wood split apart as soon as the arrow connected. Hachi yelled wildly as he barrelled through the dissolving material.

The Tree crumbled around them. Miroku could barely make out Inuyasha and Kirara flying before them. A flash of pink far below drew his attention to Sango riding on Shippo's back as the kit bounced above the maze of roots in his orb form. He breathed out a shuddering sigh of relief. Everyone was alive – somehow, everyone was alive and not fatally wounded and they had done it. He knew that he was shaking, that Kikyo had noticed. He didn't particularly care.

"You saved my life again," she said instead, soft, almost chiding.

"I did."

"That's not an answer, monk," she insisted.

"You didn't ask a question." He caught her gaze and his shoulders sagged. "Inuyasha would be devastated if you died. Especially if there was a way for me to stop it. That's all there is to it. I care about you because I care about him." He sighed, ran a hand down his face. "Please stop asking."

She watched him carefully. "I don't understand it. If I were in your position, I would not hesitate to destroy you."

"Perhaps," he murmured. "Then again, you saved us. You came back."

She looked away, frowned. "I did that for him. And for my own protection. Menomaru was a threat."

He didn't push. Hachi slowly descended to where Kirara had landed, Shippo following soon after. Inuyasha caught him as he pushed off Hachi's back, held him up when his knees threatened to buckle. He lowered them both to the ground and pulled Miroku flush to his chest, holding him tight. The last frantic energy that had pushed him through the fight finally faded as the exhaustion, fear, and desperation hit home. He shoved everything aside, focused solely on Inuyasha's breath heaving beside him, on the fingers wound in his hair, on the warmth that seeped into him from the hanyou wrapped around him. The hanyou who loved him.

Kirara transformed down and wormed her way onto the monk's lap, flopping down in exhaustion. Hachi followed suit and sat down beside them. When Sango and Shippo arrived, they joined them. Kikyo regarded them thoughtfully for a moment. Miroku caught her eyes and tilted his head meaningfully – an invitation. Inuyasha looked at her as well, glanced between her and Miroku, guarded. She pursed her lips, and with the tiniest shake of her head, melted back into the forest. Miroku held onto the connection between them until distance made it fade.

He sighed and rested his head on Inuyasha's shoulder. He couldn't blame her for leaving. It wasn't as though he particularly wanted her to stay, and she likely sensed it. But she looked so indescribably sad. And she had made no claims on Inuyasha, hadn't threatened them at all. He could still feel the anger within her through the connection they shared, and yet she had changed. He didn't know why.

"Is everyone okay?" Inuyasha asked, voice rough and worn, looking over them all.

Miroku and Sango chuckled softly and made vaguely affirmative noises. Shippo burrowed deeper against Sango's chest. Kirara nosed Miroku's arm insistently until he obligingly began petting her.

"What a day," Sango sighed.

"It's very rude for a world-ending threat to disturb our relaxation time," Miroku agreed, smiling as Inuyasha shifted his arms to hold him tighter.

"But he's gone, right?" the hanyou grinned. "There's no other heir in their line that'll pop up as the next Hyoga in a few decades?"

"You needn't worry on that front," Myoga said reassuringly. "Menomaru was indeed the last of the Hyoga clan."

"Myoga!" Inuyasha exclaimed. "Did you actually stick around for that?"

"Of course!" the flea cried indignantly. "You needed my guidance!"

"That's a new move for you," Inuyasha grumbled. "I don't trust that." They all glanced overhead at the low grumbling sound, and he snorted. "Speaking of new moves…"

Sesshomaru barely looked at them before continuing on his path through the sky, carried along by his youki, his dragon mount following closely behind. They were unsurprised to hear Jaken shouting up at Sesshomaru, saying rather uncomplimentary things about them and asking him why he hadn't stopped to fight them. But as the dragon passed overhead, the imp wasn't the only thing riding them.

"Is that a child?" Sango asked in utter disbelief.

"What the hell is he doing with one of those?" Inuyasha muttered. "He's never had a taste for human flesh."

They watched in utter confusion as the small group followed Sesshomaru across the horizon, all of them unsure if they should be going after them. But the little human didn't appear to be in any distress, hadn't tried to call down to them. And Inuyasha couldn't detect any fear in her scent.

"Weird," Inuyasha shook his head. "What a weird day."

"Let's head back to Kaede's," Sango said decisively. "Hopefully nothing will attack us there."

"I don't think we'll be able to make it there today," Miroku murmured as Kirara blinked sleepily up at him.

"We'll rest for a bit and head back to that storehouse first," Inuyasha said. "You all get some rest. I'll keep watch."

Miroku and Sango eyed him skeptically, glancing down meaningfully at the blood staining his robes.

"Oh, like any of you can talk!" he snapped.

"I'm going to fetch some firewood first," Sango said, pushing to her feet. "No one die while I'm gone."

Kirara stood as though moving to help, and Miroku shoved her back down. She mewled plaintively before curling back up in his lap. Shippo wasted no time in bounding over to lie on top of her. They were both asleep in moments.

"At least someone can follow directions," Inuyasha murmured, brushing his fingers over Kirara's ears.

"I'm not surprised they're exhausted," Miroku sighed, leaning back against his partner.

Inuyasha nosed against the side of Miroku's neck, tightening his arms around him. "Sleep, now."

Miroku hummed softly, looked away. Inuyasha frowned, saw the tension running through him.

"What is it?"

"Nothing," Miroku muttered, still not meeting his eyes. "Just a long day."

Inuyasha shuffled in front of the monk, lifted his chin with a finger and caught his gaze. "Don't do that," he whispered. "I can't reach you if you go away, and I need you."

Miroku sighed, his eyes dropped down to his palm. Ten years, now. Almost to the day. The icy fingers of the void were still clinging to his arm, refusing to fade. And he felt hollow, an empty nothingness that was usually filled with the uncomfortable fullness of drawing in too much. And that was there, too – he had taxed himself more than he should have with those demons – but even they had failed to fill the vast emptiness.

"You saw Ruri copy the wind tunnel," he found himself saying, didn't have the strength to lie. "That's what killed her."

Inuyasha's eyes widened and he hissed quietly, wrapping his arms more securely around Miroku. "I'm so sorry."

"It's not just that," Miroku whispered. "She tore it open with her spear to try and draw me in. She broke it intentionally, not knowing that it would consume her." He shook his head at Inuyasha's muted horror. "And the tear she made…it was tiny. Barely a scratch. But that's all it took." He shut his eyes, let out a shuddering breath. "I don't know how long it will take the hole in my hand to grow that much."

The unspoken words lay heavy in the air. The question of time had always hung over them, looming in the nebulous future. This was not the answer that either of them wanted. Inuyasha didn't know what he could possibly say to make it right. Instead he gathered Miroku in his arms, pressed his partner's face into his chest.

"We'll beat him," he whispered into his hair. "It won't destroy you. I won't let it."

"Yash…" Miroku breathed, pulling back, pain in his eyes.

"Look," he sighed, pressed their brows together. "All my life, the world has seen me as a monster, or a mongrel, or a question – a problem to be solved. You're one of the only people to ever see me as a person. You saw _me_. And I know I don't say this enough, but I am _so_ endlessly, unbelievably thankful that you're in my life. I know I'll never be exactly who you want me to be-"

"You _are,_" Miroku murmured, squeezed his eyes shut.

Inuyasha huffed a breath, continued. "You make me feel like I belong. You see the things that no one else saw. You make me want to be better. Words can't describe how important you are to me. And you know how I am – if I have something, I'll protect it. I'd do anything to keep you safe."

"Even you can't fight against this," Miroku murmured.

"But you can," Inuyasha said. "You've been doing it your whole life, even before you inherited the curse. And Sango, and Shippo and Kirara and me, we're all going to fight for you. We'll take on Naraku even if you can't. You just have to hang on until then." He pressed forward into a kiss, poured everything he had into the connection before he pulled back. "Because I love you. We all do. I love you so much that I don't know what to do about it. It scares the shit outta me. But I'm not gonna stop."

He caught Miroku's gaze, held it with piercing intensity.

"I'm never going to stop."

Miroku closed his eyes as tears spilled freely down his cheeks. Inuyasha gathered him to his chest, lowered them both to the ground, mindful of Shippo and Kirara still in his lap.

"Sleep," Inuyasha breathed into his hair. "Please."

Miroku sighed. "You can't keep watch forever. You need rest, too."

"I will," he promised gently. "But right now I need to take care of you."

The fight slowly bled out of Miroku and he pressed his face into Inuyasha's chest. "Make sure that Sango sleeps when she gets back. And wake me for watch when it's my turn. And don't let-"

"_Miroku_," Inuyasha growled. "Let go. I've got this." He ran a gentle caress up and down his back, pressed a kiss into his hair. "Let go."

* * *

This chapter is, in no uncertain terms, thicc. I want to say that I appreciate all your feedback from the questions posed in the previous chapter! I'll definitely take it all into consideration, particularly the Sango plotline. I'm now going on vacation for two weeks, so reminder that the next chapter will come out on Friday, December 4th. I will be doing some editing during this time. Thanks so much, and see you then!


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